The lack of hockey clubs in Melbourne’s west has driven the formation of a new club at Caroline Springs.
Hockey Club launched two weeks ago after months of behind the scenes work, and already reactions have been positive.
Club secretary Jessica Spence said the formation of the club would make it easier for people in the west to take up the game.
She said they had been looking to bridge the gap between existing teams at Melton, Werribee, Footscray and Hobsons Bay.
“If you look at the western suburbs, there’s no hockey club in Brimbank [or the eastern corridor of Melton],” she said.
“You’re travelling half-hour on average to travel from one club to another. In the eastern suburbs, you would have gone past six clubs in that time. Some clubs in the east have enough teams to cover all the teams in the west.”
Spence said the club already had at least 30 members and enough players for two women’s teams, a men’s team and an under-10 side, and there could be more depending on numbers.
They are also wanting a program for children who are too young to play in team competition.
She said now the club is official, more people will show interest and get involved.
Junior development and forming the club from the bottom up was the focus of the club’s four-year plan.
“The junior section of the club is the main focus,” Spence said.
“Of course, we would like to play at the highest level possible at seniors, but we want to get it right from the start.”
Spence said discussions are ongoing about possible locations to play games, the level of competition they play will depend on players they attract.
“We’re looking at starting at pennant section, but are still in discussions with Hockey Victoria,” she said. “We can now start the negotiation process about where we play.”
Among the moves they are contemplating in the longer term is a local competition. Spence said Hockey Victoria is considering competitions that would run in the same location each week.
That could be an individual competition or a couple of hockey associations joining together.
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