Dunedin will be overrun with the next generation of New Zealand stars next week.
The city is hosting the New Zealand under-18 girls tournament at the McMillan Centre starting on Monday.
Sixteen teams in four pools will play, with the top two from each group progressing to the quarterfinals.
Home team Southern has high hopes of performing well on home turf.
The team is led by Samara Dalziel, Dayna Holland and Tess Jopp, all of who are Southern under-21 representatives.
Other key players are Polly Inglis, the younger sister of Olympic-bound Black Stick Hugo Inglis, who will be a threat on attack, and Ginny Wilson, an experienced player who will fill the key role of goalkeeper.
Southern, including players who finished seventh in the tournament as part of Otago last year, has been drawn in the same pool as defending champion North Harbour.
The Harbour under-18 team's assistant coach is Rod Rzepecky, the former Oamaru man who was Otago's coach last year.
Wairarapa, featuring New Zealand under-18 players Megan Hull, Morgan Percy and Katherine van Woerkom, will be another team to watch.
The Southern boys will play at their under-18 tournament in Palmerston North.
Southern's opening game on Monday is against Tauranga.
The other teams in Pool A are Auckland and Manawatu.
Key Southern players include captain Connor Anderson, Jared Hewitt, Johnny Thorn, Jarrod Casey and Jack Gilbert.
The national under-18 tournaments are switching to a regional basis (eight teams) next year. Southern has decided to get a head start by making the change this year, so the teams call on players from Otago, North Otago, Central Otago and Southland.
Under-18 hockey
NZ girls tournament
Where: McMillan Centre, Dunedin.
When: Monday to Saturday.
THE TEAMS
Pool A: North Harbour, Southern, Mid-South Canterbury, Auckland B.
Pool B: Auckland, Canterbury, Wellington, Taranaki.
Pool C: Wairarapa, Northland, Nelson, Manawatu.
Pool D: Tauranga, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay.
