Women's Hockey in Australia
Women's Hockey in Australia
The first national women's ice hockey final was held in Sydney, Australia in February 1995. Interest in the sport is growing, and organizers are convinced of the viability of national competition. A development league started during the 1994-95 season, which now consists of under-14, under-16, under-18, and under-21 women's teams. Girls as young as 11 and 12 years of age are taking over the ice, and they are developing well. With women's ice hockey being accepted as an Olympic sport, publicity officer, Carol Freeman, believes it is only going to get better in Australia!
As part of our development of a National Team Strategy, the AIHF would like to hear from any aussies who are playing in North America or Europe. If you are, and are interested in finding out how you may be eligible to represent Australia, please contact Terry Jones at tjones@tradecentre.com.au for more information.
See the Australian National Championship page for results for each year.
This season (22 March - 20 September 1998) we will be fielding two womens teams for the first time. The teams are open age and have players ranging in age from 12 to early thirties. All are looking forward to an exciting season and the opportunity to broaden the base of a game in a city which has only a very small population compared to the bigger states in Australia. Both teams will be participating in the bantam (under 15) boys league in order that they are involved at an appropriate competitive level. Unfortunately we have insufficient numbers to establish a dedicated women's league but, who knows what the future may bring.
The hockey administration in Canberra is managed by the Australian Capital Territory Ice Hockey Association (ACTIHA) and we will soon be launching a homepage. I look forward to finally having a web site so that our information flow is accelerated.
As a final point, if there are any players, either male or female wishing to visit our beautiful city during the season feel free to make yourself known to me, my address is rhutchis@email.dot.gov.au.
Here is some first-hand information from an Australian internet user, and soon to be hockey player! :-)
Well, I live in the city of Canberra (population of approximately 300 000) which is about 300km south of Sydney. Things are usually quite progressive here, but ice hockey has kinda missed the boat, it seems! There is one ice rink here, and apparently a women's ice hockey team as well. I am starting a 20-week intensive skills course in hockey this Tuesday with about 15 others - it is part of an "Active Girls and Women" program being partly funded by the Government to encourage females to get out and try something different. So if this is happening here, I can only assume that there are bigger and better things happening in the other state capitals re. ice hockey and women. I don't know whether there are any teams up to international standard or not. I guess I'll find out as I go along, so if I discover anything exciting, I'll tell you.
Update: [September 27, 1995]Here is some information that was by Bob Hudson (bhudson@extro.ucc.su.oz.au) who has two daughters that play ice hockey in Australia. Thanks for the info Bob, and please keep it coming!
An Australian update on behalf of Rani and Pira Hudson of the Canterbury Eagles team, Sydney Australia. 1995 was a boom season for women's hockey, and proud parents of younger players regularly cheered themselves hoarse. Premiers 1995 were Canterbury Falcons. Sydney also has Warringah Bombers, Macquarie bears and Blacktown Flyers. Player registrations are underway (Feb 1996) and there may be more teams this year. Canberra is expected to take the brace step and commute to Sydney to play in the comp - giving us at least 6 teams. Adelaide and Brisbane both also have women's teams - Adelaide visited Sydney last year to gain competition experience. A few Canadian women (exchange students, etc.) have been enthusiastically welcomed to the women's league here. Many of the better players in this new area of hockey for women have had fathers or brothers playing, and younger girls play with their age group teams in atoms and so on. The women's teams in Australia are open age limit, but players from 12 or 13 are quite common.
Some of the Australian players have been to hockey camps in Vancouver
during the northern summer - more are keen to go, and would appreciate
any information about addresses, fees, times, etc. of Canadian hockey
camps - due to transport problems (18 hours flight to Vancouver) our
women players have mostly gone to the Canadian west coast. The
Australian women's league should soon be a potential contender in the
Asia Pacific competition - but transport costs are a big problem. We'll
have to start bludgeoning the airlines for some sponsorship!
Bob Hudson, Sydney Australia.
Message from a hockey parent in Australia: did you know we have women's
hockey teams here? Sydney already has several US or Canadian women
playing- so does Canberra. The season runs midyear, in the Australian
winter. If you are planning working/studying/or an extended visit in
Australia your hockey skills will be greatly appreciated. I'd be happy
to provide further details. My 2 daughters play for Canterbury Eagles AA
in Sydney- I wish I'd discovered the game when I was their age! We have
men's teams playing here as well, but after the Australian team lost to
Israel (11-1 or something equally dreadful) in the World Championship
prelims, I think it's quite fair to look at the women's league in
Australia as being the one with potential. We would like to see the
women's game in Australia get to World/Olympic contention - step 1 is to
get into the Asian league against China, Japan, Korea etc.
Bob Hudson, Sydney Australia.
This information is from Dave Minson, who is Referee in Chief in Western Australia.
Andria, Your page is great, I am writing to let you know that Australia is improving vastly in women's hockey. On August 22nd 1996, the 3rd Women's Championship will be held in Sydney. There will be four states of Australia attending. Also to add to your list of teams that are in Australia, W.A. has thirty three women playing at this time, and the club is called the Valkyries. I am currently the referee in chief in W.A. and would love to get some input back from anybody Re: Officials who are currently in Perth W.A. Bye for now
Dave Minson Perth W.A.
A new league called the South-Eastern Women's Ice Hockey League has just started. The first four teams listed above are presently competing for the Foundation Cup. The grand final will take place in October 1998.
Please send any corrections or additions to this list.
There are no women's ice hockey teams in Tasmania (an island state of Australia). Please see this article to read more about the only three girls that play in Tasmania.
If you have played on the national team in Australia, please send me your profile, and I'll add it to this list.
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