Head coach Peter Miskimmin is a former New Zealand hockey captain who played 150 tests, and the Sparc chief executive.
He is assisted by his brother, Brent, who played 50 tests for New Zealand.
Their respective sons, Billy (17) and Harry (15), are in the side, as well as a nephew, Tom Lancashire, whose father, Alan, helps manage the team.
The brothers had plenty of experience coaching hockey teams, Brent said.
"We've done it so many times. We coached the Wellington NHL [National Hockey League] team together for five years.
"We revolve around each other and share the coaching a bit, but he was the coach and I was his assistant," he said.
The family involvement in hockey runs further back than the representatives in the Wellington side.
"Hockey runs all the way through our family, from cousins to uncles and aunties and all sorts who have played for New Zealand, Wellington and Canterbury.
"It's just one of those things for us. Since we were kids, we've always followed hockey," Peter said.
The Miskimmin brothers are still taking to the turf in Wellington and now play alongside their sons and nephews.
"We've had a period of about 10 years where I've played hockey with Peter's older boys and now he's playing with mine," Brent said.
Peter's youngest son, Billy, captains the side and enjoys having his father calling the shots on the sideline.
"I'm used to him coaching me. He's been my coach for quite a few different teams and it's good because I've got to know his style," he said.
It is the first time the brothers have coached together with so many relatives in the team, and Tom said he loved playing alongside his cousins.
"Billy, Harry and I have played all through reps together but it's pretty special this time, especially with having my two uncles coaching," he said.
Wellington savoured a 4-2 win over Waikato, which had three players sent off for a spell in the bin.
Billy Lancashire controlled the game playing in the right-inside channel.
Wellington has progressed to the quarterfinals, where it will play Canterbury, which was beaten 2-1 by North Harbour.
Counties-Manukau put the heat on Manawatu but was unable to convert three second-half penalty corners and Manawatu edged to a 2-1 win.
That should give Otago, which had a bye yesterday, some confidence heading into its quarterfinal with Manawatu today.
Taylor Wood scored five goals to lead Hawkes Bay to a 14-1 thrashing of Tauranga, while Taranaki managed its first goal of the tournament in a 5-1 loss to Wairarapa.
At the under-18 girls tournament in Tauranga, Otago will face the home side today.
Samara Dalziel scored to lead Otago to a 1-0 win over Wellington on Tuesday, and Phillipa Symes scored the only goal in Otago's 1-0 win over Bay of Plenty yesterday.
- Annabel Reid
