Meet the Pirates, Canberra’s women’s ice hockey team

Posted on 9 October, 2019

They’re currently skating towards the Australian Women’s Tier Two cup finals in October.

You may not have heard of the Canberra Pirates, but they’re one of the city’s top women’s sports teams.

The Pirates currently play in two competitions–the Tier Two series (the second-highest level of national competition in women’s hockey) and the Ice Hockey NSW women’s league (IHNSW)–with both home and away games. The team went undefeated in the most recent round in Adelaide.

The Pirates also have current and former players who have represented Australia internationally, most recently with two juniors on the 2019 Australian U18 women’s team.

Although ice hockey is still a relatively small sport in Australia, the Pirates are rapidly gaining momentum. Club co-founder and player Jessica Joss has seen women’s ice hockey in Canberra boom over the past five years.

“It’s been exciting to watch the team go from strength to strength, especially with growing numbers of younger players coming through, who learn and improve very quickly and make the future of women’s hockey in Canberra look bright.”

Some of the team members were inspired by the Mighty Ducks movies as kids, while others started skating as adults. Now, the team travels all over the world and hopes to take home the Tier Two cup for the first time in Melbourne this year.

“I wanted to play hockey when I was a kid, but my cousin told me girls weren’t allowed,” explains Kimmi Macleod, Pirates player and Social Media Coordinator. “A friend invited me to watch games when I was an adult and it suddenly clicked that I could play. I ordered gear and signed up to play as soon as I could.”

“I’ve seen how we’re inspiring junior players. Kids getting too shy to ask for a high five post-game, being asked if I’m a pro player and seeing junior girls talk about how long until they can try out for the team.”

Whether it is travelling together, speeding down the ice or scoring a goal, the Pirates are dedicated to the game. For Peta Lehoczky, defence player, Alternate Captain and Tier Two Team Manager, it offers a chance to be in the moment.

“Nothing else matters for two hours while you’re at hockey. The world is shut off, no phones, no children to feed or out to bed. It just you, your teammates and the ice,” says Peta.

However, unlike in North America, ice hockey remains foreign to a lot of Australians. This means the teams, especially the women’s, often struggle to secure funding and sponsorship.

“The women’s national teams and national leagues pay all their own way,” says Peta. “Whereas the men’s teams are heavily subsidised. Our gear is double the price of what it costs in Canada and America so the cost of setting up usually deters women from joining.”

The Pirates also have to contend with stereotypes about the sport itself. Checking isn’t allowed in women’s hockey, only incidental contact, meaning sophisticated skating and puck-handling techniques become the focus of the game, but misconceptions remain.

“Usually the first thing I’m asked is ‘Isn’t that really dangerous?’” says Jessica. “I often find myself explaining that no, actually I have had fewer injuries playing hockey than any other of the numerous sports that I’ve played, and no, we don’t constantly brawl or wipe each other out.”

As a grassroots team, often juggling family commitments and full-time jobs, the local women’s ice hockey community has to work together to push the sport forward.

“I’ve really enjoyed working with a bunch of our players off-ice to help with the general running of the club,” says Alex Croyle, Pirates goalie and Club Secretary. “A lot of players and members have volunteered this year and created a great collaborative atmosphere.”

Kimmi agrees that Australia’s ice hockey players and supporters are a tight-knit but friendly group.

“A newbie can go to an open level game and semi-pro international players will still pass you the puck. Team rivalries definitely exist on the ice, but everyone comes together when it’s to save a rink or team and you realise, you’re part of something much bigger than yourself.”

If you want to see the Pirates in action, they’ll be playing in the final round of the Australian Women’s Tier 2 Ice Hockey Showcase Series in Melbourne from October 19 to 20. You can keep up with future home games on their Facebook and Instagram.

The team is also looking to expand its sponsor base. In 2019, the Pirates were sponsored by the ACT Government’s #weareCBR campaign and Nexia Australia.

Local businesses Asgard’s Body Piercing and The Signal Co. have also recently joined as sponsors. Potential sponsors can contact Alex via canberrapirates@gmail.com for more information.

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