ZONE CHALLENGE

 

Please click here for Zone Challenge Fixture

 

Rationale for Creating Zone Challenge

Hockey Victoria (HV) is launching the Zone Challenge in October/November this year. The Zone Challenge involves all 10 Zones in a U12, U14 & U16 competition. After reviewing the participation data off the back of the 2010, 2011 & 2012 G.J. Gardner Homes Junior State Championships,  HV identified that over 400 players (45%) of overall players were playing in one year of the championships and missing out the next.


In addition to this data collection we also identified the following reasons to offer participation at Zone level for all age groups:

- Provide players at all age groups the opportunity to play in a higher level of competition.
- Provide more players with representative team opportunities.
- Introduce representative Zone competition for Under 12s in preparation for Under 13s the following season.
- Introducing the second step of the player development pathway earlier.
- A player needs to participate in more competition at this level outside the winter hockey season, and the Zone Challenge will enable all year round hockey development.
- A competition to complement the State Development Program outside the winter hockey season.
- A chance for Under 12, 14 & 16 players who have played in these competitions throughout the season to access Zone level competition & selection as a top age player. 
- An improved opportunity to engage talented players (Premier/Vic League) into coaching positions

Competition Structure

The Zone Challenge is a four round competition with no finals, running from 18th of October - 23rd of November involving teams (U12, 14 & 16) from all 10 Zones playing each other once with the winner decided by points.

The four Rounds will be fixture (primarily on Sunday’s) across Metropolitan and Regional Victoria allowing the opportunity for multiple clubs and associations to host and see the Zone Challenge.

Training

Please contact your Zone Co-ordinator

Player Eligibility

Players aged 10 as of the 1st of January 2013 will be eligible to play in the Zone Challenge.
Please refer to below table for player eligibility.

Zone   Challenge Team Year of Birth
U16 1997 & 1998
U14 1999 & 2000
U12 2001 - 2002

Selection 

  • All bottom age players selected in the G.J. Gardner Homes Junior State Championships will receive automatic selection into the Zone Challenge teams (please see Figure 1).
  • Bottom age players will receive notification of their opportunity on the 15th of July and must accept or decline their position in the squad/team by the 29th of July.
  • Bottom age players that were already selected but had to with draw from a Zone team (ie. due to injury) will also receive automatic selection.
  • Bottom age players who were invited to play at late notice due to another player (who was already selected in the team) pulling out because of injury will also receive automatic selection.
  • Any bottom age player who trialled for their ‘own zone’ and was not selected but was invite to play for another zone will have to trial for their ‘own zone’ for the Zone Challenge.

Any other junior player registered with an association/club within one of the 10 zones will be able to nominate for the final trial. Nominations will open on the 15th of July and will close 15th of August.

  

     Zone Challenge Age Groups

 Junior State Champs
  Age Groups

 

U16

U17-

17yo

16yo

 

(bottom age) automatic selection

 

U14

U15-

15yo

14yo

 

(bottom age) automatic selection

 

U12

U13-

13yo

12yo

 

11 &10yo as of 1st of Jan 2013   (bottom age) automatic selection

Figure 1: Zone Challenge & JSC age group plus "bottom age" break down.

 

Schedule (Tentative)

Round One

  • Friday 18 October (EVENING) – Melbourne (All Metro Zones play) Venues TBA
  • Sunday 20 October – Melbourne (All Metro Zones play) Venues TBA
  • Saturday 26 & Sunday 27 October – State Netball Hockey Centre (All Country Zones Play)

Round Two

  • Sunday 10 November – Knights, Lightning, Red Devils, Hotshots (Bendigo & Shepparton)
  • Sunday 10 November – Eagles, Tigers & Wildcats (Ballarat & Warrnambool)
  • Sunday 10 November – Cougars, Flames & Sharks (Churchill & Drouin)

Round Three

  • Sunday 17 November – Knights, Lightning, Flames & Tigers (Albury)
  • Sunday 17 November – Eagles, Sharks & Red Devils (Melbourne - TBA)
  • Sunday 17 November – Cougars, Hotshots & Wildcats (Melbourne - TBA)

Round Four

  • Sunday 24 November – Knights, Lightning, Wildcats & Tigers (Melbourne – TBA)
  • Sunday 24 November – Eagles, Hotshots & Flames (Melbourne – TBA)
  • Sunday 24 November – Cougars, Red Devils & Sharks (Melbourne – TBA)

 Cost

The fee for participation in the 2013 Zone Challenge will be$190.

This fee covers the cost of:
- Competition Fee (includes umpire payment)
- Training Program (pitch hire, equipment, first aid)
- Coaching & Team Management
- Zone Administration
- Team Photo

Important Selection Information

Due to Hockey Australia's National Events Schedule the National Under 15 Championships will be played in April in 2014. Therefore Hockey Victoria will be using the 2013 Zone Challenge as the final identification process for selection of an Under 15 State Team final training camp where the team will be selected to represent Victoria at the 2014 Under 15 National Championships.

A final squad of 26 will be selected and invited to a training camp in late January 2014.

Finally the scheduling of the Zone Challenge outside the winter season will provide the Victorian hockey community with a better chance of engaging talented players into coaching positions (Premier league/Vic League). This engagement of quality senior players & coaches is critical to developing our young Victorian players.

 

Fixture

Team Photo Schedule