Field hockey in Australia

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Field Hockey in Australia
Sydney 2000 Olympic hockey.jpg
The Hockeyroos playing at the 2000 Olympics
CountryAustralia
Governing body Hockey Australia
National teams Kookaburras (Men) Hockeyroos (Women)
First playedLate 1800s [1]
Registered players162,176 [2]
National competitions
International competitions

Field hockey is a moderately popular sport in Australia. It is usually referred to as simply "hockey" and is played in winter, with a season typically starting in March and April. [3] The national governing body, Hockey Australia has 162,176 registered players as of 2020, with a 48% to 52% split of male to female players. [2] Australia is home to two of the best national hockey teams in the world, with both the men and the women having won the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and World Cup one or more times.

Contents

History

The beginnings of Australian hockey

The British navy is often credited with introducing hockey to Australia. During the late 1800s, Australia lacked a navy and depended on the British for coastal defense. As a result, many British games, including hockey, were introduced to the continent by military personnel stationed there. [4]

The AWHA

The foundation of the Australian Women's Hockey Association (AWHA) in 1910, led to the rapid growth of women's hockey all over Australia. It was linked closely to the All England Women's Hockey Association, with whom the first Australian women's national team played their first match against in 1914, in addition to their first overseas test in 1930. In 1927, the AWHA became a founding member of the International Federation of Women's Hockey Associations, alongside Denmark, England, Ireland, Scotland, South Africa, the United States and Wales, which in 1982 merged with the International Hockey Federation. [5]

The AHA

In 1925, the Australian Hockey Association (AHA) was founded.

Hockey One

Since 2019, the national level of competition is Hockey One. Prior to this, it was the Australian Hockey League, which was made from the former Men's and Women's National Hockey League in 1991.

Hockey One is a small league, with only a single men's team and a single women's team from each of the eight states and territories, but it produces excellent results, when measured by the performance of the national squad.

Kookaburras

The Kookaburras, the men's national team have won 1 gold, 4 silver and 5 bronze at the Olympics, as well as 10 World Hockey Cup medals, 6 Commonwealth Games gold medals, 30 Hockey Champions Trophy medals, and one Men's FIH Pro League championship.

Hockeyroos

The Hockeyroos, the women's national team, have won 3 gold Olympic medals in 2000, 1996 and 1988; as well as 4 world cup medals, 2 gold at the Commonwealth games, and 11 champions trophy medals.

References

  1. ↑ Australia, Hockey. "History of Hockey in Australia". www.hockey.org.au.
  2. 1 2 "Hockey Australia Annual Report 2020" (PDF).
  3. ↑ Health, Australian Government Department of (2017-02-15). "Hockey". Australian Government Department of Health. Retrieved 2022-01-21.
  4. ↑ Australia, Hockey. "History of Hockey in Australia". www.hockey.org.au. Retrieved 2022-01-23.
  5. ↑ "International Federation of Women's Hockey Associations | UIA Yearbook Profile | Union of International Associations". uia.org. Retrieved 2022-01-24.
The Kookaburras at the 2000 Olympics Hockey Sydney Olympics.jpg
The Kookaburras at the 2000 Olympics
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