Kookaburras and Hockeyroos launch players association
The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA) is extending its professional representation of elite athletes with the launch of the Australian Hockey Players’ Association (AHPA). The AHPA will cover athletes in both the men’s and women’s national teams the Kookaburras and Hockeyroos.
The AHPA was formed for hockey players by hockey players to ensure player wellbeing, improve player conditions and rights and advance player professionalism. It follows last year’s establishment as a section within MEAA of the Australian Basketballers’ Association.
Mal Tulloch, director of the Entertainment, Crew and Sport section of MEAA said, “We are proud to include the AHPA under the MEAA umbrella. Before now, hockey players had no adequate support from a players association. MEAA will provide professional services, advocacy and support to APHA to assist them in improving the lives of hockey players.”
Kookaburra and president of the AHPA, Tim Deavin, said, “The AHPA ultimately stands for player welfare. Hockey is currently an amateur sport in Australia and we want to make sure that the players are getting looked after both physically and mentally, on and off the pitch.”
The AHPA will be working collaboratively with Hockey Australia to achieve these outcomes.
Cam Vale, chief executive of Hockey Australia said, “The Board of Hockey Australia and myself as CEO look forward to working with the AHPA in the short term towards a collective agreement for the four year cycle post Rio, and continuing to succeed on the pitch with our national teams whilst collaboratively growing the game off the pitch for the foreseeable future.”
Hockeyroo and AHPA member, Ashlee Wells, said, “With the introduction of a players association we hope to help make Australian hockey as a whole more professional and leave our sport in a good place for the future Hockeyroos and Kookaburras.”
Kookaburra and AHPA member, Simon Orchard, said, “The formulation of the AHPA is a huge step towards professionalising our great sport of hockey. I am thrilled to be a part of it and look forward to working together with the other playing members and Hockey Australia. My aim is to ensure future generations of Kookaburras and Hockeyroos enjoy improved working conditions, greater opportunities away from the field and a more advanced player welfare program.”
Vale commends the AHPA for its leadership in promoting equality for both male and female athletes. “The Kookaburras and Hockeyroos athletes have been leaders on and off the pitch for a long time now. The creation of a players association that covers both men and women equally is something they should be proud of and that other sports should look towards on how to equally represent athletes of both genders.”
Both the Hockeyroos and Kookaburras are training in Perth in preparation for the 2016 Rio Olympics in August.
Kookaburras and Hockeyroos launch players association
Last update: April 30, 2016
For more information contact:
Tim Deavin, Kookaburras player: 0409 700 911
Ashlee Wells, Hockeyroos player: awhockey@yahoo.com
Simon Orchard, Kookaburras player: simorchard3@hotmail.com
