By Matthew Sims
All colours of the rainbow shone bright under a sunny day as part of Altona Hockey Club’s Pride Cup, which was held on Saturday, July 30 after a two-year delay.
Pride Cup is challenging homophobia and transphobia within sporting clubs by making them more welcoming for LGBTQIA+ fans, players and officials.
Club president Alex Tyrrell said the club had secured a grant from Hobsons Bay council to host the Pride Cup event in 2020 following its inaugural Pride Cup event in 2019.
However, he said that both of the 2020 and 2021 in-person events were cancelled.
“In 2021, we were able to hold online education sessions for our club members and community with online sessions with Kara Montoneri from the Pride Cup organisation and former Bulldogs player Lin Jong talking about mental health,” Mr Tyrrell said.
“So for this year, we were absolutely rapt to be able to hold it.”
In the lead up to the event, the club hosted inclusion sessions for its junior players as part of the Pride Cup: Empathy Series workshops.
The event’s games included a two-all draw between Altona Hockey Club and Footscray Hockey Club in the men’s Premier League match.
In the women’s Premier League game, Footscray scored two goals to Altona’s nil.
The umpires awarded Footscray’s Georgia Hopkins and Altona’s Lauren Winship with the Pride Round medals for best on-field.
Mr Tyrrell said the event was a success for all parties involved.
“It was our biggest crowd of the year, also being the Western Derby against Footscray, who also really supported the cause,” he said.
“We only made 50 T-shirts, but they all sold out on the day to members who were keen to show their support in the rainbow tee, and the playing groups and coaches all absolutely got behind it and love wearing the rainbow kits.”
