Hockey WA
Hockey WA is the organisation responsible for the sport of Field Hockey in the state of Western Australia. Hockey WA is represented in the Hockey One competition by the Perth Thundersticks. Hockey WA also run the top club competitions in Australia, the Hockey WA Premier League for both Men and Women.
In late 2003, Hockey WA was formed from a merger between the Western Australian Men's Hockey Association and the Western Australian Women's Hockey Association. It is approaching 100 years since the establishment of the individual Associations and it is anticipated that the amalgamation will be of major benefit to Hockey in Western Australia.
Early history
Early records indicated that hockey matches were taking place in Western Australia around 1903 and that by 1906 four Teams existed in the Perth area. In 1906 an inter-club competition had begun and by 1908 the Western Australian Hockey Association had been formed.Games involving women and particularly schoolgirls were reported in the early 1900s and the Western Australian Women's Hockey Association was officially formed on 14 June 1916.
The Western Australian Association decided to adopt the Rules and Regulations of The Hockey Association and sought affiliation with that England based body in 1907.
The early Western Australian teams were mainly located in the Perth area. However the Wilberforce Club Team emerged in 1906 and carried the name of the Hamersley Farm and Homestead, which was situated near York. The Wilberforce team was a family affair and for many of the matches the team mainly comprised the members of two families. The opposing teams were required to travel back and forth to York and to the City to complete their match programme.
The condition of some of the playing surfaces that were available in these early times was reported to be "poor". However, this may have been partly acceptable to the match participants who were often referred to as being "enthusiastic and robust". The "Association Ground" was the W.A.C.A Cricket Ground of today and was one of the better pitches and regular venues for the hockey matches. Matches were also played at the Royal Agricultural Society's Claremont Show-Grounds and at the South Perth Zoological Gardens.
In the first few years up to six teams including Perth, Wilberforce, Fremantle, YMCA, Claremont and Guildford engaged in hard-fought games in an endeavour to win the Hope Cup, which had been donated by Dr. Hope and was contested by the top grade teams from 1908. Early honours were shared between the Perth and Wilberforce Clubs. In the five-year period from 1908 to 1912 Wilberforce won the Cup three times and Perth won twice.
Inter-Club matches continued until 1915 when World War I intervened and it was in the early 1920s before hockey resumed on a competitive basis. The formation of an Australian Hockey Association had been under consideration and was formalised on 29 June 1925 when the first Annual General Meeting was held in Sydney.
In 1928, Western Australia participated for the first time in an Australian Senior Championship. The team travelled by Ocean Liner across the Bight to Adelaide to contest the Title, which was ultimately won by the Home Team. Following this, the other States agreed to travel to Perth to take part in the 1929 Carnival, which coincided with this State's Centenary year. Western Australia had its first Title victory in that special year and went on to win the Championship twice in the 1930s and was a strong contender thereafter.
After the Second World War and in the late 1940s, the hockey standards in Western Australia and to a lesser extent in other parts of Australia were strengthened by an influx of skilful and promising young players and coaches, particularly from India, who came to settle in Australia after Independence was gained.
The Senior Inter-State Championship was held annually and the venue rotated among the States. Western Australia was a prominent force. In the period from 1928 to 1992, Western Australia won 29 of the 61 Championships held and this included a nine-year period when eight titles were won. Since 1992, the National Hockey League has become the major annual inter-state competition and Western Australia has won six of the twelve Titles contested to date.
The Western Australian Women's Teams have also been successful at National Championship level. After first competing in 1921, Western Australia won the Championship on 43 occasions including 30 wins in the 35-year period.
These successful State Teams made strong contributions to the development of players and aided selection in Australia's Men and Women's National and International teams. In addition, Perth has been be acknowledged to be the centre of strong top-level inter-Club competition.
National Championships
Men
AHL
1991 – 2018Champions: 1992, 1993, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2011
Hockey One
2019 - PresentOpen
1925 - 1994Champions: 1929, 1936, 1938, 1950, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1991
Under 21
1946 - PresentChampions: 1946, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1962, 1966, 1967, 1974, 1982, 1983, 1988, 1989, 1996, 2002, 2005, 2011, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Under 18
1994 - PresentChampions: 1998, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2015, 2016, 2022
Under 17
1982-1993Champions: 1984, 1990, 1991,
Under 16
1950 - 19812024 - Present
Champions: 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1962, 1970, 1973
Under 15
1980-2023Champions: 1982, 1983, 1996, 1999, 2001, 2015, 2019
Under 14
2024 - PresentChampions: 2024
Under 13
2003 - 2023Champions: 2018, 2023
Women
AHL
1993 – 2018Champions: 1994, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010
Hockey One
2019 - PresentChampions: 2024
Open
1910-1993Champions: 1929, 1938, 1939, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991
Under 21
1984 - PresentChampions: 1985, 1988, 2008, 2011
Under 18
Under 19 1976 - 19831984 - Present
Champions: 1979, 1985, 1987, 1996, 1997, 2006
Under 16
2024-Present'''Champions:'''
Under 15
2002-2023Champions: 2005, 2008
Under 14
2024 - Present'''Champions:'''
Under 13
2005 - 2023Champions: 2012
Men's Competition
Premier League
Consists of 12 teams, who play each other on a Home & Away basis covering 22 rounds. At the completion of the season the Minor Premier is awarded the Guth Ardagh flag.Following the regular season a finals series is played by the top 5 teams to determine the Premier, who is awarded the L.R. Connell Trophy.
Guth Ardagh pennant is awarded to the team that finishes the season on top of the premiership ladder, otherwise known as the minor premiership.
Promotion & Relegation
- The lowest finishing Team in a Division or Grade will be relegated, provided a Team from the Division or Grade directly below is eligible for promotion.
- A Team can be promoted by being the highest finishing Team in the top four of a Division or Grade, unless there is already a Team from the same Club in that Division.
- For the avoidance of doubt, the time at which the 'same Club' rule takes effect is the time of promotion. The effect of this is that if a Team from the same Club is relegated from being the lowest finishing team, there is a vacant position for the Team in the next lowest Division or Grade from the same Club to be promoted into, should it be eligible.
- If a Team is relegated into a Division or Grade where there is another Team from the same Club, and that Team hasn't been promoted under guideline, that other Team will be relegated. This process continues until there is a Division or Grade where there is no other Team from the same Club.
- If the effect of a Team being relegated as a result of the point above is that the division they were relegated from will have fewer Teams than required by rule 1d then the Team that would otherwise have been relegated from that Division or Grade due to being the lowest finishing Team will not be relegated.
The number of Teams and rounds will be as follows, unless otherwise determined by Hockey WA:
Men -
Premier Division One and Two - 12
Premier Division Three - 10
Divisions Four to Ten - 9 or 10
Challenge Cup
A mini-final is played between the top 2 teams after the completion of round 11, the winner is awarded the Challenge Cup. This competition ceased to be played after 2012 due to the tight schedule.Champion Club (R & I Cup)
Was a knockout competition open to all clubs across the state. Inaugurated in 1978 and proved to be hugely successful in bringing together clubs from the Perth metropolitan areas with their country counterparts it ceased to be run after 1992.Awards
Olympians' Medal
Awarded annually to the Fairest and Best player in the men's first division competition. Umpires award one set of votes for each qualifying season game on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis with votes confidentially tabulated by Hockey WA and awarded at the Annual Dinner.Eric Pearce Top Goalscorer Award
Named in 2009 after prolific West Australian and Australian Striker Eric Pearce. Is Awarded to the top Goalscorer from the Premier League regular season.Just Hockey Top Goalkeeper Award
Is awarded to the goalkeeper from the Premier League that polls the most votes in the Olympians' Medal.Paul Gaudoin Youth Award
Is awarded to the player Under 21 years of age, who polls the most votes during the Premier League regular season. Is named after former West Australian and Australian Captain Paul Gaudoin.Merv Adams Medal
Is awarded to the fairest and best player from the Premier League Grand Final.Women's Competition
Premier League
Rule 1dThe number of Teams and rounds will be as follows, unless otherwise determined by Hockey WA:
Women -
Premier Division One and Two - 10
Premier Division Three to Division 10 - 9 or 10) Consists of 10 teams, who play each other on a Home & Away basis covering 18 rounds, 18 matches each. At the completion of the season the Minor Premier is awarded the May Campbell flag.
Following the regular season a finals series is played by the top 4 teams to determine the Premier.
May Campbell pennant is awarded to the team that finishes the season on top of the premiership ladder, otherwise known as the minor premiership.
Challenge Cup
A mini-final is played between the top 2 teams after the completion of round 11, the winner is awarded the Challenge Cup. This competition ceased to be played after 2012 due to the tight schedule.Champion Club (R & I Cup)
Was a knockout competition open to all clubs across the state. Inaugurated in 1978 and proved to be hugely successful in bringing together clubs from the Perth metropolitan areas with their country counterparts it ceased to be run after 1992.Year by Year
Awards
Charlesworth Medal
Is awarded annually to the Fairest and Best player in the women's first division competition. Umpires award one set of votes for each qualifying season game on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis with votes confidentially tabulated by Hockey WA and awarded at the Annual Dinner.The Medal is named after Ric Charlesworth, Former Captain of WA & Australia, and Hockeyroos Coach from 1994 to 2000, where he guided them to 2 World Cups & 2 Olympic Gold Medals.
Jackie Pereira Top Goalscorer Award
Named after prolific West Australian and Australian Striker Jackie Pereira, it is awarded to the top Goalscorer from the Premier League regular season.Just Hockey Top Goalkeeper Award
Is awarded to the goalkeeper from the Premier League that polls the most votes in the Chalresworth Medal.Rechelle Hawkes Youth Award
Is awarded to the player Under 21 years of age, who polls the most votes during the Premier League regular season. It is named after former West Australian and Australian Captain Rechelle Hawkes.Shirley Leece Medal
Is awarded to the fairest and best player from the Premier League Grand Final.Roll of Honour
| Year | Charlesworth Medal | Jackie Pereira Top Goalscorer | Just Hockey Top Goalkeeper | Rechelle Hawkes Youth Award | Shirley Leece Medal |
| 1987 | Jackie Pereira 30 | ||||
| 1988 | Kerri Richards | Jackie Pereira 27 | |||
| 1989 | Rechelle Hawkes | Jackie Pereira 26 | |||
| 1990 | Liane Tooth | Jackie Pereira 24 | |||
| 1991 | Rechelle Hawkes | Jackie Pereira 35 | |||
| 1992 | Lee Capes | Lee Capes 20 | |||
| 1993 | Nicole Dalby | Jackie Pereira 20 | |||
| 1994 | Michelle Hager | Danielle Ball 13 | |||
| 1995 | Lisa Powell | Jackie Pereira 38 | Nicole Mott | ||
| 1996 | Sarah Booth | Katrina Powell 22 | Candice Ringrose | ||
| 1997 | Rechelle Hawkes | Michelle Andrews 28 | Melissa Hall | ||
| 1998 | Michelle Andrews | Joanna Morton 30 | Denise Mounsey | ||
| 1999 | Liane Tooth | Katrina Powell 16 | Angie Skirving | ||
| 2000 | Kim Walker | Katrina Powell 16 | Amanda Calton | ||
| 2001 | Nicole Dalby | Katrina Powell 16 | Larissa Kazakoff | ||
| 2002 | Simone Wallington | Tate Napier 15 Fiona Young 15 | Larissa Kazakoff | ||
| 2003 | Nicole Dalby | Kirsten Bremner 13 | Renee Higman | Emily Halliday | |
| 2004 | Shayni Buswell | Jemma Buckley 16 Naomi Walker 16 | Kia Mansell | Michelle Hinman | |
| 2005 | Kim Walker | Jacqueline Pereira 17 Katrina Powell 17 | Robyn Jilley | Donna-Lee Patrick | |
| 2006 | Shayni Buswell | Katrina Powell 23 | Roberta Tacey | Kate Denning | Libby Charlesworth |
| 2007 | Jayde Taylor | Sian Smithson 27 | Roberta Tacey | Chantelle Ciallella | Elly Buckley |
| 2008 | Shayni Nelson | Sian Smithson 40 | Rachael Lynch | Kate Denning | Shayni Nelson |
| 2009 | Lisa Eglington | Lisa Eglington 22 | Carla Hunter | Stephanie Andrews | Gemma Kendall |
| 2010 | Kate Denning | Sian Nelson 19 | Toni Cronk | Kate Denning | Shayni Nelson |
| 2011 | Airlie Ogilvie | Chantelle Ciallella 17 | Sophie Fitzsimons | Nisha Fernandes | Jessica Shakes |
| 2012 | Shelly Liddelow | Chantelle Ciallella 15 | Elizabeth Duguid | Elizabeth Duguid Kandice Olivieri | Kate Denning |
| 2013 | Kate Denning | Chantelle Ciallella 13 | Elizabeth Duguid | Georgia Wilson | Kellie White |
| 2014 | Georgia Wilson | Chantelle Ciallella 22 | Ashlee Wells | Georgia Wilson | Penny Squibb |
| 2015 | Jacqui Day | Chantelle Ciallella 16 | Huia Arahanga-Doyle | Stephanie Kershaw | Jemma Buckley |
| 2016 | Jacqui Day | Chantelle Ciallella 11 Elly Buckley 11 | Jocelyn Bartram | Georgia Wilson | Takara Haines |
| 2017 | Madonna Blyth | Kathryn Slattery 17 | Ashlee Wells | Georgia Wilson | Kathryn Slattery |
| 2018 | Madonna Blyth | Kim Jong-eun 17 | Ashlee Wells | Madi Ratcliffe | Madi Ratcliffe |
| 2019 | Rachel Frusher | Chantelle Ciallella 19 | Elizabeth Duguid | Phillipa Morgan | |
| 2020 | Jane Claxton | Penny Squibb 13 | Elizabeth Duguid | Amy Lawton | |
| 2021 | Madi Ratcliffe Hayley Padget | Elly Buckley 14 | Elizabeth Duguid | Amy Lawton | Karri Somerville |
| 2022 | Liné Malan | Madi Ratcliffe 17 | Caitlin Cooper | Maddison Fenwick | Caitlyn Templeman |
| 2023 | Liné Malan | Elly Buckley 19 | Evie Dalton | Elyssa Melville | Jesse Reid |
| 2024 | Elyssa Melville | Beatriz Monger-Molowny 16 | Elizabeth Duguid | Elyssa Melville | Courtney Schonell |
| 2025 | Madi Ratcliffe | Madi Ratcliffe 25 | Monique Formilan | Saysha Pillay |