Bay of Plenty Hockey Men Secure National Glory

28 Sept

Written By Bay of Plenty Hockey Association

National Glory and Historic Tier 2 Promotion

Bay of Plenty Men's Representative Team, Image Hockey New Zealand

The Bay of Plenty men's representative hockey team has triumphed at the National Hockey Championship in Wellington, clinching the Tier 3 title following a gritty 2–1 victory over Tasman in the final.

The championship win seals a remarkable tournament campaign and earns the squad a hard-fought promotion to Tier 2 for next season. Throughout the week, the team lived by a powerful ethos: leaving the space better than they found it by taking responsibility for their culture, performance, and representation of the region.

Coach Louis Van Dyk reflected on the character required to navigate the week's intense highs and lows:

"The way our group fought through early injuries, tight pool matches, and a dramatic sudden-death shoot-out semi-final showed immense resilience. We stepped up when it mattered most, and earning this promotion is a testament to the belief and unity within our squad."

New Bay of Plenty Hockey General Manager Dilan Raj shared what this milestone means for the wider region:

"Securing promotion to Tier 2 is a monumental achievement for our association and a reflection of the immense talent across the Bay of Plenty. Our focus now is to build a sustainable, professional environment around our pinnacle team. By establishing strong fundraising pathways and welcoming local businesses to join our journey, we can remove financial barriers for our athletes and ensure our region competes with pride and stability on the national stage."

Preparations for next season are already underway, and we are calling on local businesses and community supporters to be part of Bay of Plenty's next chapter.

Thank you to Jenny from MyShots JDB for the Photo’s below, you can click here to visit the Facebook page for the original post and more photo’s.