The Victorian Ice Hockey Association, currently trading as Ice Hockey Victoria is the governing body of ice hockey

Ice hockey

Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...

 in Victoria

Victoria (Australia)

Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....

, Australia. The Victorian Ice Hockey Association is a branch of Ice Hockey Australia

Ice Hockey Australia

The Australian Ice Hockey Federation, currently trading as Ice Hockey Australia , is the official national governing body of ice hockey in Australia and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation....

.

Background

The Victorian Ice Hockey Association (VIHA) was formed as the Victorian state branch for Ice Hockey Australia

Ice Hockey Australia

The Australian Ice Hockey Federation, currently trading as Ice Hockey Australia , is the official national governing body of ice hockey in Australia and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation....

. It is responsible for organising eight leagues four different age groups during the normal season as well as a summer hockey program that operates five leagues. It is also responsible for selecting the state teams to compete in the national tournaments.

VIHA operates its leagues out of two venues of the Olympic Ice Skating Centre based in Oakleigh South

Oakleigh South, Victoria

Oakleigh South is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 17 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Monash and the City of Kingston...

 and the Icehouse

National Ice Sports Centre, Melbourne

The National Ice Sports Centre is an ice sports centre, located in the Docklands precinct of Melbourne, in Victoria, Australia.- Facilities :...

 based in Docklands. Teams are fielded in the leagues by six clubs – the Melbourne Jets Ice Hockey Club, the Blackhawks Ice Hockey Club, Saints Monarchs Ice Hockey Club, Sharks Ice Hockey Club, Braves Ice Hockey Club, and the Demons Ice Hockey Club, all of which are based in Oakleigh. The associations current president is Andy McDowell.

Leagues

• Premier A – the top senior league in Victoria
• Premier Reserve – the second tier senior league
• Premier C – the third tier senior league that employes a non-checking rule. Is open to both men and women
• Recreational C Division I – the fourth tier senior league. Open to both men and women and employs the non-checking rule
• Recreational C Division II – the fifth tier senior league. Also open to both men and women and employs the non-checking rule
• Junior Midget – junior league open to players 18 and under
• Junior Bantam – junior league open to players 15 and under
• Junior Pee Wee – junior league open to players 13 and under

Summer leagues

• Division I
• Division II
• Division III
• Division IVA
• Division IVB