South Australian hockey player Tom Wickham was a deserving recepient of an Australian Insitute of Sport scholarship this week.

Kookaburras coach Ric Charlesworth handpicked the 20 year old in a good sign he will be a contender for the London Olympics.

"We are over the moon" says Hockey SA general manager Christine Robertson.

"He's worked himself up the ranks but done ti in a respectful way - some poeople are just awful, but he is a gentlemen. He's a champion both on and off the field."

SASI head coach Craig Victory agrees. "Twelve months ago Tom missed out on selection in a junior team," Victory tells us. "But he worked really hard and three weeks ago at the intra-series tournament he scored seven goals in four games that caught Ric Charlesworth's eye." As for the whether he can join Loxtonborn Grant Schubert on the senior squad for 2012, Victory says: "Tom will have to work hard but his work ethic is fanatstic so I'm sure he can do it".

- Excerpt from Sunday Mail article "What sunshine?" pg 74, 28 November 2010.