Junior Country Championships - 2024

2024 Junior Country Championships will take place on Saturday 18^th May & Sunday 19^th May, 2024.

The venues utilised will be as follows:

• Essendon Hockey Centre – Under 14 Boys & Girls
• Greensborough Hockey Centre – Under 16 Boys & Girls
• Melbourne Sports Centres Parkville – Under 18 Boys & Girls

In 2024, the age groups for the Event will also change to Under 14, Under 16 and Under 18. This will ensure they align with the age groups for Hockey Australia National Championship, the Victorian Junior State Championships and the vast majority of local competition age groups across Victoria. This change was supported by the clear majority of JCC Coordinators and was flagged 12 months ago.

Team Entry Information was made avaialble to JCC Coordinators through Hock-e-comms on Thursday 7th September. 

Senior Country Championships - 2024

2024 SCC Dates & Location

Throughout and following the 2023 Senior Country Championships, a survey was conducted to gather information from both people participating in the Event, but also a significant number people that did not attend in 2023. There were over 220 survey responses collected. HV have since been meeting with the Regional Steering Committee to discuss this information and begin planning for both the 2024 & 2025 Senior Country Championships.

Based on the survey responses, when the Senior Country Championship is delivered in metropolitan Melbourne there is a clear desire for it to be held at the premier venue, which is Melbourne Sports Centres Parkville.

Therefore the 2024 SCC will be held at Melbourne Sports Centres Parkville over the June long weekend - Saturday 8^th June through to Monday 10^th June, 2024. The Men & Women will again play at the same venue.

Should team entries warrant an additional venue being utilised, HV will secure one of the venues in very close proximity to MSC Parkville to use as an overflow venue.

2025 SCC in Regional Victoria

From the survey it is also evident that there is also a desire to see the Event held in Regional Victoria from time to time in the future. So Hockey Victoria will commence discussions with appropriate regional locations (both the Associations & Local Government) with a commitment to run the 2025 Senior Country Championships in a regional location(s).

Regional Club Team Participation in 2024 SCC

In 2024 it will be possible for regional club teams to enter the 2024 Senior Country Championships.

So, team entries will be accepted from Regional Associations and/or regional clubs. For example, Hockey Ballarat may choose to enter a team that represents the Association, but a Ballarat based club team is more than welcome to also enter the division they see fit to enter.

This is being introduced to reduce barriers to participation. There are some Associations that chose not to enter teams and some that enter only a limited number of teams. Not all participants have a strong link to their association and may prefer to play with members of their club team that they are more familiar with and already have an established team.

Metropolitan clubs will not be permitted to enter the SCC in 2024 (in either the Open or Masters Divisions).

Minimum Team Entries Required

For a division to proceed in 2024 there must be a minimum of 6 teams entered by Wednesday 1^st May (e.g. there must be 6 x A Grade Men’s teams entered for that particular division to proceed).

Competitions of 3 or 4 teams do not provide for a quality experience and are not a viable option. If there are not 6 teams entered in a division, the impacted teams will be contacted to discuss alternate options such as playing in another division (if appropriate) or entering the Hockey 5s carnival that will be running on that same weekend.

In 2023, the Masters divisions of this event will be open to metroplitan teams to enter. Effectively, it will become a Masters State Championships. The Open divisions will remain as regional only teams though. Further information will be sent directly to clubs and associations in relation to this. 

Team entry information was distributed through Hock-e-comms on Thursday 7th September. 

HV is seeking Umpires to officiate at the 2024 Junior Country Championships and Senior COuntry Championships. 

For more information and to submit an expression of interest, please click here.

Should you have any queries about officiating at this Event, please contact Ben Seccull (bseccull@hockeyvictoria.org.au). 

2023 Junior Country Championships

2023 Senior Country Championships