TANUNDA White Turtles hockey player Michael Langan will represent Australia for the first time ever this month, as he travels to Belgium with the Australian Southern Cross side.

The 70-year-old will contest in the Trophy Tournament, which runs alongside the European Championship.

Langan, who is nicknamed ‘Galapagos’ because he’s the oldest player on the Turtles’ team, said the travel opportunities are one reason he continues to play the sport.

“I like to keep reasonably fit and healthy, and I’m not good at doingit on my own,” he said.

“So, I play something I enjoy, and I play squash as well.

“I enjoy the camaraderie and there’s opportunities for travelling and getting into teams with the Masters.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to be in the South Australian team in the over 60s, 65s and 70s, and we won the gold medal last year in the Australian championships.

“This year, we’re going to defend it in September.”

Langan started playing hockey at age 34 when he lived in Naracoorte.

“I was managing the sports centre there,” he said.

“One day the hockey players asked me to come and stand on the field as if they didn’t have eight players, they’d have to forfeit the game.

“I only had a couple of games then I moved to the Barossa Valley in 1983 and I thought I’d like to play hockey, because I like team sports, and joined the Nuriootpa Hockey Club.

“We won the premiership in 1984 and then the next year I was one of the founders of the Tanunda Hockey Club – I was the first president, captain, coach.

“That was really good.

“In 1986, we won our first premiership for the men and it took off from then, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it ever since.”

Langan left the Barossa for 15 years, but returned in 2009 and said “the boys were happy to take me back in”.

“Fortunately, in the B grade there was a young team, the ones who aspire to play for Australia, and then there’s guys who are a bit older, and they were happy to have me on board,” he said.

Langan turns 71 in July, but has no interest in slowing down after recently chalking up his 200th game for the club.

“My wife’s not a big follower of sport, so she’s quite happy for me to go off and do things, she won’t be coming to the tournament with me, but she’ll be joining me in Amsterdam for my birthday,” he said.

“It (hockey) is very supportive for older players, and because it’s theoretically non-contact you can play as long as you like.”