Road to the Olympics with Kobie McGurk
(Hockeyroos Team Member 2005-present)

The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games are only 12 weeks away.  Trench Health and Fitness will be following the progress of one of Australia’s most successful sporting teams, the Hockeyroos, as they prepare for the games.  Kobie McGurk (see below for more about Kobie) will be sending through a weekly diary entry, exclusively available to E-health clients.

Every Friday, a new entry will be posted with an update of the challenges facing the team, its players and coaches as the Opening Ceremony approaches on 8th August 2008.

Check out Kobie’s entries using the links to the left.

The Hockeyroos
The Hockeyroos are one of Australia's most successful sporting teams. Their three gold medals from the past four Olympic Games, two World Cups, six Champions Trophies and two Commonwealth Games golds highlights the team's outstanding run of success. The Hockeyroos have been crowned Australia's Team of the Year five times and were unanimously awarded the Best Australian Team at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.  (www.hockey.org.au )

Kobie McGurk Biography
DOB:  20 August 1985
International Caps:  62             

I was born and raised in Collie, a small mining town in the south west of Western Australia. 

Throughout my youth I was a seen as a gifted sportsperson in all kinds of sport activities.  I represented my town and school in a number of sports – hockey, basketball and athletics.

My first game of hockey was as an 8 year old when I was asked to fill in for my sister’s school hockey team, which marked the beginning of my hockey career.  I continued to play out my junior years in Collie, before study commitments brought me to Perth.

In 2003 I played my first season of hockey in Perth, I was recognised by the Under 21 WA State Team Coach and was encouraged to trial for the Under 21 team; I declined as study was my first priority and focus.  However the coach persisted, and in 2004 I made the Under 21 WA State Team and was named in the WA Australian Hockey League Squad.  The following year, I was named in the Australian Women’s Hockey Squad – Hockeyroos.  I made my Australian debut in 2005 on the North American Tour and was a member of the Junior Women’s World Cup team.  In that same year I was offered an Australian Institute of Sport Scholarship and continue to be a scholarship athlete.

I have since been a member of the gold medal winning 2006 Commonwealth Games team, and silver medallists at the 2006 World Cup and 2005 Champions Trophy.

I have successfully managed my sporting career with full time study and have completed a Bachelor of Sports Science and am in my second year of holding the Nestle / Australian Institute of Sport Athlete Career Scholarship.

I have currently deferred my Diploma of Education to focus on 2008 Olympic Preparation.

Representative History: