WHAT'S ON: Performance & Pathways Jan/Feb 2026

Published Mon 05 Jan 2026

As the new hockey season approaches, Hockey WA’s Performance & Pathways team is ready to kick off the year with an exciting line-up of training opportunities, development programs, and international team visits.

With events locked in for January and February, now is the perfect time to start your journey and set the tone for a big year of hockey!

Kookaburras & Perth Thundersticks Men's vs China/Malaysia January series

A new year of hockey action is here! The Kookaburras and Perth Thundersticks Men’s teams are hitting the ground running as they prepare to take on the Chinese and Malaysian national teams throughout January at Perth Hockey Stadium.

The Perth Thundersticks Men’s team will face Malaysia in a three-match series on Friday 16 January, Saturday 17 January, and Thursday 22 January, before taking on China on Friday 23 January.

Midway through the international visit, the Kookaburras will join forces with identified WA talent for two midweek matches on Tuesday 20 January and Wednesday 21 January.

The Kookaburras will then launch their own campaign, starting with a clash against Malaysia on Saturday 24 January, followed by a three-match series against China on Sunday 25 January, Wednesday 28 January, and Thursday 29 January.

Date	Time	Match-Up	Turf
Friday 16 January	4.00pm	Perth Thundersticks vs Malaysia	PHS-2
Saturday 17 January	5.00pm	Perth Thundersticks vs Malaysia	PHS-1
Tuesday 20 January	4.00pm	Kookaburras/HWA vs Malaysia	PHS-2
Wednesday 21 January	4.00pm	Kookaburras/HWA vs China	PHS-1
Thursday 22 January	6.00pm	Perth Thundersticks vs Malaysia	PHS-1
Friday 23 January	6.00pm	Perth Thundersticks vs China	PHS-2
Saturday 24 January	9.00am	Kookaburras vs Malaysia	PHS-1
Sunday 25 January	9.00am	Kookaburras vs China	PHS-2
Wednesday 28 January	4.00pm	Kookaburras vs China	PHS-1
Thursday 29 January	4.00pm	Kookaburras vs China	PHS-2

January Training Camps

Hockey WA is launching several exciting training camps this January at Perth Hockey Stadium to help athletes prepare for the year ahead. Regional athletes are welcome to attend if they are in Perth during the camp times.

Under 14 & Under 16 Training Camp

This camp is designed for players looking to sharpen their skills ahead of club trials or state programs. Running from Monday 19 January to Thursday 22 January, sessions will be held from 8:30am to 10:30am each day and will include skill development, mini games, fitness training, hockey IQ, and specialist goalkeeper coaching.

Under 18 & Under 21 Training Camp

Running from Tuesday 20 January to Thursday 22 January, this camp is designed to prepare athletes for the 2026 Hockey Australia Under 18 National Championships while offering development opportunities for Under 21 players. Sessions will focus on advanced skills, tactical play, and specialist goalkeeper training, and will run from 6:00am to 8:00am each day.

HWA Academy Pre-Season Training Camp

Launching in January 2026, Hockey WA’s HWA Academy (formerly the PTX Academy) offers a fun and engaging development opportunity for players aged 6–14. With participants grouped by age and experience, sessions focus on skill development, confidence-building and game-based learning in a welcoming environment. Open to all athletes — including goalkeepers — the Academy is a great chance to prepare for the upcoming season, enjoy some healthy competition and bring a friend along. The camp will run from Tuesday 27 January to Thursday 29 January, with sessions held daily from 9.00am to 12.00pm.

WA Under 21 State Team Trials

Hockey WA are continuing to accept nominations for players wishing to be considered for the 2026 Under 21 State Men's and Women's Teams.

These trials will be used to selected one (1) team per gender to compete at the 2026 Hockey Australia Under-21 National Championships to be held in Canberra, ACT from Thursday 23 April to Thursday 30 April, 2026.

Nominations for the State team trials are open to boys and girls born on or after 1 January 2005.

Nominations will close at 5pm on Monday 19 January, 2026.

NOMINATE HERE

Trials will take place at Perth Hockey Stadium across three dates. Please find details below:

Men's

Stage	Date	Time	Location
1 *All nominated athletes to attend	Wednesday 28 January, 2026	7.00pm to 8.30pm	Perth Hockey Stadium Turf 2
2 *Invitation only	Monday 2 February, 2026	6.00pm to 7.30pm	Perth Hockey Stadium Turfs 1 and 2
3 *Invitation only	Wednesday 4 February, 2026	7.00pm to 8.30pm	Perth Hockey Stadium Turf 2

Women's

Stage	Date	Time	Location
1 *All nominated athletes to attend	Wednesday 28 January, 2026	6.00pm to 7.30pm	Perth Hockey Stadium Turf 1
2 *Invitation only	Monday 2 February, 2026	6.00pm to 7.30pm	Perth Hockey Stadium Turfs 1 and 2
3 *Invitation only	Wednesday 4 February, 2026	6.00pm to 7.30pm	Perth Hockey Stadium Turf 1

All athletes who nominate for the 2026 WA State Under 21 Team trials will be provided with a physical conditioning program in preparation for the first trials. Athletes will be subject to fitness testing at the trials.

Please note that video analysis may be used as part of the selection process.

Selected athletes are expected to attend all training sessions, held on Monday and Wednesday nights at Perth Hockey Stadium from the week commencing Monday 9 February, 2026 until departure.

Regional Emerging Thundersticks Program

From January through March, Hockey WA will visit the Midwest, South West, and Great Southern regions to deliver the regional iteration of the Emerging Thundersticks Program (ETP). These sessions aim to strengthen development pathways for aspiring hockey players and maintain strong connections between regional talent and Hockey WA’s Performance & Pathways team.

The program is designed to:

Identify and nurture regional athletes with state-level potential
Provide direct access to Hockey WA’s State Performance & Pathways Coaches
Minimise travel by delivering high-quality training locally
Prepare athletes for State Trials
Include specialist goalkeeper training focused on first touch and clearance work

Midwest

The Midwest Regional ETP will offer sessions for two age groups: athletes aged 7–12 and those aged 13–17. The first visit will be held on Wednesday 21 January and Thursday 22 January, followed by a second visit on Wednesday 11 February and Thursday 12 February. All sessions will take place at the Geraldton Hockey Association Turf.

Month	Date	Age Group	Time
January	Wednesday 21st	7-12 Years	4.00pm to 5.00pm
		13-17 Years	4.00pm to 7.00pm
	Thursday 22nd	13-17 Years	6.00am to 7.30am
February	Wednesday 11th	7-12 Years	4.00pm to 5.00pm
		13-17 Years	4.00pm to 7.00pm
	Thursday 12th	13-17 Years	6.00am to 7.30am

South West

The South West Regional ETP will offer sessions for two age groups: athletes aged under 13 and those aged 14–17. The first visit will be held on Saturday 31 January and Sunday 1 February, followed by a second visit on Saturday 21 February and Sunday 22 February. All sessions will take place at the Bunbury Hockey Stadium.

Month	Date	Age Group	Time
January	Saturday 31st	Under 13	3.30pm to 5.00pm
		14-17	5.00pm to 6.30pm
February	Sunday 1st	14-17	7.00am to 8.30am
		Under 13	8.30am to 10.00am
	Saturday 21st	Under 13	3.30pm to 5.00pm
		14-17	5.00pm to 6.30pm
	Sunday 22nd	14-17	7.00am to 8.30am
		Under 13	8.30am to 10.00am

Great Southern

The South West Regional ETP will offer combined sessions during Hockey WA's scheduled visits. The first visit will be held on Sunday 22 February, followed by a second visit on Sunday 8 March. Both sessions will take place at the Mount Barker Hockey Turf.

Date		Time
Sunday 22 February		8.00am to 12.00pm
Sunday 8 March		8.00am to 12.00pm

Managed IT Emerging Thundersticks Term 1 Programs

Hockey WA will continue driving athlete development through the Managed IT Emerging Thundersticks Program (ETP) in 2026, starting with Term 1 programs in February and March. ETP is a high-performance initiative for advanced players in Hockey WA State Teams, providing an elite pathway for high-school-aged athletes. As a key stepping stone toward WAIS and senior state teams, the program aligns with Hockey WA’s long-term performance strategy, preparing young athletes for the next level of competition. Sessions will be held from 6.00am to 7.30am at Perth Hockey Stadium, featuring two sessions per week across six weeks. Athletes are welcome to attend one session per week or two sessions per week.

Under 14

Week		Dates
1		Wednesday 4 February
2		Monday 9 February and/or Wednesday 11 February
3		Monday 16 February and/or Wednesday 18 February
4		Monday 23 February and/or Wednesday 25 February
5		Wednesday 4 March
6		Monday 9 March and/or Wednesday 11 March 2025

Under 18

Week		Dates
1		Tuesday 3 February and/or Thursday 5 February
2		Tuesday 10 February and/or Thursday 12 February
3		Tuesday 17 February and/or Thursday 19 February
4		Tuesday 24 February and/or Thursday 26 February
5		Tuesday 3 March and/or Thursday 5 March
6		Tuesday 10 March and/or Thursday 12 March

Gallery

Performance and Pathways Asian Engagement WA State Teams Clinics and Workshops Emerging Thundersticks Program Regional Academies