The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) mens and womens hockey teams will play in the Senior National Hockey Tournament (2nd Division) in Wellington from 28 September to 3 October. Head of NZDF Hockey, Wing Commander Kelvin Read said, "NZDF Hockey is looking forward to playing in this year's National Tournament. We have been extremely lucky this year, as the majority of our first choice players are available for the tournament and therefore we hope to give the provincial teams a good run for their money." "Two of the key players in the 2009 NZDF team are, Sub Lieutenant Jan Peterson of the Royal New Zealand Navy, who is a former NZ men's international player and current North Harbour National Hockey League (NHL) player, and Lieutenant Craig Thorne of the New Zealand Army who is a current Northern NHL player. This is the first year since our involvement in the National Tournament that our NHL players have been available so we are looking at building on their NHL experiences." "The tournament will be played at the National Hockey Stadium in Newtown and is open to the public. The games will provide a great opportunity to see the New Zealand Defence Force in action against provincial teams in what should be a highly competitive but good spirited event," WGCDR Read said.