Australia:
First established in conjunction with the Australia Sports Foundation back in 2021, the Hockey Australia Foundation’s premise is to raise funds and deliver programs and associated events to support the development of hockey across Australia.
With the help of an anonymous donor this year, the Foundation is today relaunching with three key focuses and working with each state and territory hockey member association to advance health and wellbeing in the community through hockey.
- Extending Hockey Australia’s national junior participation program for 5 – 12-year-olds, Hookin2Hockey, into remote and regional communities
- Implementing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Hockey Program across the country
- Developing improved social and cultural connections and increased health, education and well-being outcomes.
The relaunch of the Foundation coincides with the successful delivery of a two-week programme in Alice Springs recently, which saw recently retired Hockeyroo Renee Taylor and Alice Spring’s raised Kookaburras star Tom Wickham inspire children at school visits in support of Hockey NT and their project to revive hockey in the town.
The Foundation’s commitment in the Territory is one part of the Hookin2Hockey First Nations Regional Project, which has also seen Hookin2Hockey programmes rolled out in Rockhampton and Townsville in Queensland, Orange in regional NSW, as well as the Kimberley Region in WA’s north, plus in Collie and Bunbury the south-west region of WA.
“I think the Hockey Australia Foundation is such a great initiative,” recently retired Hockeyroo, Renee Taylor said.
“You look at the makeup of the Australian teams at the moment, and the majority of our athletes are from regional and remote areas. Bringing hockey into these towns and recognising that there’s not only talent there but also communities of people that are passionate about the game is a huge opportunity both for hockey itself and for those that might not have the opportunity to get involved otherwise.”
Hockey Australia CEO, David Pryles said the commitment to reaching regional and remote communities is a no-brainer, given hockey has benefitted from having world-class current and alumni players hailing from such regions.
“If you look at the Northern Territory alone, some of Australia’s best hockey players started their journeys in the region. This includes our Kookaburras, Jeremy Hayward and Tom Wickham, recently retired Hockeyroo Brooke Peris as well as a line-up of alumni, including Nova Peris, Paige Walling, Phenya Clarke, Angela Schilling and Donna-Lee Patrick,” he said.
“One of the great things about our sport, is you don’t need to have a hockey pitch to play hockey. We’re committed to making sure more players can enjoy hockey and thrive in the sport at any level, no matter where they’re from.”
Several activities will continue to be delivered as part of the Foundation in 2024 and 2025. Next year, the Foundation will return to the Northern Territory.
Hookin2Hockey sessions will also be rolled out at schools on Friday afternoons in Terms 1 and 4 next year. For more information about the Hockey Australia Foundation click here.
