SO YOU WANT TO BE A BLUE TONGUE!!

So do many other hockey players around the world. We receive hundreds of emails a month of players thinking it would be great to play in Australia during the Northern Hemisphere summer....and their right!!!

Who wouldn't want to spend 5 months living in Australia's premier holiday destination www.goldcoast.com.au , living in perfect sunshine, experiencing a beach and surfing culture, and a fantastic nightlife with thousands upon thousands of international and Aussie tourists.

Unfortunately when it comes to the Bartercard Gold Coast Blue Tongues only 6 overseas players (imports) get chosen to play each year in the www.theaihl.com.au (Australian Ice Hockey League), and 4 are allowed to play per game. For Australian and New Zealand residents and citizens the task of joining the Blue Tongues is a little easier with over 12 spots to try out for each year.

As we always say to those players who inquire about playing for the Blue Tongues your reason for coming to the greatest place in the world, the Gold Coast, firstly is to have a great time holidaying here meeting new people and friends, finding part time or full time work in hospitality, retail, construction etc. , and playing in our local Gold Coast Hockey League, which is a competitive, non-contact, weekly competition amongst 4-6 teams with opportunity to meet good friends and share a beer an sausage on the barbie afterwards........and then making the Blue Tongues and playing in the AIHL is a BONUS!!!

Our imports this year, two played in the CHL last year, one played in the Dutch 1st Division, and the other goes to University here, and played college hockey in the States, the 5th import played Division II in Finland.
The year before we had two play in the LNAH in Quebec, one played 8 years AHL and a number of NHL games, one played major junior, and the other played junior A.

We usually sign 3 imports by Christmas time based on their resume, and then we have tryouts for 3 spots. As mentioned before we have a fun competitive local Gold Coast League in which all the Blue Tongues play as well as up to 10-15 imports who tryout for the Blue Tongues and end up staying on the Gold Coast for a great holiday.

Currently the financial consideration we give players on the Blue Tongues is as follows:

• Note: the Australian Ice Hockey League is an amateur league.
• All overseas players playing in the AIHL (not the local Gold Coast Hockey League) must have ITC (International Transfer Clearance) card. Pre-signed/selected imports may have their ITC cards paid for, and walk on imports may have to pay for their ITC card.
• Locals, Aussies living on the Gold Coast and Brisbane, do not receive payment in regards to per game or season, we do pay for all Club travel.
• Import locals, These include overseas university students here for school and guys who are holidaying here that already live on the Gold Coast or in Brisbane, no payment in regards to per game or season, we do pay for all Club travel. (Note: All our travel is by way of planes).
• Overseas Imports: This past year we subsidised 3 imports for accommodation and they paid their own airfares to get here and back. The subsidisation of key imports changes year to year, import by import, and it all depends on our list of applicants.

The time commitment required by imports is an arrival by April, later arrival by negotiation depending on your playoff commitments, however a definite is our imports must be here until the end of the first week of September.

Our tryouts/trainings for Blue Tongues start last week of March, and run once a week until the middle of April with a couple of inter squad games on the first two weekends in April.
Our season for the Blue Tongues usually start's towards the end of April.

If you are selected to play for the Blue Tongues and based on last year the team plays 24 games in the AIHL, 12 home and 12 away. This may extend to 28 games with the possible addition of the Central Coast back into the league. All away travel is by airplane to cities all around Australia, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide, and Newcastle.

As mentioned previously we also have a local Gold Coast Senior A league, non contact hockey, fun rivalry amongst 4-6 teams and important to promote ice hockey on the Gold Coast, and all the Blue Tongue players play in the local league.

The cost to play in the local league including registration and one game a week is approximately $550 for the six months. This season starts begining of April and ends the first week of September. There are two other days of the week that you can get ice time in a drop in game.

We can assist in finding you an apartment which can cost you between $150-$275 per week with six weeks rent/bond required, depending on whether you are living on the beach or not, and whether sharing with a two bedroom unit or having a one bedroom apartment. This assistance in finding accommodation is regardless of whether you make the Blue Tongues or not. Employment is up to yourselves, the Gold Coast is the tourist capital of Australia so hospitality work is here, and constuction work is dependent on the economic climate which looks to be better in 2010. Imports who make the Blue Tongues will be given extra assistance in finding employment, if required.

If you are prepared to come to the Gold Coast in Australia and pay your own way here the above is what can be expected..

We certainly welcome everyones interest for next season April-Sept 2010, both to play for the Blue Tongues, and if unsuccessful, then to stay and holiday on the Gold Coast and play in our local Gold Coast Hockey League.

Feel free to reply by email with your interest and any questions you may have, and do include a brief history of where you play and have played.

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OFF SEASON BEACH TRAINING STARTS 7 NOVEMBER , 2009 (OPTIONAL)

Our beach training sessions located at the base of North Burleigh hill, located at the northern end of The Esplanade, Burleigh Heads are held Saturday mornings from 7.00-8.30AM. We will also have two week night sessions at the PCYC gym and other locations to be determined.

Kind Regards,
Dave Emblem
61 414 643 733
PO BOX 155
Nobby Beach QLD 4218

http://www.bluetongues.com.au