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Hockey is a fast-paced and physical game requiring speed, stamina, dexterity and top notch hand–eye coordination. Hockey players run up to several kilometres per game, as they manoeuver and flick the ball long distances across a slick surface.
The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Hockey program supports the development of talented Australian athletes by providing access to specialist coaching and sports science expertise, state-of-the-art training facilities and opportunities to experience high performance competition.
About the program
The AIS Hockey program was established in Perth in 1984 at the Perth Hockey Stadium at Curtin University, and was the first AIS sport based away from the Canberra campus.
n 1986 the AIS, in conjunction with the Australian Hockey Association, established the Satellite Coaching Scheme to promote talent identification and, in 1990, intensive training centre coaches were appointed in each capital city. Since then, the program has had a shared focus on both training and coaching national squad players and developing prospective Australian players.
AIS Hockey works in partnership with the Hockey Australia (HA) High Performance program to support the training and development of a large number of athletes both in and out of competition, through leading coaching and sports science expertise, support services and national training facilities.
The AIS/HA High Performance program is managed and delivered by 18 full-time staff consisting of national coaches, sports scientists and administrators, as well as specialists in sports medicine, physiotherapy, psychology, nutrition, athlete development and career education. It is also assisted by expert elite coaches through Hockey Australia’s National Training Centre. All staff work together to enhance and develop the performance of Australia’s leading hockey players.
The AIS/HA High Performance program features a state-of-the-art training facility at Perth Hockey Stadium which boasts:
- two outdoor synthetic hockey pitches
- strength and conditioning gymnasium
- recovery centre
- seminar room
- function centre.
Other hockey players take part in the program as part of the visiting athlete agreement scheme, which sees athletes supported by the state institute of sport/state academy of sport take part in the program for short-term periods. AIS Hockey also provides a development pathway for talented players to gain valuable experience in high performance competition and to earn selection in the Australian national squad.
The main proportion of AIS scholarship holders are currently members of the Australian men’s and women’s national squads.
