When did Field Hockey in Australia start?

When did Field Hockey in Australia start?

Field Hockey is one of the most widely played, popular team sports across the world. It dates back over 3,000 years to the times of classical Greece, though it is the British Army that is credited with taking it around the globe.

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Military Organisation

In fact, Australia was an exception and the recognition for introducing field hockey Down Under should sit with the Royal Navy. In the late 19th century, there was no Australian navy, and the country relied on the army to defend its coastline.

The naval officers from Britain who were stationed in Australia to help teach key defence tactics also taught them to play hockey. Since then, the Australians have taken the ball and run with it, developing their skills and mastering the game.

Knowing that the game came from a military background, it follows that field hockey drills are among the most effective ways of improving the basic skills of the game. There are lots of drills available depending on which elements you and your squad want to work on.

Australian Hockey Association

In 1903, the South Australian Hockey Association was formed and clubs started opening around the country, in the major cities primarily, and now the sport is well-established across Australia.

Once there were clubs, it became clear that a governing body was required and so the Australian Hockey Association (AHA) was born in 1925. It had been mooted as early as 1912, but the first AGM was held at the end of June, 1925. By that time, the minutes noted 54 teams playing hockey nationwide, with 18 of those in New South Wales and just 4 in South Australia. Victoria had 17 and Queensland 15.

It was that year that Australia joined the International Hockey Federation (FIH) as a declaration that they were taking the game seriously. That launched them onto the international stage, and also helped grow the game internally. With so many teams playing at so many different locations it will be important for them to have Events Medical Cover as Hockey can be quite a high contact sport.  You could maybe look at getting this from sites like https://outdoormedicalsolutions.co.uk/event-medical-cover/.
For more information about the history of the game, see the detail on the AthNet website, where you can also find out about combining your game with continuing your education.

The first international match was against New Zealand in 1922. Then world-leaders, India, visited Australia in 1925 with the hosts completely outclassed though today things are not so one-sided.

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