Edwina Bone - One on One

Edwina Bone’s Hockeyroos career is evidence that persistence, hard work and the right attitude can pay off if you continue to believe in yourself and never get complacent.

Eddie’s first and only participation at a national hockey championships came at Under 21 level when she represented the ACT.

She only debuted for the Hockeyroos days before her 25^th birthday, but despite what she describes as ‘starting later than most’ in the national team, she went on to make a lasting impression and play over 200 games for her country.

Now after announcing her retirement and a week before starting a new chapter as a fully qualified teacher, Edwina looks back at a career that far exceeded what she could have imagined.

You finish as a dual Olympian and 200 game player for the Hockeyroos. How do you look back on your career?

EB: “Initially I was really lucky to get my first match for Australia. I was in the right place at the right time, was given an opportunity and I guess never looked back from there. I’m really grateful for every game I’ve played. I didn’t think I was going to play one game for Australia let alone play over 200. Every time a national team was announced I never expected my name to be on that list, so I was excited whenever I had the chance to wear the green and gold. I’m just really proud of being able to play for so long and grateful for all of the coaches I’ve had along the way.”

You had to work really hard to break into the national team. How challenging was it?

EB: “There were some really talented hockey players playing at the time and I always had to work really hard at the skill side of the game. Naturally I was quite athletic, I could run and was really fit which made me stand out, but I don’t think my skill level matched my athletic ability.

I had to work really hard to improve that side of my game and I was fortunate to be coached by some great people at the ACT Academy of Sport. Then moving to Perth and being invited to some sessions where I could work a lot on my progress, they saw something in me that was valuable.

When I say it was hard, I think it was just a long road. I didn’t debut until just before my 25^th birthday and I think that’s quite unusual for a hockey player. To try and break through with all the talent that the Hockeyroos had at that time, I got my opportunity because there was an injury. It wasn’t purely why I got an opportunity because I didn’t end up missing any games after that for almost five years, but you need a door to open and it just happened to be in that Korean series in Perth.”

Why didn’t you ever expect to be selected when teams were announced?

EB: “Our squad was always really talented. In the first few years that I was in the program, I always saw myself as one of the outer players – one of those players they brought into the squad to develop. When I first broke into the team and then kept getting picked I thought this is really good but when am I going to fall off this little pedestal that I’m on.

I never wanted to be comfortable because when you get comfortable you get lazy and don’t try as hard. I never wanted to be in that place in my head where I was comfortable with what I was doing because I knew at that level you had to keep pushing yourself to be better every day otherwise you were going to fall behind.

I had already started behind being older, so I never wanted that to be an excuse. I had to always keep on making sure I was pushing but I never expected to get picked. I had good conversations with my coaches every time selection came around, but if you expected to get picked then you’re just relying on a past performance.

You have to make sure you are at your best every time so those coaches have confidence in the fact that whether you get picked or not they know how you are going to perform. That’s how I liked to train because it motivated me to make sure I was being the best player I could be every session.”

Is it an accurate perception that you thrive when the going gets tough?

EB: “I grew up as a really competitive person. I’ve got a twin sister and we competed in everything growing up. In that kind of environment you either thrived or you didn’t. I guess we both thrived in that competitive nature, which is why when I first got into the Hockeyroos I loved it so much because I found my place where being competitive and fighting for a position was something you were expected to do every day. I absolutely loved it.”

How difficult was the decision to retire from international hockey?

EB: “Unfortunately I don’t have another three years in me to be in contention for Paris in 2024. Even though I feel like I could keep playing, it’s time for other girls to get some more experience, find their feet and win a medal in Paris. It’s hard because you never want it to finish but it’s time. I would love to have still been part of it but it’s time for the next chapter. I have secured a permanent job at a school this year and have been in the Hockeyroos program for nine years.

Leaving the program where it is with Triny (Katrina Powel) coming in, and wanting to see where she takes it, it has been a really difficult decision which is why I couldn’t make it straight after we came home from the Olympics.

I feel like I was in a really good place with my hockey. I was playing well and I had the opportunity to captain the team in Tokyo, but the closer it came to 2022 and through my experiences at Methodist Ladies’ College where I am about to start work, coupled with the conversations I had with my husband Josh, it is the right time for me to step away from the program.

I’d really like to start a family…there are factors that came into discussion and the more we spoke about it the more it is the right time. Everything seems to have fallen into place and the natural progression was to retire and pick up this new career. But it definitely didn’t make it any easier.”

What has it meant to you to have been part of the Hockeyroos for near on a decade?

EB: “It was always a dream of mine to represent Australia and play for the Hockeyroos, but it was one of those things you dream of but never assume would happen. I have lived my dream for the past nine years and I wouldn’t change a thing. It has shaped me as an athlete and a person and has been the best nine years of my life.

I have gained so much respect not only for high performance sport but also for hockey players and especially the girls in the team at the moment. They work so hard to get to where they want to go, so I’m really excited to watch them pursue their dreams of winning a medal in Paris.”

Do you have a favourite memory or moment over your career?

EB: “The 2014 World Cup in The Hague (in the Netherlands) where we played in a soccer stadium in the Final was something I will never forget. There were thousands of people in the stadium and we played the Dutch and that was unbelievable. Standing there and singing the anthem in front of that many people and then having to stand there and listen to all the Dutch people singing their anthem, it was incredible.

Winning the gold medal in extra time at the 2014 Commonwealth Games was a highlight. There are a few highlights along the way but I have had so many different teammates, met so many different people, travelled to so many different countries…all of these amazing experiences of playing with and against the best hockey players in the world.”

What are you going to miss most?

EB: “I’m definitely going to miss the environment and being around the group. That comradery that you are all in it together. I’m also going to miss competing at international level. I love competing for Australia and for medals. That feeling of being in a battle…I get so much motivation from that, so that’s something I’m going to miss.

As strange as it sounds I’m also going to miss that adrenaline of being the first runner on short corners…I absolutely love it. Sprinting out knowing that if I get hit that I am saving a goal. It sounds stupid because you’re just going out to get hit by the ball which hurts, but it is my favourite thing to do. That feeling where your teammates know, ‘Ed has got this’ because she is the best at this job.”

As a defender you scored five goals in your career. What was the best one?

EB: “I scored a goal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. It may have been against Ghana but I somehow got into the attacking circle and did this reverse stick edge that went into the corner of the goal. I just remember the celebration of ‘oh my gosh, I just scored a goal’. It wasn’t through an assist, it wasn’t from a penalty corner, I ran into the circle and scored this goal, so that was probably my most exciting one.”

The last two years turned your plans upside down due to COVID. It says a lot about your resilience and commitment to the cause. How much of a challenge has it been?

EB: “I think I have built my career on being resilient. Not getting picked until I was older, I had a lot of resilience in needing to be patient to wait for my opportunity. In the last 18 months there were times when it has been hard, wondering whether I had it in me to play until Tokyo did eventually come around. Through that period when I was still studying, working and training, there were moments when you could see how good we were going to be. It got me so excited.

The start of 2020 was hard but I was fortunate I had uni to keep me busy. Then in 2021 I knew that an opportunity to compete in Tokyo was going to present itself. I’m just so glad that I hung in through 2020 and that motivation resurfaced, not just for hockey but also to finish some other chapters of my life.

There are highs and lows and you just have to ride them because that’s what a high performance environment is about. It’s not easy all the time. The more you can know when you’re struggling and when you need a breather, the better off you will be.”

Is there anyone you would like to specifically thank or acknowledge?

EB: “All of the coaches I have had. All of the Hockey Australia staff have always been good to me and been welcoming and understanding. I want to thank all of the girls that I have played alongside.

Away from the hockey family, my own family – mum and dad travelled to nearly every tournament. Mum has this big yellow hat that she wore every time we played so I knew where she was in the crowd. Then there is my twin sister. We grew up competing and it was our dream to play for Australia, and I think we definitely lived that dream together through the nine years I had in the program. My brother has always been a really good support as well.

And then there is my husband. He moved his life from Canberra to Perth when I first moved, and even after nine years with the Hockeyroos we managed to figure it out and stay together, so I definitely couldn’t have done it without him. I also want to mention the ACT. My first nationals were representing the ACT at the Under 21 Championships, so it kickstarted my representative career. The coaches I had there definitely helped me get to where I am today.”

Are you keen to continue playing locally?

EB: “I am looking forward to continue playing club hockey in Perth and playing with my friends.”