Intro
Sport and Recreation Minister David Templeman led a delegation of Hockey WA, the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries and the Western Australian Institute of Sport representatives to Sydney last week with the proposal.
WA is among three shortlisted States to house the high performance program, with Victoria and Australian Capital Territory still in the running.
WA's bid was centred around Perth's rich hockey history and ability to meet the needs of Hockey Australia's High Performance Program — with a focus on athlete wellbeing, based on its connection to the broader hockey community, strong domestic competition, proximity to Asia, lifestyle appeal, athlete support networks and world-class facilities.
As part of the bid, the State Government has committed to redeveloping Perth Hockey Stadium into a contemporary 'Home of Hockey' that is a world-class, high-performance centre and international competition venue, which will include 3 hockey pitches, a specialist training facility and an indoor hockey centre.
Currently the head office is located in Melbourne, while the high performance program is based in Perth. If the bid is successful, it will be the first time in Australian history that Hockey Australia's head office and the high performance program can work side by side.