The Penalty Corner - Summer 2026

Competitions

Preparation for the 2026 Metropolitan Competition season is well underway. Hockey SA staff are currently finalising the Rules and Regulations and receiving team entries, with the aim of releasing fixtures earlier than in previous seasons.

Clubs are reminded that late team entries or team withdrawals may have flow-on impacts across the competition, affecting fixtures, byes, and scheduling for all clubs and players.

For Premier League (PL) and Metro One (M1), proposed changes have been made to the play-in structure. Following consultation, PL and M1 Club Executives voted to retain the play-ins for a further 12 months, with agreed amendments. These changes are being progressed for Board approval.

Season 2026 - Key Dates and Updates

Season 2026 is fast approaching, and it has been great to see clubs sharing their pre-season activities across social media. Hockey SA looks forward to engaging with more club content throughout the lead-up to the season. Clubs are encouraged to tag Hockey SA or submit clips directly via Hockey SA social media channels for sharing.

The Hockey SA Metropolitan season will commence on Saturday 11 April 2026, with the Belgravia Apparel Premier League and Metro One–Six competitions.

Junior competitions will commence on:

- Friday 24 April – U18s

- Sunday 26 April – U8–U16 competitions

The Season 2026 webpage will act as the central information hub, housing the newly approved finals structure, key dates, competition updates, and other relevant season information.

Registrations

Hockey SA registrations for the 2026 season are now open. The majority of clubs and associations have their registration portals live, and players should now be able to complete their registrations.

Clubs are encouraged to promote early registration to ensure all players are appropriately covered by insurance throughout the pre-season period.

Pre-Season

Discussions regarding a pre-season tournament reflected feedback from the attempted tournament held last year, which experienced limited engagement.

As a result, and following a vote at the Club Executives Forum, it was agreed that a pre-season tournament will not be conducted for the 2026 season.

2026 Calendar

The 2026 competition calendar is now available.

Juniors:

Seniors:

High Performance

2026 marked a new chapter for our high performance pathways, with Hockey South Australia proudly reinstating the Indoor Hockey program.

The 2026 Hockey Australia Indoor Nationals were held from 10–24 January across Canberra, ACT, and Goulburn, NSW. South Australia fielded teams in the Opens, U18, U16, and U14 divisions for both men and women, marking the first full state representation in over eight years. Competing against the strongest indoor programs in the country, SA faced tough results across most divisions, but there were notable performances. The Women’s U18 team secured a win against Tasmania, the Men’s Open team earned draws against Victoria and NSW Blues, and the Men’s U18 team held Tasmania to a draw. These results highlighted moments of competitiveness, while also showing the gap between SA and the leading indoor states.

U16 and U21 State Team Selection

Following the Indoor national championships, U16 and U21 state team selections were finalized. U16 teams were ratified after the Zone Selection process, and U21 trials have concluded with final squads confirmed. Public announcements of the teams are scheduled for shortly. The appointed staff for the U16 teams include Helen Bradley as the Girls Head Coach and Aaron vander Wyst as the Boys Head Coach, with assistants and managers still to be confirmed. For the U21 squads, Keegan Popowski and Jethro Eustice will lead the Women’s and Men’s teams respectively.

Congratulations to those who have been selected:

Participation

Hi2H Month is Here!

February is officially Hookin2Hockey (Hi2H) Month, and we’re excited to kick off the year with some great news.
Hockey Australia has partnered with FunLab, meaning every child who registers for Hi2H will receive a FREE pass to one of these awesome FunLab venues:

- Holey Moley Golf Club

- Strike Bowling

- Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq

- Hijinx Hotel

Don’t miss the chance to give young players a fun start to their hockey journey!

Register Now:
https://www.hockey.org.au/course-finder/680/

Schools Program - Let’s Grow Hockey in 2026

In 2026, we’re committed to strengthening our connections with schools across South Australia.
If you’d like hockey delivered at your school next year, please reach out—Linzi or Emma are ready to help make it happen.

Sparks & Flames Academy - Program Wrap-Up

Across November and December we launched the Sparks & Flames Academy, a 10‑week development program designed to grow athletes’ individual skillsets.

Delivered with the support of talented Adelaide Fire athletes, the program focused on building strong foundations in young hockey players.
We are excited to announce that Sparks & Flames will return in November 2026.

Stay tuned for updates!

Hi2H Roadshow - Coming to Adelaide

Hockey Australia is visiting Adelaide for a special Hi2H Roadshow:

https://www.hockeysa.com.au/events/337165

📅 10 February
🕕 6:00 PM
📍 State Hockey Centre

This workshop isn’t just for Hookin2Hockey Coordinators—junior and youth coaches will benefit greatly from the insights shared by:

Professor Sam Elliot (Flinders University)

Participation & Sport Parent Engagement Specialist
Topics include:

- Welcoming new families to your club

- Parental engagement, re-engagement & volunteer pathways

- Creating meaningful, fun participation experiences

Plus a Hookin2Hockey presentation delivered by Hockey Australia & Hockey South Australia.

We hope to see you there!

Honourable Mention
Paul Lewis’s playing career is among the most decorated in Australian men’s field hockey history. Representing Australia from 1989 to 1998, Paul earned 208 international caps and scored 87 international goals, establishing himself as a cornerstone of the Kookaburras through a golden era of performance on the world stage.



Adelaide Fire

With the season set to begin later in 2026, staff are already making proactive moves to plan the year ahead. We are undertaking a comprehensive review of all aspects of the Fire, with a clear focus on identifying opportunities for growth, community engagement, improvement, and sustainability. 

If you are interested in supporting the growth of the Adelaide Fire in 2026, through partnership, volunteering or other means please reach out to admin@hockeysa.com.au