History

NWSHA – Initial beginnings.

On April 30^th 2014 HockeyNSW hosted the initial workshop for City – North West Region to commence the Association Reform Activities. The intent of the session was to initiate a string of activities with the outcome being the formation and ongoing operation of what is now known as North West Sydney Hockey Association.

Formation of the Working Group

HockeyNSW facilitated the formation of the working group (WG). With a broad mix of stakeholders from the NW region, HockeyNSW resolved to a working structure underpinned by a representative of:

• each of the associations currently residing in the proposed north west region (Parramatta Women’s - PWHA, Ryde Eastwood Women’s - REWHA, Sydney North Women’s - SNWHA)

• each of the major clubs residing in the proposed north west region

• the non-aligned / smaller clubs in the north west region

The Working Group members were :

Existing Associations and their Member Clubs

• Parramatta Women’s HA – Julie Brechin & Carol Sheridan

• Sydney North Women’s HA – Andrew Blamey

• Ryde Eastwood Women’s HA – Kerri McFarlane

Major Clubs

• Sydney University HC – David Hewish

• Ryde Hunters Hill HC – Andrew Ramsay

• Macquarie University HC – Liam Dixon

• Northern Districts HC and Norwest – Adrian Wilson

Non Aligned Clubs

• Represented by Andrew Attard (Baulkham Hills HC)

Working Group Activities

The WG was chartered with having the association fully operational for the start of the 2015 Field Hockey season. HockeyNSW provided the overarching schedule and key milestones to be achieved but the detail and considerations specific to North West lay with the WG.

1. Association Name
   There was considerable discussion and debate on the name and colours. In the end the initial Working Group decided that name should simply describe “who & where we are” and hence the registered name is North West Sydney Hockey Association.

2. Colours & Logo
   The new association brought the opportunity to consider the whole colour palette. The WG took a pragmatic approach and took the opportunity to reflect on the three Women’s associations effectively being superseded by NWSHA. It was decided to adopt one colour from the two colours of each of the existing associations resulting in Royal Blue (PWHA), Teal Blue (REWHA) and Black (SNWHA)

Mockups of the NWSHA playing uniforms

The other colours are subtly reflected in the NWSHA logo were Gold (PWHA); Teal (REWHA); Red (SNHA)
The logo is a compass pointing to NW with a hockey stick and the letters N – W – S – HA being on the points of the compass. Special thanks to Richard Maher from Wentworthville Club who created the logo.

NORTH WEST SYDNEY HOCKEY ASSOCIATION

Established 2015

Executive 2015

President – Andrew Blamey

Vice Presidents – Julie Brechin & Liam Dixon

Treasurer – Adrian Wilson

Secretary – Carol Sheridan

The first NWSHA male & female teams competed at the 2015 Hockey NSW State Field and Indoor Championships in Opens, U18’s, U15’s, U13’s and U11’s.

The Women’s Masters remained as selected teams from PWHA, RE and SN but competed under the NWS name at the NSW State Championships in Bathurst 2015. These teams also competed in the SWHL competition. In 2016 a Women’s Masters Sub Committee was formed and all teams were selected and competed as NWSHA teams in the NWSHA uniform at the NSW State Championships & SWHL. No men’s NWSHA Masters teams were established under the NWSHA banner in the first year of operation.

All players and officials previously affiliated with Clubs were registered to Hockey NSW with their Clubs under North West Sydney Hockey Association.

In 2015 there were approx. 1650 members in NWSHA.

NWSHA Clubs in 2015 were - Baulkham Hills HC; Baulkham Hills Women’s HC; Epping HC; Guildford Leagues HC; Jets HC; Kellyville-Merrylands HC; Kings Langley HC; Macquarie Uni HC; Northern Districts HC; Norths Womens; Norwest Strikers; Parramatta HC; Ryde Hunters Hill HC; Shadows HC; Castle Hill Strikers WHC; RE Strikers WHC; Sydney Uni HC; Wenty HC; Wests Rugby HC.

The previous PWHA/RE women’s Saturday grass competition continued at Doyle Ground Parramatta and Tory Wicks Reserve at Meadowbank with administration undertaken by the new NWSHA.

Club teams also competed in the North Area junior competition and Sydney North Women’s competition but these competitions were not administered by NWSHA until 2019.