Green & gold unite, the Australian Women’s National Para Ice Hockey Team departs Australia for Slovakia. In under 24 hours, we’re boarding flights bound for Slovakia. The women’s sleds are on their way to Dolný Kubín, and the energy? Absolutely electric.
This isn’t just another trip—it’s history in motion. On Monday, 18 August, Australia’s first women’s para ice hockey team begins its journey to the Women’s World Para Ice Hockey Championships—the very first of its kind, running from 26 to 31 August 2025. We’re not just participants. We’re trailblazers.
The Final Countdown Begins
It’s surreal how fast this moment came together. From a bold first appearance as Team Pacific in Norway (2024), to a national selection camp in Newcastle this May, we’re now standing on the edge of something epic. The plane wheels aren’t even down yet—and the history we’re about to write hasn’t even hit the ice.
The Team Headed to Slovakia
Here’s the crew tackling this greatest adventure:
Lynda Holt (NSW)
Jayne Boardman (NSW)
Katie Luff (NSW)
Rosa-Lee Principe (WA)
Belinda Green (WA)
Priya Cooper (WA)
Natalie Mellors (SA)
Noella Angel (SA)
Ashlee Morton (VIC)
Erika Gosney (VIC)
Sonya Newman (NT)
Bridgett McDonald (SA)
Guided by Head Coach Dawn Watt from the AIS Para Coach program, we’re heading in with grit, unity, and a shared purpose—ready to make our debut resonate.
We Travel Today, We Compete Soon
Although we leave tomorrow, our first face-off isn’t until 26 August at 16:00 CEST against powerhouse Team USA. Those first few days? All about settling in, hockey strategy sessions, early runs on the ice, team rituals, and channeling nerves into intent. That’s when the real narrative starts, when dreams begin moving.
What This Moment Means
This moment represents more than sport, it symbolizes visibility, empowerment, and rewriting the script for women’s para ice hockey in Australia. This team embodies strength, dedication, and the belief that inclusion isn’t optional, it’s essential.
We’ve trained. We’ve juggled jobs, health, and personal lives alongside every session. Now, we’re traveling as a unified voice: Australian women, sleds ready, on the cusp of our greatest moment yet.
And So We Go…
As the sun sets tonight and our jerseys go into suitcases, remember: when the puck drops in Slovakia, we’re not just playing a game, we’re launching a legacy.
Stay tuned, or better yet, watch us live via the Paralympic Games livestream. This is where the journey turns into history.
Watch the livestream:
www.paralympic.org/ice-hockey
www.facebook.com/ParaIceHockey
My Final Thought…
As I sit here on the eve of departure, it feels both familiar and brand new. My first international competition was in Norway, and that experience lit the spark. But this time, I’m not just stepping onto the ice as an individual — I’m wearing the green and gold, standing shoulder to shoulder with an entire team of Australian women making history.
The road hasn’t been easy, and the challenges won’t stop here, but that’s what drives me. This is more than a tournament; it’s a stepping stone. With the 2030 Paralympics firmly in my sights, I know this journey is only the beginning. And as we take off tomorrow, I carry with me not just my own dreams, but the hopes of every young girl who dares to believe that her place can be on the ice too.
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