ABOUT THE EVENT
The beautiful Swan river has and always will be one of the most picturesque features of the amazing City of Perth. It’s amazing natural beauty puts a magnificent stamp on the landscape of Perth. However, it also symbolises a dividing line for one of the fiercest rivalries in the state, if not the country. North of the River vs South of the River. Many have argued which is the better side of the city. From the trendy streets of South Perth to the urban hub that is Mt Lawley. From the historic culture of Fremantle to the natural wonders of the Swan Valley. The North vs South debate and rivalry has always been part of the Perth identity.
In 2015, Perth Realty Group Owner/Manager and Ice Hockey player John Caputo launched a concept which brings a North vs South rivalry to the growing sport of Ice Hockey in Perth: the Ultimate Ice Hockey Championship!
The Ultimate Ice Hockey Championship returns in 2020 to see two coaches choose their teams, the best for the North (the Northern Stars) and the best for the South (the Southern Suns), and then coach them into battle to determine who, from the best of the best, is the best of the West for 2020
Special thanks must go to our Major sponsors Perth Realty Group & MyLeadPod, planetOGLE and thanks to our host Cockburn Ice Arena
The Ultimate Ice Hockey Championship promises to be an action-packed series which will bring the thrills and spills of Ice Hockey to hockey fans of Perth in a big way. It is set to be a series full of supreme local Ice Hockey talent, excitement and hard-hitting hockey action. Who will triumph? North or South? It’s game on!!
THE STAR AND THE SUN: SYMBOLS OF WA
What’s in a name? When it comes to sporting teams, the name is one of the key aspects of identity. Not only should it give the team a sense of pride, but should also reflect and represent the culture, history and identity of their location.
For the Ultimate Ice Hockey Championship, the Stars and Sun were selected as our symbols for our two fierce Northern and Southern rivals. These names are popular in our sporting landscape and appear in several codes both in Australia and internationally. The AFL has the Gold Coast Suns, The NHL includes the Dallas Stars and our own AIHL hosts the Newcastle North Stars.
For a state, where sunshine is seen more than the gloomy winter, the sun is a key part of WA culture. Come spring and summer, our WA lifestyle is lived and loved outdoors. Barbecues, picnics and celebrations happen underneath the great southern sun.
At night, the beauty and tranquility of the Australian landscape lies in the stars. A contrast to the vividness of the sun but not any less picturesque. The symbol of our country, the Southern Cross lies in the stars and provides an important link to our national identity.
The Suns and the Stars will be on opposite sides when it comes to the UIHC series but they will share one thing in common. Their names lie at the heart of WA and come game day, their hearts will beat as one to the sound of our great state’s culture and beauty.
WHEN AND WHERE
LOCATION: Cockburn Ice Arena (401 Progress Drive, Bibra Lake)
UIHC 2022: 6th November 2021
MEET THE EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT TEAM
John Caputo
UIHC Director
John Caputo started ice skating back in 1985 and hasn’t looked back since.
By day, he owns and manages Harcourts Integrity, the driving force behind this amazing series initiative. John has played hockey, ice and inline, at both state and national level, representing WA and NSW in junior tournaments between 1987 and 1994. 1991 saw John take his hockey playing abilities to the international stage, being selected for the Australia national youth team in overseas tournaments. In 1991 John was also selected as the Coca-Cola junior sport star of the year in WA. John played for the Macquarie Bears (now the AIHL’s Sydney Bears) in 1993, helping them to the NSW Super League Championship. Several more years at Super League level in Perth and a Super League MVP award gave John experience at the elite level before he got the call up in 2000 to represent Australia once again. This time it was for the Senior Men’s inline squad. The Australian team placed ninth in the world at the tournament which was held in the Czech Republic. In 2015 John was selected for the Perth Thunder AIHL squad, however had to withdraw due to a knee injury. John is very excited to be leading the Ultimate Ice Hockey Championship initiative in Perth. “It’s going to be “big” he says. When he’s not selling houses faster than the puck, John is out on the ice and can’t wait to see what this series will bring for the sport in WA.
Karl Els
Legal Consultant
CFO of Inspection Toolbox with LLB and MBA degrees.
Maggie Schmidt
Executive Assistant to John Caputo