New Zealand All Stars Team Matariki 2022
Posted May 27, 2022
IHNZ News
Matariki
The Exhibition game will be held at 7pm, Saturday 25 June as the centrepiece of the Matariki celebrations.
This match will showcase some of our most exciting talent in hockey and we look forward to introducing the members of these teams over the following days.
This game will be broadcast live and a livestream link will also be available.
Here we introduce the 2022 New Zealand All Stars Team:
- Paul Jameson - C
- Alex Novak - A
- James O’Donnell - A
- Dane Hill
- Brandon Nash
- Sam Beardman
- Josh Whitston - Lee
- Brandon Johnston
- Oscar Hamilton
- Vinnie Cistrone
- Adam Kingston
- Trent Kemsley
- Connor Parr (G)
- Scott Eastwood (G)
Paul Jameson has played Inline Hockey since 1995 and represented his region and New Zealand on multiple occasions.
Paul currently plays for the Capital Penguins and includes travelling to the USA for NARCh as one of his highlights in hockey.
Paul has been named Captain of the IHNZ All Stars 2022 Team and the Tupuānuku Matariki Series Team Captain.
Alex Novak started playing for the Ravens, moved to Wellington for Uni, and has played for the Penguins Prems since. They have won the National Prems title with Penguins 9 times (6 in a row).
He has played in the New Zealand Senior Men’s team since 2011. He says the last time we properly played as a team was back in 2017 in Slovakia at IIHF World Champs.
James O’Donnell started playing inline hockey for the Wanganui Lightning at just 9 years old. Due to study and work, James has played for various clubs in Palmerston North, Auckland and Melbourne before moving back to Wanganui a few years ago.
James highlights include:
- representing New Zealand at Oceanias from under 16 to senior grades
- AAU and the IIHF world qualifiers and championships.
James has also been named the Tupu-ā-rangi Matariki Series Team Captain.
Dane Hill began his Inline Hockey path in 1996 after falling in love with the Mighty Ducks movies! For his first stick he used a field hockey stick bought at a garage sale and for a puck he used old christmas decorations!
One day in class he overheard that there was roller sport at the local leisure centre and about a club in Glenfield called the Blackhawks - he was hooked and the rest is history!
Dane started in 1997 with the Blackhawks playing all his age-grade years with them and spending most of that time in a fierce rivalry with the Canucks. Huge shout out to Andrew Davidson, Matt Morgan, Travis Divine and Caleb Morris in net to name a few who grew up playing with him and who all played for New Zealand at some point. Dane credits coaches Brett Parker, Emma Grey, Maryann Lynch and Jason Toovey as all being influential in his hockey days.
Growing up he idolised players such as Jason Toovey, Ryan Lovins, Dion Bunt, Clyde Jackson, James Trevena Brown, Steve Fahey and Jared Parker. 2005 saw a move to Hamilton with Noel Wilson as coach and the beginnings of lifelong friendships with players from the Waikato. In 2006 Dane started a 5-year stint with the Panthers, moving to the Sabres then Orcas and is currently skating with the Stingrays.
Dane says the sport has given him so much that he is thankful for and highlights the IIHF Inline Hockey World Cup (Senior Men) held in Germany in 2012 as well as his Regional golds. He says every tournament is special and win or lose it’s still awesome! Hockey runs in the Hill family blood with all three brothers playing.
Keep an eye out for the next generation of Hills starting hockey with Dane’s young son now taking the rink for the Vipers 10U team!
Dane has also been named the Ururangi Matariki Series Team Captain.
Brandon Nash grew up in Canada and emigrated to New Zealand in 2001. Growing up in Ontario Brandon played Ice Hockey through the Minor Leagues, Triple A and the Junior Ontario Hockey Academy (OHA).
After moving to New Zealand Brandon has played more Inline. Firstly for the Sharks whilst living in Napier and for the last several years in Wellington has played for the Capital Penguins.
Brandon has also been named the Hiwa-i-te-rangi Matariki Series Team Captain.
Sam Beardman has played for New Plymouth Ravens, Wanganui Lightning and the Massey Titans.
Sam has coached local and international teams from a young age. Sam has represented both the Central and Lower North regions and New Zealand since he was 16 years old.
Josh Whitston-Lee has played Inline Hockey for the Mt Wellington Panthers and currently plays for the Stingrays Premier team. He has represented the Northern Region and New Zealand on multiple occasions.
He is also in the NZIHL national league playing for the Botany Swarm Men’s team and plays in the AIHA Men’s A League.
Josh describes himself as an avid hockey enthusiast!
Brandon Johnston was born and bred in the Northland Stingrays and is the current captain of their Premier team.
He says he “looks promising at a glance, but after I get zero points on the board you’ll get the picture.”
Brandon also plays Ice Hockey in the AIHA Men’s A League.
Vinnie Cistrone has represented Northern Region and New Zealand on multiple occasions and is currently playing for the West Auckland Admirals in the NZIHF and in the AIHA Men’s A League.
Trent Kemsley says he started as a young buck in Inline Hockey and is now an old bull!
Trent has played most of his hockey life at the Ravens and has represented Central Region and New Zealand.
Oscar Hamilton plays for the Orcas and has represented the Northern region and New Zealand on a number of occasions.
When not playing inline Oscar is a member of Team New Zealand’s support crew and has travelled the world supporting our America’s Cup challenge.
Adam Kingston started playing inline hockey at roughly the age of eleven and has continued to play ever since.
Adam spent most of his earlier hockey life representing the Manawatu Dragons, followed by a number of years with the Levin Rebels and now, the New Plymouth Ravens after relocating to Taranaki.
Adam has also had the privilege to represent the lower region at Inter Regionals on multiple occasions.
Connor Parr first started as a skater and transitioned to goal after a couple of years of playing Inline.
Connor has represented the Northern Region at both age-grade and senior levels and plays for the Mt Wellington Panthers Prem team.
Scott Eastwood started playing hockey around 2018 for the Ravens social team The Beers. He says they are awesome! Being 27 when he started playing, Scott thought it was too late and took himself far too seriously.
The Beers knocked that out of him pretty quick! He started by playing out for the first 6 months but realised it wasn’t him. He managed to get his hands on about 80% of a goalie kit for $75. Scott said after his first go in the net he felt like he’d finally found his spot on the rink!
He said The Beers constantly pushed him out of his comfort zone for two years. Then he started thinking about working towards trialling for a regional team. He received a lot of support and started to train with the seniors.
Scott has been playing with the seniors for a year and a half now. He says most have been NZ players so training with them has been awesome and he has gained a lot playing with them.
This year’s goal was to trial for the central region so getting to be in the All Stars is an added bonus!