Australian Ice Hockey Receives $135M From WA For New Facilities And Player Wellbeing | ice Hockey

Australian ice hockey has received one of the largest investments in Olympic sport history as Western Australia commits more than US$135 million towards a new world-class facility and player well-being.

The WA government’s bid beat bids from four other states to host the sport’s high-performance center of excellence from 2025 to 2035.

Hockey Australia CEO David Pryles said the center was “the best hockey facility in the world”.

In addition to the $135 million set aside for the academy as a capital investment, millions more will be set aside to ensure player welfare.

A travel grant scheme for athletes will allow players to stay connected with family and friends outside of Perth and a second full-time Health and Wellbeing Manager will be hired.

The pledge comes two years after the women’s national program was rocked by allegations the players’ union described as “a toxic culture and bullying”. An independent review was launched in late 2020.

The organization pledged to rebuild the entire elite program according to the recommendations, including a better balance between the demands of the high-performance program and life outside of hockey.

Pryles said: “We have these recommendations”.

The investments will be focused on improving the gaming experience and ensuring players have no reason to worry off the pitch, Pryles said.

The new center will include two world-class outdoor courts, one indoor court, fitness and recreation facilities and new locker rooms, as well as an events center and administrative facilities.

The hockey facility will be available to the wider hockey community, as will the Hockeyroos and Kookaburras.

Pryles said it will cover the needs of all athletes “from the moment they show up to practice until they go home — this is a bigger investment than most AFL club facilities.”

“We’re really fortunate that it’s not just putting hockey on the map in Australia, but Australian hockey around the world,” he said.

Hockey WA’s state government investment dwarfs the $15 million deal the Victorian government struck to become a prospecting sponsor of Netball Australia for four and a half years following Hancock’s withdrawal.

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Hockey is one of Australia’s most successful team sports, with male kookaburras ranked #1 in the world and female hockeyroos ranked #3.

WA has been home to both programs since 1984, but with the deal due to end in 2024, Pryles said the latest round proved to be the most competitive, thorough and independent bidding process in Hockey Australia’s history.

Expressions were open to all eight hockey member federations, with five bids narrowed down to three from ACT, Victoria and WA, giving Hockey Australia’s board of directors a “very difficult” decision, Pryles said.

Hockey Australia chairman Ross Sudano said WA’s successful bid will build on both teams’ recent successes.

“Our athletes are already at a high level with the recent men’s Olympic silver medal and gold medal at the seventh consecutive Commonwealth Games, women’s silver medal at the Commonwealth Games and bronze medal at the FIH Women’s World Championships and The Hockeyroos is a finalist in the “Team of the Year” category for 2022 [Australian Institute of Sport] Awards for sports achievements,” said Sudano.

Pryles said: “We want to keep growing. The Kookaburras and the Hockeyroos are the most recognizable names in Australian sport. Everyone sees them at the Commonwealth and Olympic Games. We just want them to watch more.”