Benalla’s Noah Gillies aims for national hockey glory

By Adam Miller

Aug 26, 2024

Benalla hockey star Noah Gillies will represent Victoria at the Under-14 Hockey Championships in Perth. Photo by Contributed

A Benalla hockey star who has dominated the local league will represent Victoria in the Under-14 Hockey Championships in Perth.

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Through astonishing performances in the Goulburn Valley Hockey Association’s under-16 A-grade and men’s B-grade competitions, Noah Gillies has scored 60 goals in just 26 matches.

These performances led Gillies to represent the GVHA at the Junior Country Championships, from where he progressed to compete with the North West Lightning in the Junior State Championships.

Noah Gillies competes with the Benalla Tigers in the Goulburn Valley Hockey Association. Photo by Contributed

From his performances there, he was invited to the state team trials, where he was successful in securing a spot in one of two under-14 boys teams that will represent Victoria in Perth.

With Benalla having qualified for the finals in both the under-16s and seniors, there is a prospect of a trifecta of championships for Gillies.

Eager to spread his knowledge to his fellow athletes, Gillies has spent the year assisting Benalla’s junior teams with umpiring, coaching and training.

Noah Gillies could win three hockey championships in a matter of weeks. Photo by Contributed

The sacrifice to be the best is high for the Gillies family, with Noah having to travel down to Melbourne every Wednesday night and Sunday morning for the next six weeks for training.

The cost of this is just as significant, with the Gillies having to fundraise to ensure he is able to attend the competition and make the most of his achievement.

Those wanting to donate can do so at gofund.me/73e8474c/