A Year In Review: 2020

Another year has all but wrapped up for hockey in Queensland, and despite the upheaval and adversities caused by COVID-19 there have also been countless milestones, achievements, and triumphs. Hockey Queensland is taking a look back at the year that was, month by month, starting in January!

Another year has all but wrapped up for hockey in Queensland, and despite the upheaval and adversities caused by COVID-19 there have also been countless milestones, achievements, and triumphs. Hockey Queensland is taking a look back at the year that was, month by month, starting in January!

January 
The Australian Indoor Championships ran through January with Queensland teams bringing home 2 Gold Medals, 1 Silver Medal, and 4 Bronze Medals. Our teams also donated $2,650 to the Bushfire Relief Appeal including ‘Play The Whistle’ award money.

Following the Australian Indoor Championships, the Australian Indoor Squads and Teams were named for 2020 with 25 Queenslanders named.
Earlier this month, Totally Wild filmed an episode with our Brisbane Blaze athletes, and some local junior players at the SHC.

Ahead of their Pro League games in Sydney, Great Britain brought their national teams to Brisbane for a week of training, and to play 3 practice matches against our local superstars.

Mackay Hockey Association won an Australia Day Award Mackay for “Community Group Award” for the implementation of their Differently Abled Hockey Program.

Vicki Warren from Maryborough was awarded an OAM for her services to hockey and softball.

Our amazing Queenslanders Hannah Astbury, Casey Dolkens, Dayle Dolkens, Kendra Fitzpatrick, Ruby Harris, and Morgan Mathison were selected in the Australian Jillaroos

February 

The U18 and U15 Queensland State Teams were announced at the conclusion of the Trials at the State Hockey Centre. 

On the 1st & 2nd February our High Performance coaches ran the South QLD 16 Years Development Camp in Toowoomba.

Aleisha Neumann, Steve Rogers, and Adam Kearns were part of history at the NZ vs Belgium FIH Pro League games. Steve and Aleisha officiated a match of their opposite gender in what was a first in top tier international hockey.

Hannah Astbury, Ruby Harris, Morgan Mathison, Kendra Fitzpatrick, and Claire Colwill competed for the Australian Jillaroos in a Japan Series hosted in Canberra. 

Britt Wilkinson pledged the Brisbane Blaze's support for the Australian Women’s Cricket Team ahead of their Women’s T20 World Cup campaign.

The Queensland Bulls cricket team came out to the SHC and had a crack at hockey for the day!

March
In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak in Europe, on 7th March Hockey Australia announced it would suspend all international travel for its national teams, including the Hockeyroos and Kookaburras, until further notice. This meant the Kookaburras and Hockeyroos ceased their involvement in the FIH Pro League, with the Kookaburras sitting at the top of the table. 

On the 12 March 2020 the World Health Organisation announced COVID-19 as a Pandemic. 

Hockey Australia postponed upcoming National events including the U15 and U18 Australian Championships. Hockey Queensland followed suit, postponing the inaugural HQ Championship and Masters State Championships.  

By the end of March all Queensland’s Associations had made the decision to suspend their local hockey seasons; Hockey Australia had cancelled all National Championships in 2020, including Hockey One, and closed the High Performance Program in Perth, and Hockey Queensland had cancelled all State Championships. 

April
Hockey Queensland focussed on keeping the hockey community engaged through online digital platforms. 

A resource hub was created online with activities for the community to keep busy and involved in hockey including training drills, kid’s activities, and entertainment. 

To help Clubs and Associations through these uncertain times, Hockey QLD began frequently distributing a Support Bulletin filled with information, resources, correspondence, and support during the COVID19 crisis. This bulletin linked directly to the ‘Association & Club COVID19 Hub’ on the Hockey Queensland website.

May 
Mark Knowles hosted a brand new segment on the Hockey QLD Facebook page on Thursday nights called #AskTheAthletes, where he chatted to Australian and Brisbane Blaze athletes about hockey, training, hobbies, and life outside hockey.

Jodie Kenny became the face of the Sultana Bran campaign. 

In May and June, the ‘Return to Hockey’ for Associations and Clubs state-wide became the main focus with Government regulations stringent and regularly updating. 

Despite the shutdown of hockey and the devastating consequences of COVID-19 on Australians, over 92% of Hockey Queensland members returned to the turf in 2020; this was the second highest rate of return in Australia. 

June
Lyn “Hilly” Hill was granted Hockey Australia Life Membership. While successful internationally in her own right on the field, Lyn has dedicated much of her life to the development of hockey in many roles simultaneously.
 
Dual Olympic gold medallist Renita Garard (nee Farrell) received a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) as part of this year’s Queen’s Birthday honours. Already an OAM and Australian Sports Medal recipient, Renita was appointed an AM for her service to hockey and other career pursuits, including as a Director for the 4 Aussie Heroes Foundation Limited.

With social distancing guidelines and limits on gathering and travel, 2019 Annual Awards moved entirely online. The overhaul of the awards also meant that there were many new awards categories and excitingly the Community Awards were decided by general public vote for the first time. 

2019 ANNUAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Female Player of the Year Hannah Astbury
Male Player of the Year Matthew Swann
Female Rookie of the Year Kendra Fitzpatrick
Male Rookie of the Year Luca Brown 
Outstanding Achievement Award Annette Maidment

High Performance Coach of the Year Nikki Taylor
Pathway Coach of the Year Amy Ryan 

Umpire of the Year Aleisha Neumann
Most Promising Umpire of the Year Peta Wallison
Umpire Coach/Manager of the Year Irene Clelland

Nix - Thomas Technical Official of the Year Kerry Liebenberg

Indoor Female Player of the Year Eden Jackat
Indoor Male Player of the Year Jared Taylor
Indoor Coach of the Year Lyn Tucker

ANNUAL COMMUNITY AWARDS
Association Of The Year Rockhampton Hockey Association
Volunteer Of The Year Ellen Carey (Easts Hockey Club, BHA)
Initiative Of The Year Mackay Hockey Association's Differently Abled Hockey

Association Coach Of The Year Sara Rogers (BWHA)
Community Coach Of The Year Alice Arnold (Townsville HA)

Association Umpire Of The Year Blake Kroning (MDHA)
Association Technical Official Of The Year Steven Knight (Townsville HA)

#TeamQLD – Individual Award Deb Creighton (Gladstone HA)

July 
On 30 June, it was announced that Stage 3 restrictions would move forward from 10 July to 3 July, which meant that community hockey returned around the state. 
Hockey Australia acknowledged and celebrated Life Membership and Award of Merit recipients, and the inductees into the Hall of Fame, particularly over the past two years. Congratulations to our Queenslanders on their accomplishments: 

• 2019 Life Member - Jan Hadfield AM
• 2020 Life Member - Lyn Hill

2019 Hall of Fame

• John McBryde
• Don McWatters
• Kay Lehmann (nee Kindervater) 

Hockey Australian announced that Queenslander John Dwyer is the oldest living member of the Australian men’s hockey team that competed at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne.

HQ was excited to announce the launch of our new website. 

August
Following on from the #AskTheAthletes series earlier in the year came a special episode #AskTheUmpires hosted on the Hockey QLD Facebook page. Hosted by Chris Harris, the special guests were Australia’s top 3 international umpires Aleisha Neumann, Adam Kearns, and Steve Rogers.
Associations around the state were well into the swing of their seasons! 

Hockey QLD distributed the Annual Award trophies in planned and surprise celebrations with the assistance of our committees and Associations. 

September 
Season 2020 began coming to a close, with Grand Finals and End of Season throughout September, October, and November. 
A record breaking 7 Associations live-streamed their finals in an effort to reach a broader audience and those unable to attend games in person due to restrictions. 

October
Jodie Kenny, the Australian Hockeyroos' co-captain and one of the most recognised and experienced players, announced her retirement from international hockey. 
Toowoomba Hockey Association Inc. ran the first large-scale hockey tournament, The U15 Boys & Girls 2020 Invitational Tournament, since the Return To Hockey with great success. 
The Queensland U15 and U18 Squads were named after an extensive nomination and selection process due to the cancellation of State Championships in 2020.
Hockey Queensland announced new Board Members Jade Hooper and Claire Henkey into the casual vacancy positions. 

November 
On the 11th November 1995, Queensland Women’s Hockey Association and Queensland Men’s Hockey Association merged to form Hockey Queensland Incorporated. On the same date in 2020, Hockey Queensland Limited celebrated the silver anniversary of the amalgamation.
 
To celebrate 25 Years of Hockey Queensland, a Storybook has been collated. The Storybook is a collection of highlights and accomplishments of Hockey Queensland and our community members over the past 25 years.

The Hall of Fame induction is a special honour awarded to outstanding Queensland Players of our great sport. Hockey Queensland is delighted honour our seven inductees including: 

• Hope Brown
• Liam de Young
• Amy Korner
• Rob Hammond
• Kelly Free
• Jason Wilson
• Emma Stewart

Seven individuals who have had a profound impact on Australian hockey became the latest inductees into the Hockey Australia Hall of Fame 2020. Congratulations to our 3 Queenslanders: 

• Treva King
• Annette West-Bail
• Julie Ashton-Lucy

The selected squads for the 16 Years Development Camps were announced, with the camp set to be held in February 2021. The Development camps will be conducted in Rockhampton (19 – 21 Feb) for Northern Athletes and in Ipswich (26 – 28 Feb) for Southern based athletes.

Congratulations to Barry Dancer who was inducted into Queensland Sport Hall of Fame at the QSport Awards Dinner.

December
16 of our Queenslanders headed to Perth and quarantined for 2 weeks for the opportunity to attend the Hockey Australia Super Camp, where the 2021 Australian Olympic Squads were selected. 

6 of our Queenslanders were named in the Kookaburras squad, whilst 5 were named in the Hockeyroos Squad for 2021, with the new addition of Meg Pearce. With the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics fast approaching, we wish our men and women the best in their preparations.

Due to the hard work and dedication of the Indoor Committee, Hockey Queensland were able to run a number of Indoor State Championships this year, including the inaugural Women’s Masters Indoor Challenge with 10 teams competing. A record 85 teams competed in the 6 Championships.

HQ would like to give our 2021 State Championships Host Associations a huge thank you and well done.

Congratulations to all involved including venues, volunteers, staff, officials, supporters, and teams on your #TeamQLD spirit and hard work during these events.

With no Australian Indoor Championships in 2021, the Queensland Indoor squad members have been invited to attend a Training Camp in Brisbane at Kedron State High School from 4th to 11th January 2021.

Lastly, Hockey QLD sends out a huge thank you to all volunteers and members across Qld who help make hockey a success from local to international level. Your flexibility, patience, and support of local hockey through this difficult year has been incredible and is to be congratulated. Here’s to a successful year in 2021!