Hockey ACT History

Hockey ACT was established in the early 1990s after the game of hockey became popular and started to gain momentum in the ACT. Back then it was known as the Federal Capital Territory Hockey Association, and later ACT Hockey Association.

Hockey was actually one of the earliest sports played in the Canberra region and was introduced by the Royal Military College Duntroon, which was founded in 1911. The first official hockey games played in Canberra were matches between the cadets. The growth of hockey saw the College partner up with the Goulburn Hockey Association, which already had a thriving hockey base.

Early matches in Canberra were played on grounds at Acton Flats and York Park. As hockey grew as a sport over the years, locations for matches expanded and included most suburbs  including Griffith, Reid, Ainslie, and Kaleen.

By the 1920s, a large number of men and women were playing hockey in the ACT and in 1923 a vigorous program was devised for the large number of teams visiting Canberra. In that same year the New Zealand National Team visited the Capital and this visit became the first international sporting event in Canberra followed by a visit from the Indian Army Hockey Team in 1926.

Given the large number of women participating in the sport, the Canberra Women’s Hockey Association was established in March 1928. Then, in 1929, a plan for development of Men’s Hockey in Canberra was proposed. This resulted in the formation of the Federal Capital Territory Hockey Association, which became the first official hockey association in the ACT. The association’s founding member clubs included: Kingstoon Maroons, RMC Cadets, Ainslie East, Ainslie West, Kingston Whites, Canberra Grammar and Hall.

In addition to these senior bodies, ACT hockey also established the ACT Junior Association and the Canberra Girls Hockey Association, which managed all junior hockey related activities and later amalgamated with their respective senior Associations in 1984.

The development of hockey had consolidated the sport into a strong and sharp Association by 1938. There were more playing members recorded than any other winter sport and hockey also became instrumental in bringing more visiting teams into the capital than other sports. This growth and sturdiness of hockey in the ACT prompted another name change to the Australian Capital Territory Hockey Association.

For long periods of time throughout the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, both the Men’s and Women’s Associations were affiliated with respective NSW Associations. As Canberra grew as the nation’s capital, it was the ACT Men’s Hockey Association first gained statehood and affiliation with the Australian Hockey Association in 1970. This was followed by the ACT Women’s Hockey Association who also gained Statehood in 1976.

In 1985 Graham Carter and Ray Brown proposed the Associations merge their resources to establish and build a Hockey Centre in Lyneham. This was taken on board by all Associations and the Hockey Centre was officially established on 3rd August 1986, followed by the opening of the Sue Watt Field in 1987. Later in 2000, Tuggeranong Hockey Park was established in Greenway to cater to the growing numbers of people playing hockey in the ACT.

It wasn’t until 2001 that the ACT that the ACT Women’s Hockey Association and the ACT Hockey Association combined to form Hockey ACT.

Breakdown of Associations

*More information required regarding amalgamation. Anyone with information should contact communications@hockeyact.org.au