Following the recent Under 18s Men’s National Championships, 27 of Australia’s best young players have remained in Canberra to attend the Youth Olympic Games selection camp which will be held until April 20.

The camp will be held under the guidance of a number of former international players and officials including Paul Gaudoin (Youth Olympic Games Head Coach), Craig Victory (South Australian Sports Institute Head Coach), Melissa Hall (Northern Territory Institute of Sport Head Coach), Ben Bishop (ACT Academy of Sport Head Coach) and John MacKinnon (Junior Selector).

The inaugural Youth Olympic Games will be held in Singapore from 14-26 August.

A number of the players selected in the camp already have a connection to the national teams, as Andrew Butturini and Scott Govers are the brothers of Kookaburras Matthew Butturini and Kieran Govers respectively.

Jeremy Hayward is also the brother of development squad player Leon Hayward, while Flynn Ogilvie is the brother of women’s development squad member Airlie Ogilvie.

Daniel Mathieson is a noticeable inclusion in the YOG selection camp. Originally from Queensland, he was not selected in the Queensland Under 18 National Championship squad, eventually selected within the Northern Territory squad. His performance at the National Championship for the Northern Territory was such that he was named in the YOG selection camp.   

The announcement and confirmation of the 16 athletes to be nominated by Hockey Australia to the Australian Olympic Committee for the Youth Olympic Games will be made on Thursday 22 April.

Hockey Australia