More than 100 Years in the Making...............

The Adelaide Hockey Club was formed in late 1981, after a ten year period of sharing playing fields and change rooms became formalised by the amalgamation of the Sturt and Aroha clubs . Their home grass fields and club rooms used to be located on the corner of Beaumont road and Greenhill road, where Pembroke school now hold some of their home games on grass. 

Formed at a meeting on May 3rd 1906 , the Aroha Womens Hockey Club was created as an offshoot of the Goodwood Baptist Church young ladies bible class, open to young women in the church over 16 years of age. (The name Aroha means love and friendship in Tahitian).

Aroha had not intended at first to play any matches, but as the club mastered the rudiments of the game, it was felt that the interest would increase if matches were played.

The opening match was played against the local Methodist Club, and the first annual report of 1907 records the pleasure in inflicting a defeat of 9 goals to nil. The Club joined the S.A. Womens Hockey Association in 1909 and had an enviable record in its 74 seasons existence, playing in 51 A grade finals between 1909 and 1980, winning 26.

Aroha set many precedents. It was the first club to throw away the old school tunic and play in a divided skirt. Aroha also led the way in fielding junior teams. In its first season, the junior team won one game 20 goals to nil. Of the club's many State and Australian representatives, the most honoured was Evelyn ("Taz") Tazewell, who captained SA for 16 years from 1920 and was an All-Australian 19 times.

The Sturt Hockey Club was formed originally as a mens hockey club in 1904, and operated until 1914 before ceasing due to World War I. Due to the war and its after effects, there was no men's competition between 1914 and 1924. When the hockey association got under way again in 1926, the only club of 1915 that was represented was Forrestville. However at least 2 members of Sturt were instrumental in reforming the Westbourne Park Hockey Club, which operated from 1928 to 1949.

In 1949, Westbourne Park amalgamated with two other clubs to form a new Sturt Hockey Club. The first was the Wanderers Hockey Club, which had operated since 1925. The second was the Parkside Hockey Club, which had initially formed in 1900. In its early years it operated intermittently (1903,1906,1907,1912,and 1913), but when reformed in 1932, operated continuously until the 1949 amalgamation.

From 1949 until 1980, the Sturt Hockey Club enjoyed many successes in the premierships, including the Premier League 1958 premeriship, and produced several Australian national team members.

In the early 1990's an Astroturf sand pitch was built behind the old South Park Bowling Club and the Adelaide Hockey Club moved its home field to the current new surface at 'Pea Park'. We share the Astroturf pitch with Pultney Grammar, and SA Vets Tennis .