Competitions, Events and Participation
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* Office Bearers & Committees Commercial & Marketing Recognition Committee President’s Report Across the year, Hockey in Western Australia was Hockey WA is extremely grateful that the coaches met with a large number of obstacles related to and players were flexible, enthusiastic and resilient the COVID-19 pandemic – and, proudly, it across 2020, ensuring that from the very junior overcame them all. teams to the Premier Grades we were able to have a fantastic season, albeit a little compromised. At the AGM some 12 months ago, there was a lot Out of all challenging situations come unforeseen of uncertainty and hockey, like all sports, including wins! the broader community, was facing an • The majority of WA was able to play unfathomable challenge. Soon after the AGM the hockey, including growth of players new to the Board followed government guidelines and made sport. the decision to delay the start of the 2020 season • The season may have been compromised, due to COVID-19. The decision to delay the start yet at the same time there was great success. of the season was an extremely hard and • We had an amazing Premier 1 season with so uncharted decision to make, as we really didn’t many of the world’s best players being part of know if we would actually play at all in 2020. our clubs’ sides, week in week out. • With the decision to cancel promotion and It is appropriate that 12 months on and as relegation, many young local players were President of Hockey WA, I acknowledge those who afforded greater exposure to top-level hockey. were so invested in the difficult decisions and • At the end of the year we were able to celebrate actions that needed to be made during 2020. some fantastic exhibitions with the All Stars It was the calibre of people on the Board that Challenge and the Ric Charlesworth Classic. made sure the key decisions were the right ones • The Ric Charlesworth Classic option was and our sport has benefitted from having these extended further, with our best 15-year-old people as part of Hockey WA. players compensated for not going away, and playing in similar format to their Premier League I would like to particularly acknowledge the hard idols in the Future Thundersticks Classic. work of Peter Westlund and the Rules Committee team who did a wonderful job and modernised Off the field we have been extremely active and the rules and regulations governing hockey for our working towards the betterment of Hockey. members across the year. In 2020 we welcomed some highly credentialed new Board Members into Hockey WA and they are: The efforts of the staff at Hockey WA were • Katie Flanagan extremely important in how the season was to un- • Rebecca Morton-Stephens fold. Working from home and on shortened hours, • Mark Pownall the team when asked were able to deliver a fantas- • Phil Wilson tic season, unlike a number of States that were less fortunate. I would like to make During 2020 we have also farewelled from the particular mention of Finance Manager Tim Board the following members and we Skepper who, with Board member Gary McGrath, acknowledge and thank them for their wonderful ensured Hockey WA’s excellent financial service. management during a challenging year! • Shonelle Duthie • Stephen Cain Nothing would have happened, however, without our Clubs and Presidents. Your efforts in keeping I would also like to acknowledge and thank Stu your members engaged and being flexible to Gilsenan who left Hockey WA at Christmas after ever-changing demands meant that we were able three years of service as CEO and returned as a to get a season going at the earliest possible General Manager to Netball WA. opportunity. President’s Report As a Board we continue to work on some projects home pitches as well as welcoming you to Perth- of great significance: when opportunities arise. • A new home for Hockey WA in the form of an At this stage the 2021 season will be vibrant and International Hockey Centre of Excellence and there is an energy around our players and clubs, the Board continues to work with industry, where we all want to get out and play hockey Federal and State governments to deliver this without interruption. project. • We are preparing an Asian engagement strategy To all of you and in my role as President of Hockey that will benefit all of hockey across WA WA, I would like to thank each of you and your • We continue to work with our major resource clubs for everything you do for hockey and I look companies, State government, Federal forward to staying in contact throughout the government and Hockey Australia to ensure that season. the Hockeyroos and the Kookaburras retain Western Australia as their home for the Michael Henderson foreseeable future. President • We are in the process of revamping underneath PHS. WA will be a shining star in 2021 for Hockey across WA, nationally and internationally. We have some fantastic regional WA associations who are central to the future of our sport and we look forward to visiting you and being involved on your Departmental reports Business Operations The operations team within Hockey WA enjoyed a • Lemnos Field will receive a welcomed new good year during 2020, with significant shock pad and playing surface in time for the developments occurring within the governance 2021 season. The Board and staff at Lemnos and infrastructure portfolios. The new surface at Field have done a fantastic job bringing together Perth Hockey Stadium at Curtin University has sig- a great project outcome at short notice. As one nificantly benefited the sport with the feedback on of the most highly used venues in the state, it is the playing surface from players being highly com- essential that Lemnos Field retains its status as a plimentary. The Board and associated committees high profile venue. have completed a large volume of work regarding • Peel Hockey Association are currently in the policy development, committee frameworks and process of upgrading their playing lights, support governance. from the Department of Local Government Sport and Cultural Industries was critical to this COVID was a challenge for the whole project proceeding. community. At all the Hockey venues around the • The City of Rockingham and the Rockingham state, a fantastic contribution was made to allow Hockey Club have been delayed in the playing people to return to sport at the earliest possible surface replacement. Fortunately, the opportunity. Back-to-activity plans were diligently installation of new lighting has not experienced compiled by clubs and volunteers. This ensured the same delays as the playing surface. that hockey venues were compliant and safe from • The Margaret River Hockey Club and the Shire of the pandemic that threatened to stall all types of Margaret River are currently working to deliver sporting activity from a very early stage. The a half-pitch training ground in Margaret River. adaption of our venues and our community’s This fantastic initiative will enable local teams dedication to abide by the parameters and make to train on turf without being required to travel Hockey safe was something of which everyone can to Busselton. This is a very prudent option as be proud. Hockey WA and our clubs and it focuses on the long-term sustainability of the associations have received plaudits from Busselton Hockey Association. government agencies because we adapted and supported each other to ensure that Hockey was Planning projects for new playing facilities one of the first sports back playing. Being able to continue to consume significant communication complete a near-full season was a great bonus. time with local and state government agencies. Several metropolitan and regional clubs are Facility projects that are great additions to the currently preparing proposals to enhance the sport of Hockey are: standard of venues available. Hockey WA has been • The construction of a new player amenity greatly encouraged by the level of engagement by at Perth Hockey Stadium for the Hockeyroos and local government into Hockey’s needs and Kookaburras. Funded by the Federal Government, aspirations as a sport. Consultation between the this is a long-overdue addition to our two national government and State Sporting Associations has teams’ player facilities. never been more significant. • Busselton Hockey Association have completed a much-needed upgrade to the pitch From a regional perspective, a lot of work is lighting. The new lighting complements the currently being done in the key Hockey-playing playing surface at one of Western Australia’s best communities of Geraldton and Esperance to regional hockey venues. provide enhanced venues that permit the sport to grow. Departmental reports Geraldton Hockey Association have an ambitious These committed individuals make an unheralded plan to upgrade their existing playing surface while contribution to Hockey. Without them the grounds also re-instating their second turf. The Board and on which Hockey is played would not be of the membership are working hard with key quality they are. government stakeholders to make this project a reality. In Esperance, a project is evolving that will Interruptions to the year and compressed seasons hopefully be a significant step in enhancing has meant that access to representative Hockey Hockey’s profile. was not as accessible as the Hockey community would have liked. In March, the WA Hockey Hockey WA and our players are very lucky we have Community were very fortunate to host four several high-quality playing venues fixtures (two Hockeyroos and two Kookaburra) accessible for clubs to access. The quality of these games against Argentina. It was an exciting start to venues continues to be of the highest standard what we all hoped would be a bountiful with excellent maintenance and clubs being winter of Hockey as our two teams prepared sustainable enough to ensure that the surfaces are for the Tokyo Olympics.