Para Ice Hockey

Para Ice Hockey in Australia

Para Ice Hockey is a sport that is designed for athletes with lower limb deficiencies. We encourage any person to come and play Para Ice Hockey if they are a fan of hockey however might not be confident to play while on ice skates. All clubs are inclusive and support all athletes. The sport in Australia is not limited by gender as everyone plays together. The only instance where gender is a team selection factor is during the Women’s international games.

As the sport is orientated for athletes with lower limb deficiencies, able bodied athletes or athletes with disabilities which are not lower limb related are welcome to join in at local club level, however would not be able to be selected for National or International teams. IHA governance and insurance is designed to cover athletes that fit the rules. This means IHA must assess that playing the sport will not place an athlete in undue danger where the person could be severely injured due to their existing conditions. If an athlete is deemed not safe to be involved in games or training, we will contact Paralympics Australia to find a sport that might be better suited to their condition. These individuals may however join a club as a volunteer member that helps with the running of the clubs or associations.

Para Ice hockey has a long history here in Australia. In the late 1990s The Australian Submarine corporation manufactured basic sleds from Stainless steel tubing and old blades and holders from recycled ice skates. The program was run at Thebarton, South Australia for a few years when it was eventually mothballed in the early 2000s. Some of these sleds are still around they provide a historical link to the past however they are unsafe to use as they do not comply to the current rules.

In 2017 Para Ice Hockey was reinvigorated through Ice Sports Victoria and the Western Australian Inclusive Skating Club. These two organisations started the Australian Para Ice Hockey Association with support of Paralympics Australia and Ice Sports Australia. Pam Cavanagh was the inaugural APIHA president, Mark Weber was Treasurer, Marty Jackson and Dan Perrett were Committee members. From this rebirth, APIHA contacted the Agitos Foundation to secure funding to supply sleds and sticks to help kickstart Para Ice Hockey in Australia.

Come and try events were held in Melbourne and Perth. Defence Ice Hockey also held events in Sydney. Some athletes also started training in Queensland.

In 2018 Kerry Goulet invited Australian Para Ice Hockey Association players to attend the USA Canada game in the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney and put on a demo during the game break. As part of this event prospective National players were introduced to Classification and sports specific governance through Paralympics Australia in Sydney.

APIHA managed to engage with Paralympics Australia to secure a Memorandum of Understanding to govern Para Ice Hockey in Australia on behalf of Paralympics Australia.

In 2020 APIHA, under the oversight of APIHA President Bill Siegloff, secured a major grant through the Australian Government Department of Health and Human Services. This grant provided funding for safety equipment for all APIHA affiliated Para Programs as well as sleds, sticks and ice rink rental. During this period APIHA also transitioned Para Ice Hockey governance to Ice Hockey Australia. This governance change dictated the grant funding to be managed through Ice Hockey Australia.

In 2021 Ice Hockey Australia advertised for a Para Director to manage the Para Portfolio for IHA governance. Bill Siegloff was successful in being appointed to this position. In 2023 the Federal grant was acquitted, and equipment was provided to IHA para programs across Australia. In 2023, Simon Holmes was appointed the Australian Para Ice Hockey Head Coach.

IHA sent 5 athletes and a Coach to the World Para Ice Hockey Development Camp in Bangkok, this camp was funded by World Para Ice Hockey and was designed to develop the nations skills and help develop female athletes in all countries.

Ice Hockey Australia was please to have a number of members represent our sport at the 2023 Para Skills Camp in Thailand.

Team Members

Bill Siegloff (Head Coach), Damon Jaenke, Belinda Green, Bryan Stitfall, Zeliko Markovic, Noella Angel, Myles Markham (Personal Carer)

In 2024, selected players from the National Development Squad will be invited to represent Australia at the Para Ice Hockey C-Pool World Championships to be held in November in Bangkok.

Australia is committed to developing Para Ice Hockey in Australia and is building a Woman’s program concurrently within our National program.