Introduce your kids to a sport they'll love. Give them a bunch of new friends who'll help them be their best. New players welcome. No experience required.
“I’ve played hockey with various clubs since I was 14, but Blaze has been the most supportive and family-friendly club I’ve ever been part of. It’s a place where everyone is welcomed, no matter their age or experience. Now with my husband and three daughters playing too, it’s become a true family passion. Blaze creates a wonderful sense of community both on and off the field.”
“As a parent, it’s been amazing to watch my daughter thrive since joining Blaze Hockey Club. New to Australia and to Ballarat, we found out about Blaze through the Hook into Hockey programme. We also have no background in hockey. My daughter has not only developed strong hockey skills, but she’s also found a sense of belonging and confidence within her team and the club. Blaze hockey club has created such a positive and empowering environment for girls, where teamwork, encouragement, and fun are at the heart of everything. I'm so proud of how far she’s come and grateful to Blaze for supporting girls in sport.”
“We love being part of the Blaze community. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming. When our daughter joined in, never having played hockey before, everyone was so welcoming and encouraging of her. Never any pressure and a real focus on community, making new friends and giving it a go.
Being new to Ballarat, we found it a great club to join and a very strong sense of community. We have been fortunate to meet a lot of wonderful people. Its been great for our daughter to meet another group of friends beyond school contacts.
All the coaches are so generous with their time and bring great skills to the group about positive team work and sportsmanship. Blaze Hockey Club is very inclusive, family friendly community we are grateful to be part of.”
Ballarat Blaze Hockey Club Inc is a local club that plays in the Hockey Ballarat Association. We field juniors, women's and men's teams at both a social and competitive level.
Our club is wholly run by players and parent volunteers. Our mission statement is "to provide opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to participate in hockey in an inclusive, safe, transparent, and friendly club environment."
Under 8s (mixed) is all about play and is a great way for the little bros and sisters to feel involved. Our parents and grandparents run games and activities to build basic skills and confidence. If we're honest though, it's often the kids making up games and the grown-ups doing what they're told. Depending on the season, Under 8s can play short weekend games with foam bumpers around a mini-pitch. It's a carnival atmosphere with parents standing around cheering on a sunny winter Saturday.
Under 11s (mixed) is about friends and learning the basics of the game. They play a modified 7-a-side half-field game with simplified rules. Everyone gets a go and hopefully a goal. It's hard to drag the kids away after training because there's 20 of them playing chasey on the far side of the field!
Under 14s (mixed) play on a full-sized pitch with 11 players and standard rules. At this level we focus on teamwork and communication. New players fit in well while they get the hang of the game. Slightly shorter games with two 25 min halves.
Under 16s (mixed) are a bit taller and faster and enjoy a more competitive game. It's full of awkward teenage jokes, memes and eye-rolling. From a coaching perspective we're working on strategy and tactics — our own and observing and responding to the opposition.
Senior womens are a wonderfully social group both on and off the pitch. There are players who've played hockey their whole life, those who have returned from a long break and those who started last week.
Senior mens have two divisions. Division 2 is the social grade (though no less competitive!) There are Blaze junior dads returning to hockey or playing hockey for the first time, along with some enthusiastic juniors looking for a challenge. Division 1 is the faster game for our more experienced players.
For more information please call or email. To see what it's all about, please drop in to Prince of Wales Park on a Tuesday evening. Under 8s and 11s from 4:30pm, under 14s and 16s from 5:30pm and senior women and men from 7pm.
Ballarat Blaze Hockey Club Inc.
Address: Prince of Wales Park, Ballarat
Email: ballaratblazehc@gmail.com
Phone: 0408 311 730 (Sally Stevens, Secretary)
