BEAUDESERT’S own Dominic Dean is preparing to pull on the green and gold after being selected for the Australian inline hockey team to compete in the 2025 Oceania Inline Hockey Championships in New Zealand.
The 13-year-old goalie, who plays for the Brisbane Kings, first strapped on skates as an ice hockey player, said he was surprised to receive the call-up.
“It was quite surprising that I got picked, to be honest,” Dominic said.
“This is the stepping stone to make it to the Oceania team and then go to America and represent Australia and New Zealand combined.”
Inline hockey is a fast-paced sport similar to ice hockey but played on rollerblades and without the ice.
“It’s pretty similar to ice,” Dominic said.
“Inline hockey is four versus four, which creates a bit more space. Other than that, it’s pretty much exactly the same sport.”
Dominic started playing ice hockey as a youngster and found his calling in the net.
“One of my teammates couldn’t make the game and he was our goalie,” he said.
“The coach asked me to fill in and I’ve loved the position ever since.”
His selection follows a competitive tournament in Bendigo where players from across the country were scouted.
But with short notice, only 12 weeks to prepare, the focus is now on raising the $5,000 needed for the trip.
“We only received notice of his selection in the middle of April,” said Dominic’s mum, Courtney.
“So we’ve got just a few months to raise the money. The whole trip is going to cost us a minimum of $5,000. The fundraising is definitely, definitely important.”
For Dominic, it’s not just about sport.
“It’s also a chance that I can see where they shot my favourite movies,” he said.
His favourite movies being the Lord of the Ring trilogy.
His family says the experience alone will be worth it.
“Being able to see the world and do something that he loves, will just be an awesome moment for him,” Courtney said.
With dreams of reaching the under-18 and under-20 national teams, and perhaps even the 2032 Brisbane Olympics if inline hockey makes the cut, Dominic is skating toward a bright future.
Donations for Dominic can be made at https://asf.org.au/campaigns/dominic-dean/help-me-get-to-new-zealand
