Hockey NSW 2024 field season rep changes

You may have seen the public announcements in early December 2023 by Hockey NSW (HNSW) regarding the 2024 field state championship season. HNSW has spent the majority of 2023 reviewing its approach to state championships. They then undertook consultation with a working group of Association representatives and all Associations were provided with an opportunity to provide feedback to an initial proposal in November 2023. HNSW released their final 2024 plans to Associations on Tuesday 5th December.

Sydney East provided a brief to all SEHA clubs at the 2023 SEHA AGM held on Monday 11^th December.

Why make a change?

Much of the focus has been HNSW defining what they consider to be the purpose of state championships in the hockey ecosystem. Additionally, they have incorporated the feedback they receive from participants (they ask all players and officials for feedback after every state championship) and logistical considerations like venues.

What are the changes?

There are 3 major changes:

1.       Age groups will shift to align with the Hockey Australia National Championship age structure that is being implemented in 2023/4. HNSW State Championships will be held in U/14, U/16 and U/18 junior age groups as well as Open State Championships. Below are the birth years for the core group of participants in 2024: 

2.       The timing of State Championships will change to align with National Championship timing, and HNSW Pathway Program phases and to achieve a reduction in the number of weekends impacted by State Championships across the hockey season.

The exact dates cannot be confirmed until locations are finalised (expected to be in January 2024), but indications are:

3.       The structure of U/18 and Open State Championships will change with HNSW limiting entries to 26 teams per championship age group/gender and splitting locations as below. It will not be a priority in venue selection for these two venues to be within a close distance of each other. 

26 – 28 April 2024

8 -10 June 2024

The practical implication of the limitation of teams is that 26 Associations in NSW regularly enter teams into junior and open state championships. Hockey NSW is essentially limiting the state championships to one team per Association. If there is space after all Associations enter teams, HNSW will determine which Association/s can enter an additional team. Since SEHA was formed in 2015 we have always entered 2 U/18 teams in each gender, but generally not in Opens.  

In regard to divisions, Sydney East U/18 boys and girls will be ranked as Division 1 teams in 2024 (with our girls achieving promotion to Division 1 in 2024). Sydney East Open Men and Women will be ranked in Division 2 in 2024, based on current expectations.

What about indoor hockey?

There is currently no indication of what will happen with indoor at the end of 2024. Typically, the number of team entries is much smaller, and the season takes place in the field hockey offseason, so the approach by HNSW may be different. 

What are Sydney East’s plans for the 2024 rep season, with this in mind?

Sydney East can foresee significant knock-on effects to changes 1 & 2. This will likely include the structure of club hockey competitions, rep carnival structures that we have been used to seeing in the last decade, and the Sydney East strategy for the U/11 age group which SEHA has used as a development pathway for emerging rep players. 

We think it is likely that because U18 and U/14 teams will need to be ready for state championships in April/May – selections and training for the rep season will need to commence earlier than in the past for these age groups.

Not all the answers to these questions are currently known, but Sydney East will communicate with our members as soon as possible when more information is known.