
HOCKEY PROGRAM
Our aim is to develop young players in the South-West region and teach skills, strategies, and game sense to maximise enjoyment of the hockey experience and prepare the players for senior hockey and/or participation in representative teams.
The initial program was incredibly promising, with talent from across the region training fortnightly across the Summer season at Ballarat, Warrnambool, and Hamilton. 18 athletes were selected for the program, which emphasised development of technical skills, decision making and strategies to manipulate the opponent to create more manageable situations on the field.
Over the duration of the program the coaching staff saw an encouraging improvement across the group in all areas. The training sessions were tough, with the group often battling the heat and learning new concepts under fatigue and in a competitive environment.
We are eagerly awaiting the second year of our program and, after Covid-19 cancelled the winter hockey season, we know the group will be raring to go and determined to build on the initial foundations completed in our first year. In the meantime SWAS has implemented a bridging program for emerging hockey athletes, see below for further details.

2021-2022 BRIDGING PROGRAM
Under the guise and direction from Hockey Victoria's High Performance director and head coach of HC Melbourne, Lachie Anderson. SWAS athletes will undergo skill and game development sessions designed to get SWAS athletes back to a match ready state.
Lachie has also committed to developing SWAS hockey coaches, to up-skill and ensure regional coaches are provided with knowledge to improve not only their players but also other coaches across the South West of Victoria.
Program Delivery
The 2022 program has been designed to work around the winter season of hockey, supporting athletes in the lead up to major tournaments and dates including state championships, national tournament selections and draft camps ran by Hockey Victoria's high performance team.
All players must meet the following criteria to be eligible for the 2022 program.
Me a Hockey Victoria member affiliated with a club in the South West of Victoria
Have a positive attitude and a willingness to learn
Be competing in Hockey Victoria competition and seasons
Posses a desire to progress along the HV junior pathway, which can be found here
Benefits to Athletes
Access to practical coaching and education sessions ran by the head of HV's High Perfomance team
All sessions are developed by the head of HV's High Perfomance team to shape player qualities and skills to what current elite and high level coaches seek within state and national squads
Improved levels of coach knowledge and delivery in regional settings
Musculoskeletal screening – conducted by qualified Exercise Physiologists to guide S&C programming and sports specific training
Access to strength and conditioning sessions in a facility in the athlete’s shire over the course of the program, sessions are ran by qualified strength and conditioning coaches
Education sessions delivered by industry professionals- including injury prevention, recovery, nutrition, sports psychology and specific much more
Sports psychology sessions with a qualified sports psychologist
Skill development and planning with accredited coaches
Sports science fitness testing used to inform S&C and sports specific training over the course of the program
Practical and online sessions that develop the “whole of an athlete’ both in and out of competition – a sport/school/life balance, leadership, goal setting, development of support structures and systems
SWAS will support state and national athletes for travel and accomodation to tournaments subject to funding from the Victorian Government Pathway Travel Grant