HEADING into her 250th game for the Central Victorian Blazers, Sally Anderson says she is enjoying playing hockey as much now as she ever has.
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The veteran forward will reach the milestone when she lines up for the Blazers' Women's Vic League 1 Reserve team against Hockey Geelong at the Bendigo Hockey Complex on Saturday.
"I'm still loving it, I like seeing the young kids coming through. I like to impart a little bit of knowledge onto them," said Anderson, who by day is a prep-to-grade two teacher at Lockwood South Primary School.
"Mine is just a guiding role these days, guiding the kids in the right direction and allow them opportunities to play at the highest level they can."
Hockey is a family affair for the Anderson family.
Sally's husband Greg continues to play for the Blazers' Men's Vic League 2 team, where he lines up alongside eldest son Ethan.
The couple's youngest son Declan plays in the club's under-16 mixed team.
Anderson said her children had "pretty much grown up out at the hockey club".
That is no surprise when you consider the soon-to-be 250-gamer and long-time former Victoria Country representative has been a regular at the Blazers since their inaugural season in 1999.
She stopped playing twice while pregnant, but has always returned and continued to play at a high-level.
Anderson, a four-time premiership player with the Blazers, said it had been a joy to be part of the club's progression and to see the emergence of a whole new generation of central Victorian players.
"There are lots of kids coming through and this is the second year of our under-16s Blazers team, which is playing in Melbourne as well," she said.
"When we first started out we had just a group of 20 girls of a similar age and we really just wanted to play hockey at the highest level possible.
"That's why we entered that team in Melbourne.
"It's grown nicely since then, we have a firsts and reserves, the same as the men, and now we've grown it again to add an under-16 team."
The Blazers are not the only hockey team Anderson is passionate about. She is a life member of the Strathdale Tigers and also Hockey Central Victoria. An advocate for increased opportunities for country-based players, Anderson was glad her milestone would coincide with a clash against a region rival.
"It's always been a good rivalry between us and Geelong, as it is with all the country teams really," she said.
"I've played Vic Country with a lot of those girls, so there's a really good relationship there."
