VOODOO Voyage Club Insider: Perth Pythons
At VOODOO, we believe in meaningful support, we concentrate on helping our kind of people and in this very special episode of the VOODOO voyage episode, we’re shining a light on our club partner the Perth Pythons, an LGBTQIA+ hockey club here in Perth reflecting VOODOO’s focus on celebrating the wider hockey community and the people who make it so inclusive and diverse. The Pythons have just been recognised nationally for their fantastic work winning the Community Sporting Organisation of the Year at Pride in Sport Awards.🏑🏅
Lets dive in and learn more about the Perth Pythons!
For those who haven't met the Perth Pythons before, who are you and what are you all about?
The Perth Pythons are Western Australia's LGBTQIA+ inclusive hockey club. Founded in 2016, we're celebrating our 10th year of creating opportunities for people to participate in hockey in an environment where they can be themselves. We're proudly inclusive of all genders, sexualities, backgrounds, abilities and skill levels. Some members join to compete, some join to learn a new sport, and some join because they're looking for a connection to the wider community. At our core, we're a hockey club first and foremost but we're also proof that sport can be competitive, welcoming and inclusive all at the same time.
Why was it important to create an LGBTQIA+ hockey club in Perth?
Sport has an incredible ability to bring people together, but historically not everyone has felt equally welcome in sporting environments.The Perth Pythons were created because LGBTQIA+ people deserve to see themselves represented in sport and deserve spaces where they can participate without having to edit, hide or explain who they are. Our goal has never been to separate ourselves from the wider hockey community. It's been to demonstrate what inclusive sport can look like and help make hockey a better place for everyone.
Looking back over the last decade, what has surprised you most?
Probably the impact the club has had beyond hockey. When the club was founded, the focus was simply on creating a team and getting people onto the field. Ten years later, we're contributing to conversations around inclusion, governance, volunteer development, education and leadership within sport. The fact that a small volunteer-run club from Perth is now being recognised nationally for its work is something the founders probably never imagined.
What are some milestones that stand out?
There have been quite a few. Celebrating our 10th birthday this year is a significant milestone in itself. Reaching a decade as a volunteer-run community club is something we're incredibly proud of. This season we also fielded our first dedicated women's team, which is an exciting step forward and creates even more opportunities for participation. Being recognised as Community Sporting Organisation of the Year at the 2026 Australian Pride in Sport Awards was another incredibly proud moment, as was achieving Gold Accreditation through the Pride in Sport Index. But honestly, some of the smaller milestones mean just as much seeing members become coaches, umpires, committee members and leaders within the hockey community.
The club has earned national recognition for inclusion. How do you actually turn inclusion from a buzzword into action?
For us, inclusion isn't a single event or rainbow logo. It's governance. It's education. It's policy. It's leadership. It's the everyday decisions that shape culture. We've worked hard to build systems that ensure inclusion remains part of how the club operates rather than relying on a few passionate individuals. The recognition we've received through the Pride in Sport Awards and Pride in Sport Index was particularly meaningful because those programs assess the work happening behind the scenes, not just what people see publicly. It's validation that the club is building something sustainable.
How important are volunteers to the club?
Everything we do exists because of volunteers. From committee members and coaches to umpires, social organisers, sponsors and supporters, there are countless people giving their time to make the club successful. Community sport runs on volunteers, and we're incredibly fortunate to have people who care deeply about creating positive experiences for others. The reality is that every training session, social event, fundraiser and initiative happens because somebody decided to put their hand up and help.
What's the role of allies within the Pythons?
Allies are an important part of our club. Inclusion isn't about creating barriers or excluding people. It's about bringing people together. Many of our members identify as LGBTQIA+, while others are allies who support the club's values and want to be part of creating positive sporting environments. Some of our strongest advocates and volunteers are allies, and the club is better because they're involved.
What does Pride Month mean to the club?
Pride Month is an opportunity to celebrate visibility in sport. For many people today, seeing openly LGBTQIA+ athletes, coaches and administrators might feel normal. That's a positive sign of progress. But visibility still matters because there are people out there wondering whether sport has a place for them. Pride Month gives clubs like ours the opportunity to say clearly: yes, it does.
Now onto the fun light hearted questions...
What's more competitive: a grand final or choosing a Perth Pythons social theme?
Choosing a social theme. Not even close. You haven't truly experienced democracy until you've watched a group of hockey players passionately debate costumes for three weeks.
What's the most chaotic Perth Pythons moment you can remember?
It's impossible to pick just one. At any given moment there is usually somebody planning a fundraiser, somebody organising a road trip, somebody proposing a new social event and somebody trying to remember where they left the club banner. The chaos is generally well-intentioned. Generally.
What would surprise people most about your membership?
How diverse it is. Our members include healthcare workers, teachers, tradies, architects, students, public servants, drag performers, business owners and retirees. We have people who've represented Australia and people who learnt the rules of hockey last week. It's a pretty good snapshot of the wider community.
If the Perth Pythons were a person, how would you describe them?
Confident enough to host the party. Organised enough to run the fundraiser. Competitive enough to want to win. Kind enough to make sure everyone gets home safely afterwards.
If every Perth Pythons member had to be assigned a VOODOO stick name, what would the categories be?
Answer:
There would definitely be a few groups:
The Mojo – the volunteers somehow holding everything together.
The Riot – the social members who arrive with costumes, glitter and questionable ideas.
The Reaper – the players who take training just a little too seriously.
The Groovy – the people who somehow know every person at every hockey club in Perth.
The Mirage – the members who say they're "definitely coming" and then mysteriously disappear before warm-up.
The Wicked – the members who think they defy gravity but there age is catching up with them.
We won't name names.
What has hockey taught the club?
That success is never an individual achievement. Whether it's on the field or off it, great outcomes happen when people trust each other, communicate well and work towards a common goal. Hockey constantly reminds us that the strongest teams aren't always the ones with the best players they're the ones that work together.
What are you excited about for the future?
We're excited about continuing to create opportunities. That includes developing new players, supporting coaches and umpires, strengthening our women's participation pathways and continuing to remove barriers that prevent people from getting involved in sport. We're also excited to see what the next ten years look like. The club has achieved a lot already, but it still feels like we're only getting started.
What would you say to somebody who's thinking about joining?
Give it a go! You don't need experience. You don't need expensive equipment. You don't need to know anyone. All you need is a willingness to show up and be part of something. Whether you're looking to play competitive hockey, try a new sport, improve your fitness or simply find a club that shares your values, there's a place for you.
The Perth Pythons weren't built because LGBTQIA+ people wanted a separate place to play sport. We were built because everyone deserves a place where they can belong.
Thanks to the Pythons for taking the time to chat with us and share their story. It was great to connect and hear more about the club, the culture they’re building, and the role they play in making hockey in Perth more inclusive and welcoming for everyone.
If you’re in Perth and would like to get involved with the Pythons, you can reach out via email at perthpythons@gmail.com or find them on Instagram at @perthpythonshockey.
Posted on June 10 2026