Summer Sutherland

About Summer Sutherland

Young Achiever: Summer Sutherland’s sights set high

TALENTED: Summer Sutherland has been nominated of the 2020 Norske Skog Young Achiever of the Year Award for hockey and athletic achievements.

Summer Sutherland will tell you she has the best of both worlds.

The hockey and athletics star loves both sports equally with the two disciplines going hand in hand.

“They definitely rebound off each other,” Sutherland said.

“Athletics helps me to be strong and quick on the field and hockey helps me build strength for athletics.

“One you’re competing for yourself and trying to do your best where the other you’re trying to do the best for your team and play your part.”

Sutherland started playing indoor hockey in 2018, making the ACT team before being selected in the under-18 Australian indoor hockey squad.

She pinpoints the Australian training camp as her biggest sporting highlight to date.

“It was pretty cool considering it was my first year at nationals, which is crazy,” Sutherland said.

The talented youngster took up hockey under the influence of older sisters Riley and Macey, but it took her some time to warm to the field.

She now favours the indoor version for it’s fast paced nature.

“I think I was seven when I first had a hit and I didn’t really like it,” she said.

“I started again when I was 14 because my sisters were playing state and I’d go along to competitions and just think, I should be out there playing too.

“Athletics I kind of just went in on that on my own.

“Through school I really liked doing high jump so I found a coach and found I was getting really good results.

“Then I started the 400m, so I got into running and was doing training for both.

“Last year I would go to the track and do a session and then run over to do hockey training, it was hectic.”

Sutherland is now hoping to take the next step in indoor hockey, following in sister Riley’s footsteps.

“My goal next year would be to make the under-21 team for the state,” she said.

Summer joins sisters Riley and Macey as nominees is this year’s Norske Skog Young Achiever Award.

With Summer playing forward, Riley in the midcourt and Macey in the back, the Sutherlands are used to working as a team.

“We thought oh gosh, we’re competing against each other, because we’re usually playing alongside each other,” she said.

After a busy 2019 Sutherland is now set to move to Wollongong to attend University where she will study a Bachelor of Science.

Her goal is to join a hockey club and continue to compete in athletics through Uni.

Sutherland thanked parents Donna and Jerry for their support of all three girls in pursuing their sporting dreams.

Source – The Border Mail, 1.02.2020