Lyn Dockrill, mother, teacher and hockey player extraordinaire, is one who can.

Originally hailing from Sydney, Lyn was a star hockey player at school level, gaining selection as part of a NSW squad that toured New Zealand.

“It was a combined hockey/football tour,” she said.

“Surprisingly they never did a joint tour again after that.”

However, Lyn continued to play hockey, though not at the same high level.

When she moved to the Macleay 21 years ago she maintained her love affair with the game, playing regularly in the strong local competition.

When that disbanded she moved to Port Macquarie to play on the new artificial field.

“When I first came here hockey was so strong,” she said.

“But then the artificial turf field opened in Port and a lot of players, myself included, moved away.

“Hockey’s a different game on turf and eventually nearly everyone went down there to play.”

In 2006 Lyn decided to give her stalled representative career a second chance.

She qualified for the NSW over 50s veterans squad to contest the national championships and only narrowly missed out on making the side again last year.

A talented striker (she currently leads the B grade goal scorers list in the Port comp), Lyn regained her place in the NSW side and will play in the Aussie titles at Brisbane from September 23.

The opportunity to play at such an elite level has not been lost on Lyn, who is a great advocate of hockey at both junior and senior levels.

West Kempsey Primary, where Lyn is principal, is the only school in the Macleay that has a competitive hockey side.

“I’m very passionate about hockey, I love teaching it,” she said.

“Unfortunately unless you have a hockey person at your school it’s not a sport that gets a lot of recognition.”