Hockey is a sport in the Peel with a lot of room to grow and develop, with the number of teams involved in the Peel Hockey Association small but steadily on the rise.
The 2021 season has seen a substantial amount of emerging talent.
Grand final day, held at the Sporting Globe Stadium on September 18, saw the Irwinians Hockey Club take out the top spot in the Peel Hockey Association's ladies senior competition.
The Irwinians are a well-established club that as of 2021 has been established for more than 20 years.
This season was a tumultuously uncertain one, with no clear favourite to win until the grand finals approached and Mandurah had cemented themselves in the top spot, having won the majority of their games.
Irwinians club president Elmari Truscott said while their season was, for the most part, positive, it was during semifinals that the team really pulled through to rise above the rest and knock out Mandurah in the finals.
"We had a very positive season - we had a few losses in battle but from semifinals onwards everyone just stepped up and finished on a high," Truscott said.
...from semifinals onwards everyone just stepped up and finished on a high
- Elmari Truscott
She explained the ladies team were ecstatic with the results of the finals, after their semifinal win had eventuated under stressful circumstances.
"The ladies were glad... they were exhilarated, especially after the semifinal that we had.
"It was nail biting and went to penalty flicks.
"We are glad the finals didn't go to penalty flicks."
Truscott added that she hoped hockey would grow in the Peel region, particularly as the summer season begins and people may have time to try a new sport.
"It would be nice if there was more promotion around hockey and if more people could come," she said.
"Our summer hockey is starting in October and we would love for people to come down and join."
To register your interest in Peel Hockey's summer season, visit www.peel hockey.com.au to fill out a registration form and learn more about the clubs and the game.
Samantha Ferguson
Samantha Ferguson is a journalist at the Mandurah Mail. She is an entertainment, sport, crime, community and education journalist with a special interest in investigative pieces and human interest stories.
Samantha Ferguson is a journalist at the Mandurah Mail. She is an entertainment, sport, crime, community and education journalist with a special interest in investigative pieces and human interest stories.
