A MARGARET River man has inspired the next generation of local sport stars, rising to the top of his game at the Hockey World Cup in the Netherlands this week.
Aran Zalewski, 23, grew up playing hockey in Margaret River and on Sunday night celebrated on the field in The Hague as part of Australia's World Champion hockey team.
The Australian men's hockey team, the Kookaburras, handed the Netherlands a decisive 6-1 victory in the grand ginal, cementing their place as hockey's world champions for the third time.
Kookaburras coach Ric Charlesworth said it was a display of domination by his team.
"You dream about winning the final of the World Cup by a big score," he said.
"I have done that many times and I always thought it was possible but today we gave effect to that so I'm very, very proud of the team.
"Our aim is always to dominate our opponents and to defend better and attack better and to control the ball in the midfield and I think we did all of those things.
Margaret River Primary School teacher Mark Harrison coached Zalewski as a junior hockey player in Margaret River and said he always knew he would go the distance.
"Everyone knew he was going to make it, we knew he was special," Mr Harrison said.
Harrison said from Zalewski's early days in Margaret River, on to Busselton and to the WA Institute of Sport, he always showed promise as an elite sportsman.
"He played his first game for Australia in Bunbury against India, and he scored a goal in that game, which was a massive achievement."
"He was always a quiet lad but always very competitive and very strong."
Harrison said he had used Zalewski as an example to his students this week as someone who has achieved their dreams, sitting where they now sit in the primary school assembly hall.
