1. COACHES
We provide our players with access to some of the best coaches in the region. All our coaches have a minimum Level 1 qualification, and most are former top-level players with international, national and state representative experience. We provide a consistent style of coaching across all divisions and provide our juniors with clear pathways for performance and development. All our coaches (and managers) have Blue Cards.
2. PLAYERS
As a club, we exist because of our playing members. Everything we do is designed to provide our players with an opportunity to play the game they are passionate about - whether they want to play socially or competitively. Our players range from novices to experts, from social to competitive, from young to not-so-young. But they all share one common passion: a love for our sport. And our club does everything it can to support that.
3. CULTURE
Our club was formed by a group of eleven "rebels" who left another Sunshine Coast club to form their own team. The spirit of the "Original Eleven" Rebels sets a standard for who we are as a club. We embrace their original notions of mateship, rebelliousness and a love of hockey. We are proud of our history - and of the people who have shaped it over the years.
4. COMMUNITY
At Rebels, we have a strong connection to community - our club's community, our local community and our sports community at large. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with club-mates, sports colleagues and our community to help where we can - whether that's volunteering in the community with the Rebel Army, maintaining connections with local organisations or helping a fellow hockey player or family in time of need. It's not something that's isolated to just our club - it's something that's shared among the clubs in this region - but it is something of which we are proud.
5. COMMITMENT
We have a commitment to making our sport better and stronger in the region. Our aim is to once again make hockey a powerhouse sport in the local community - and to build our club around that growth. We have a clear objective and a dedicated team who have helped shape our club into a leading sports organisation in the region. We play to win - on the field and off the field; but not at any cost. Everything we do is first run through the filter of "Is this right for hockey and our members?"
6. PATHWAYS
We recognise that not everyone who plays hockey does so to be competitive or to achieve representative honours - we also know that your objectives and motivations for playing hockey can shift with age or circumstance. That's why we make sure we provide opportunities for all players. For those who do desire greater honours or opportunity, we create clear pathways for development. Our juniors are talent-identified early and given guidance and support where necessary. Our junior-to-senior transitions include a buddy system that aligns young, promising players with experienced and talented senior players - and we provide early access to the premier senior teams with engagement programs.
7. VISION
Without a plan for the future - and a strategy to execute that plan - clubs cannot survive in the current competitive environment. We have a clearly articulated and actioned plan that has enabled our club to achieve year-on-year membership growth, financial health, sponsorships, new uniforms and equipment and, where necessary, skill and knowledge development for players, coaches and umpires. We know who we are, what we want and where we want to be - and we know how to get there.
WHY PLAY FOR REBELS?
WHO ARE WE?
AND WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT?
SEVEN SECRETS TO OUR CLUB SUCCESS.
WHY PLAY FOR REBELS?
STILL NOT SURE?
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.
WHO IS MY COACH?
J3 Girls Pink: Jeff Lancaster is coach our J3 girls Pink team. He has been coaching the girls for the past several years. Jeff is a former state-level player, former Level 3 Coaching accreditation and the current coach of our Division One men. Jeff has a daughter in the team. Contact Jeff.
J3 Girls Black: Samantha Meizio is coach of our J3 girls Black team. Sam has considerable playing and coaching experience, as well as qualifications in psychology. Contact Sam.
J3 Boys: Monique Paddison is coach of the J3 boys. Monique is a long-term member of the club, a qualified coach, teacher and an experienced player. Contact Monique.
J2 Girls Pink: Steve Lancaster is coach of our J2 girls Pink team. Steve is a highly qualified and experienced player and coach, with playing credentials that include more than 300 top-level games, former U21 World Cup player and coach of the Rebels Division One men from 2009-2012). He is also currently coach of the Division One women. Steve's daughter plays in the J2 team. Contact Steve.
J2 Girls Black: Hillary Dean is coach of our J2 girls Black team. Hillary has extensive playing and coaching experience in Scotland. She is a respected member of our club's coaching staff and mother of Alex (J2 girls) and Tom (D1 development team/J1 boys). Contact Hillary.
J2 Boys: Tony Dunn is co-coach of the J2 boys. Tony has previously coached our J2 boys, with premiership success across two seasons. He has Level 1 qualifications and is a member of the club's management committee. Contact Tony.
J1 Girls: Megan McNamara is the coach of the J1 girls. Megan is in her second year coaching the girls, having successfully taken them to the 2013 premiership title. Megan is a Level 1 qualified coach and has a daughter in the team. Contact Megan.
J1 Boys: Tony Dunn and Carmen Percy are co-coaches of the J1 boys. Tony has previously coached our J2 boys, with premiership success across two seasons. Carmen is an experienced player and coach - and a respected member of the Sunshine Coast hockey community. Both Tony and Carmen have Level 1 qualifications. They each also have sons playing in the J1 team. Contact Tony. Contact Carmen.
D3 Women: Judy Green, a Rebels life member and legend is the coach of the D3 women. Judy's involvement with hockey spans decades - as does her involvement with our club. Contact Judy.
D2 Women: Warren Flower is the coach of the Division Two women. Warren has successfully coached the women to the last two consecutive premiership titles - and three grand finals in the past three years. Warren is an accomplished and experienced player and coach and an Australian Masters representative. Contact Warren.
D2 Men: Nominations are still being finalised for this position. Contact Coach.
D1 Women: Steve Lancaster is the incumbent Division One women's coach. Steve took over the women's team in 2013 after four successful years at the helm of the Division One men's team, where he helped the men win four consecutive premierships. Steve is a highly experienced and talented player and coach, with international-level playing experience and state-level coaching experience and qualifications. Contact Steve.
D1 Men White Sox: Former international player Gary Jennison is the coach of the Division One men's development team. Gary is a highly respected player and coach who represented Australia in more than 50 test matches. Contact Gary.
D1 Men Black: Jeff Lancaster is the Division One men's coach. Jeff took the men to the 2013 premiership title. Prior to that, Jeff was a member of the Division One men's team that won premierships between 2009 and 2012. Jeff is an experienced player and coach, with representative honours at state level and coaching qualifications at international level. Contact Jeff.
WHEN WILL I TRAIN?
J3 Boys: 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm
J3 Girls: 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm
J2 Boys: 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm
J2 Girls: 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm
J1 Boys: 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
J1 Girls: 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
D3 Women: 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
D2 Men: 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm
D2 Women: 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
D1 Development Men: 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm
D1 Men: 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm
D1 Women: 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO PLAY?
The Sunshine Coast Hockey Association is still finalising the 2014 fee structure. As a guide only, the junior fees range from $225 to $350; while the senior fees range from $400 to $700. Junior season deposit amount is $200; senior season deposit amount is $300.
ARE THERE ANY SPECIAL RULES I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT?
The Sunshine Coast Hockey Association has the FHI Rule Book available for review or download on their website (www.suncoasthockey.com.au). Aside from playing rules, our club is very committed to positive sport. We are a supporter of the Queensland Government's Play it Positive program, Hockey Australia's Junior Hockey policy and our club's own "Positive Sports" program. Our club has a designated Positive Sports Coordinator (Jeff Lancaster) for any questions or concerns. Jeff is a former Queensland police detective and child safety author, and he acts as our primary resource for club conduct and child welfare. The Association also has other rules and standards that apply to alcohol, animals, behaviour and smoking. This information is also available on the SCHA website.
WHY SHOULD I CHOOSE REBELS OVER OTHER CLUBS IN THE REGION?
The one thing all clubs in the region have in common is a shared passion for our sport. Finding a club that is right for you is often a personal preference - where your friends play, where you live, who you know, what level you want to play, even what colour you like can come into consideration (don't judge us on that criteria though if you have an issue with pink). If you want to play for a club that is competitive, social, has a real sense of community, has an articulated and actioned vision, has a documented history of success, then we may well be right for you. We are also happy to recommend other clubs in the region if you don't think we'd be a good fit.
I'M NEW TO THE GAME, WHAT DO I NEED TO PLAY?
The good news: You don't have to buy a uniform. At Rebels, your playing shirt is included in your fees (it's not yours to keep, but it allows you to keep money in your pocket). The basics: a hockey stick, shinpads, a mouth-guard (always a good resource for kids), turf shoes (spikes or tags are only allowed on the grass fields), black shorts/skirt and black socks. We are happy to provide names of local suppliers who can offer the best prices on these items (we have no relationship with any providers - these are just the businesses we know who traditionally offer the lowest prices).
WHAT AGE DIVISIONS ARE THERE FOR KIDS?
The Association has three junior divisions, though this year they are also implementing an U7 and U9 competition. The J3 division is for kids from 6 to 11; while the J2 division is typically for kids from 12 to 15; and the J1 division is for 15 to 17 year olds. Aside from the J3 division, J2 and J1 divisions are also about talent, so kids can play higher divisions regardless of age if they are talented enough.
I JUST WANT TO PLAY SOCIALLY, IS THERE A PLACE FOR ME AT REBELS?
Our junior divisions generally cater nicely to a balance of fun and competition. In the senior divisions, our D3 is typically more social and often has a range of older players, younger players, first-time players and social players.
I WANT TO PLAY AT THE TOP LEVEL, WHAT CAN YOU OFFER ME?
Proudly, we can offer a lot. Our junior teams hold Association records for the most consecutive grand finals appearances - and we provide great coaches and excellent opportunities for kids who want to compete and excel. At the senior level, our Division One men and women are both Association record holders for consecutive premiership titles (five each) and consecutive grand finals appearances (11 consecutive years for our women). Both our premier teams have high-quality players and coaches. On 31 January 2014, our Division One men were named by the Sunshine Coast Sports Federation as the "Team of the Year" - this is in addition to our club being named 2013 Sunshine Coast Hockey Association "Club Champions."