Interested in joining MCC Hockey?
That’s great! Whether you’re new to Melbourne, new to hockey, or perhaps looking for a change of scene from your current club, we reckon MCC Hockey will be an amazing option for you in 2020, and we’d love for you to get in touch and come and try things out.
Below is a short Q&A to help you decide whether we might be right for you. This website and our Facebook and Instagram pages (@MCC Hockey Section and @mcchockey respectively) have a load more information on our club, history, what’s on, etc. as well, so please explore those if you’d like to know more. But for now:
Who are we?
The MCC Hockey Section is indeed an affiliate of the world-famous Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC), making up one of 13 sporting sections (on top of cricket) which fall under the MCC umbrella. Whilst we don’t play at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), we do enjoy some unique access for club events and membership options that no other hockey club in Melbourne can offer. It’s a pretty sweet perk!
Where are we?
We are instead based at the Melbourne High School in South Yarra, making use of its high-quality hybrid synthetic turf. Arguably, no other club in Melbourne has better public transport access, and likewise has as many bars, restaurants or social options right on its doorstep. No car? No problem. Car? You’ll have exclusive access to on-site parking facilities. In April/May 2020 we are also opening a second ground in Elwood, down the road, though our #1 and home ground will remain in South Yarra.
Can we offer the right level of hockey for you?
We cater to all levels, ages and genders of hockey, with juniors, men’s, women’s and masters/mid-week teams competing across numerous competitions. Our top men’s and women’s teams compete in Hockey Victoria’s Premier League (i.e. they’re very good), and then we work down from there. If you can hold a stick in your hand, we’ll have a team to suit not just your ability but also your availability, entering teams in both weekend and weekday evening competitions. Our coaching panel includes former Kookaburras and Hockeyroos and stalwarts of Hockey Australia.
Is the club social for newcomers to Melbourne?
Absolutely, and definitively so. Given our excellent location, we are the club of choice for many Melbourne expatriates, whether just from rural Vic or the other side of the world. All of that means a welcoming club keen to bring people together; we host more-or-less monthly social events during the season, taking full advantage of easy access to Chapel Street and the CBD. If you came to Melbourne to experience the best of the city’s lively F&B scene, this is what you came for.
What if you’re just looking for a club for your kids?
No problem at all. This is a family club, and while we have many families with numerous generations involved, we also have children playing with no background in the sport whatsoever. We cover all junior age groups and abilities, with competitions for those just trying out a new sport as well as clear development pathways for the most skilled youngsters who we hope will be the future stars of our club. With the opening of our Elwood ground later in 2020, we are really excited to be able to offer this sport to even more families as well.
How much does it cost to play?
Ground and equipment hire, HV registration, umpiring fees, etc. all add up unfortunately. Our fees are in line with other central metropolitan clubs, and as a ball park figure, an adult MCC Hockey membership is around $700 for a season and kids start from $85. However, this varies fairly significantly depending on competition and age, so please check with us for specifics. We also offer early bird rates, payment plan options, and significant fee offsets for those able to help out with certain club roles such as coaching. We don’t want cost to be a barrier to entry for any of our players.
Anything else?
We’re a volunteer-run club, with members and families all doing their part to help make this a healthy, successful and thriving environment for all. For us, MCC also stands for Mateship, Courage and Commitment, and these are words we run our club by and hope our members hold dear.
We are actively involved with all of Hockey Victoria’s inclusion rounds, covering women, men’s health, and LGBT+ participation. These things are important to us.
We want our junior players to develop the love we have for this game and play it for years to come; we want our women players to take pride in a sport which has long offered them an equal platform where others haven’t; we want our men to support each other, grow as people and become better men; and we want our masters to enjoy this game with us for as long as they can stand.
So, to summarise?
We’re in an absolutely fantastic central Melbourne location, with unique access to the MCG as part of a wider network of 13 MCC sporting sections. We are a social club welcoming of all, with a diverse national and socio-economic member base. We offer competitive rates and many ways to manage these. And we also have a really good team song that we love to sing after winning.
Sounds good? Get in touch through the contact box at the bottom of this website’s homepage, or through our Facebook and Instragram pages. Someone will get back to you soon.
