Join us to celebrate a decade of the Stand Out Cup

Published Wed 06 Dec 2023

In 2024, the Stand Out Cup turns 10 years old!

As always, we are very excited to share out to the Hockey Victoria (HV) Community that the 2024 Stand Out Cup (SOC) team entries are now open. This event continues to grow and become more amazing every year due to the incredible support of the Victorian Hockey Community and their support of the LGBTIQ+ community.

The SOC is a key driver of HV’s commitment towards changing attitudes, promoting positive language and policies to ensure that LGBTIQ+ people feel welcome, comfortable and recognised in today’s game, the commitment from all Affiliates has made this an important day to celebrate diversity and inclusivity in Hockey. Joined once again by Proud 2 Play, a not-for-profit organisation that provide essential support to LGBTIQ+ community members, we will look to help raise funds and awareness for this crucial platform.

To mark the momentous 10 years and the inclusive nature of this event, the 2024 SOC will open a Junior Grade for the first time ever!

Designed for kids aged 14 years and younger, this Junior Grade will provide a safe space for the younger community to express their support and join in on the day. Similar to the A, B, and C Grade available for those 15 years and older, the Junior Grade provides a great pre-season hit out for teams looking to get a run in or even just to have some fun as a team.

See futher below for important update on Junior Team Entry - under the Team Entry Invoicing.

Please see below for details about the event:

Venue: Footscray Hockey Club, McIvor Reserve, Fogarty Avenue Yarraville 3013
Date: Sunday, 25 February 2024
Time: To be confirmed in the New Year. Targeted 4pm finish.
- Note: Event times might extend into the morning. Dependent on Junior Team Entries.
Team Entry: $349 ex. GST per team (5-10 players)
Team Entry Link: https://www.hockeyvictoria.org.au/events/211635/

Event format:

All teams will play a minimum of 3 matches plus a final (if they finish 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, or 4^th in their division). Hockey 5’s format with modified rules. 5 players on the field of play with no goalie and mini goals.

Gradings:

A grade: A division recommended for current hockey members who are looking for a fun, social, and also competitive format of the day.
B grade: A division recommended for hockey members who are looking for a less competitive format of the day.
C grade: A social division designed for new or re-engaging hockey members.
Junior Grade: NEW GRADE! Aged for participants 10 - 14 years old.

Rules;

All matches will be played on modified pitches with Hockey5s rules.
No goalies on the field. A on-field player is able to act as a makeshift goalie.
Players can score from anywhere.
Ball cannot be raised above knee height.
Players can only push the ball. No hitting or slap hitting.
If the ball goes pass the baseline or over the barriers, it is the defending team’s free hit.
Players taking a free hit cannot forcefully pass the ball through a defensive players body.
Non-contact event. No intentional body contact allowed. Players can tackle with their stick only.
Sticks should not be lifted above knee height at any time.

Eligibility:

The SOC is an all-gendered event. A, B & C Grades are open for participants aged 15 years and older. The new Junior Grade is open to children aged between 10 and 14 years of age.

Team Entry Fees:

The team entry fee is $349 ex. GST. Please note a limit of 10 players per team entry.

The team entry fee covers Participant Insurance, Pitch Hire, Umpire Fees and SOC merchandise for each participant within your team.

Team Entry Invoicing:

Team entry invoicing won’t occur until the week of the event (from Monday, 19 February 2024), meaning there is no registration fee at the point of registering a team. There will be a 14 day window to make payment from here.

Team Entries will close Sunday, 11 February at 11:59pm. Please restrict from over entering teams in the lead up to the SOC and then pulling out the week of the event.

Any team that pulls out the week of Monday, 19 February will incur a $150 late withdrawal fee. This means they’ll be a one week period Sunday, 11 February to Sunday, 18 February to withdraw without receiving the $150 late withdrawal fee.

Junior Grade Team Entry - we have some exciting news to share about the Junior Grade! Thanks to funding courtesy of the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) through the Pride Events and Festivals Fund 2023-24, we are able to make the Junior Grade Team Entry costs FREE for the first 14 teams.

This incredible news will allow for the Junior Grade to get up and running without the barrier of cost for the team. Covering all necessary expenses to extend the day for the junior grade, the funding is outstanding to receive to allow the Junior Grade to get up and running.

Note: this free team entry does not continue across to Senior Team Entry. Additionally, this grant is only for the 2024 event, and will not carry over to 2025.

We'd like to thank the Minister for Equality, the Hon. Harriet Shing, the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH), and the Victorian Government for their funding support of the Junior Grade at the Stand Out Cup. We are greatly and appreciative of the funding through the Pride Events and Festivals Fund 2023-24. Check out the DFFH website, their department responsibilities, and more at the link below:

https://www.dffh.vic.gov.au/

We cannot wait to see you there, dressed up, expressing yourself and showing your support. We will look to include more on the day for participants and guests and provide more activity around the venue.

If you have any questions about the Stand Out Cup, please reach out to Keegan Watson at kwatson@hockeyvictoria.org.au.