BALLARAT hockey player Kym Southwell is having her most outstanding season.
After first playing when she was 12, Southwell has represented Vic Country at the national championships.
"My mum was quite a good hockey player, that's how I got started," she said.
"Being in a team sport is always good fun because of the fitness and skills you learn from it.
"The way that the ball can be transferred around the field is great."
At the national championships in Western Australia, Southwell was happy to get game time after being selected.
Along with Ballarat team-mate Emily Innes, Southwell and the Vic Country team came second last but finished its campaign strongly.
"It was just a great experience but the team got better toward the end," Southwell said.
"I wasn't sure I'd get selected. We had trials and I couldn't play at the country weekend.
"I thought I went reasonably well at the trials but based on the country week, I wasn't sure how I'd go."
Southwell is a stronger defender than attacker but is more than capable of filling any role on the field.
"You have to play both attack and defence. This season I have been able to push up and score a few more goals, which is fun," she said.
"Generally, if you are going on the attack everyone pushes up, but at the back you maintain your position unless you're told to go for a run."
Playing for Vic Country has improved Southwell's skills further.
"I think I am improving every week and playing consistent hockey," she said.
"Since I've got back (from national championships) my skills have improved again and it showed with six goals."
The WestVic Ballarat vice-captain scored six goals last week to take her season tally to 13.
All that remains this year for the WestVic girls is taking out the premiership.
In its first season, WestVic Ballarat sits undefeated on top of the Hockey Victoria women's state league four ladder, and with two rounds to go before finals they are favourites for the title.
"The local competition was a bit weaker and we wanted a representitive team to improve the standard," Southwell said.
"The representitive team is doing well, we have started in the lowest league and are starting to move our way up."
Ballarat hockey sent out a call to surrounding towns with the idea of developing a state league side and almost 30 players turned out for the trials.
The squad was cut to 16 and has seen players move to Ballarat for training and team commitments.
Southwell said that the team has developed since playing in the state league.
"We weren't sure what to expect but have gone through undefeated," she said.
"The team work has improved through the season, last week we were at full strength and went really well."
Ballarat smashed Collegians 18-0 and with Southwell's six goals, and Tammy Hansford's four, looked ready to take the premiership.
"I have played in a lot of grand finals and lost," she said.
"We are the favourites and definitely want to win the grand final to go into state league three.
"As long as I keep playing good hockey."
Not to be outdone, the men's state league five side is also on top of the ladder while the under-17 boys' and girls' teams are also providing talent for the future.
"The natural progression would be to develop the younger ones and have them step-up when they are too old for the under-17 league," Southwell said.
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