By Marc McGowan
KOOWEERUP schoolboy Andrew Crowther will represent Australia in ice hockey for the second time at the World Under-20 Championship in Turkey in January.
The 19-year-old goaltender represented his country at Under-18 level in France last year against the best ice hockey nations in the world.
This time Australia is in Division Three of the international event and faces New Zealand, Iceland, Turkey, Bulgaria, North Korea and Chinese Taipei for promotion.
Crowther, who hails from Corinella, can’t wait to pull on the national jersey again.
“I’m hoping to get some games and prove myself at the world level,” he said.
“You’re representing your country – it’s a big, big experience. You’re not representing yourself anymore; it’s something bigger than yourself.”
“You can’t even explain the feeling of representing the Australian team. If you don’t get excited for that, I don’t know what you’d get excited for.”
Crowther started playing inline hockey as a seven-year-old before graduating to ice hockey three years later.
He was playing for Victoria by the time he was 13, and has since established himself as the brightest prospect in his position in the state.
Crowther won a national title with the Victorian Under-18 team last year and made the Melbourne Ice squad for this year’s Australian Ice Hockey League campaign.
The Year 12 Kooweerup Secondary College student is the back-up to senior national team member Stuart Denman at the Ice and is appreciative of the opportunity to learn underneath a player of Denman’s ilk.
Crowther credits his two years spent playing high school ice hockey in Canada in 2007 and 2008 for his improvement.
And Crowther was certainly not just making up the numbers in Canada – he was the top netminder in his adopted state in his first year there.
“I had connections here who helped me out with who to call, and I sent some game film to them and they picked me,” he said.
“It was tough, especially at such a young age. You have to do your own laundry and everything else – you’re basically living on yourself.
“It was a bit different, but it was a good experience and you learn to mature quickly … it was a good life experience.”
The next step for Crowther is to gain a college scholarship in the United States.
“Hopefully, I get good grades at school and get looked at through ice hockey,” he said.
“I’ve had some interest, but I have to take tests for schooling and we’ll have to send tapes to the scouts like I did for the high school.
“I want to go for a Division One school, but maybe the first few years I’ll play for a Division Two or Three school and work my way up because you have to get a reputation to get your name in.”
Until then, Crowther will continue developing under Denman at the Ice and wait for his time to shine.
“I’m used to being a number-one goaltender, but I understand that I have to earn my spot and go through the development stages,” he said.
“I don’t want to get pushed into the deep end and just lose all my confidence.
“I’ve had the one experience in a game at home against the Canberra Knights and I get to go on the road with the boys every weekend.”
Crowther’s trip to Turkey will cost him and his family $5500 and he is looking for sponsors to help him achieve his dream of representing Australia again.
Anyone interested in sponsoring the talented teenager can contact the Gazette on 5945 0666.
