History of the Men’s Canterbury Hockey Club

The Canterbury Men’s Hockey Club was instigated by Kevin Mitchell who had been a member of the Waratah Club, which disbanded in 1967. The Waratah’s colours were light blue and white chequered shirt with the red Waratah flower as an emblem, while Canterbury’s strip dominantly red (like Liverpool Football Club), with sky blue trim and a rampant lion logo. The Club name came from Mitchell’s liking for the Canterbury Rugby League Club in Sydney and the Canterbury Hockey Club in New Zealand. The Lion logo was also his idea.

In 1968 players went to various clubs and Mitchell had the idea to form a new club. After talks with Bert Brownlow, Secretary of Southern Hockey Association he decided to give this club a name, Canterbury.

The Club fielded 3 senior teams – A Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade and U/15s. Team Pennants with player names were presented.

A Grade – Richard Hawson, Graeme Corney, Eric Perriman, John Lawler, Greg Chambers, Kevin Mitchell, Brian Mitchell, Geoff Keirnan (Coach), Laurie Ford, David Price, Michael Dann and Ken Warn.

2nd Grade – Billie Smith.

3rd Grade – John Hay (Captain), J Jazynka (Vice Captain), J Butler, A Ellerton, Geoff Ellerton, A Hopwood, R Foster, B Hansson, Peter Green (dec), D Abbott, G Brown, and Phil Hughes.

U15 – Leigh Geeves and Kevin Mitchell (Coach).

Other 1969 players were: Mick (Tony) Rodgers, Phillip Moore, Steven Chopping, Vivian Chopping, Colin Browne, David Guinane, Alan Livermore, Colin Sheppard, Peter Gray, Graham Rogers, Bernard Knight, Rod Berry, Ian Anderson, Geoff Perriman, Geoff Mann (dec), Geoff Guinane, Chris Hall, Noel Tremayne, John McCambridge, David Corney, and Louis Rae.

The SHA added two extra teams from other clubs, plus Canterbury in an 8 team A Grade roster. Canterbury showed it was competitive and was awarded a trophy of a silver tray which was later used as the Club’s A Reserve Grade Trophy.

2nd Grade Premiers – Richard Hawson (Captain), John Lawler, P Moore, Phil Hughes, M Guilliamse, P Green, C Beaton, M Pregnall, Andrew Coombe, M Patten, I Colbourn and K Barwick.

Geoff Collis joins Canterbury as A Grade Coach

A Grade – first time in final four.

1979-1981 – Former Australian Senior representative Tony Williams led the A Grade team.

A Reserve and 2nd Grade Southern and State Premiers.

Men’s and Women’s teams in Mount Gambier South Australia competed in Rosebowl Carnival against interstate teams. Women’s team defeated Adelaide 3-0 in Grand Final. Men undefeated in 8 games lost Grand final 2-4 to a combined best team opposition.

A Grade played in grand final for the first time, only losing on penalty strokes.

Tony Williams (Coach), Colin Pearce (Captain), Dennis Patten, Graeme Corney, Geoff Mann, Geoff Perriman, Craig Irwin, Phil Dunne, Reg Gledhill, Ian Bowden, Peter Hirst, Eric Perriman, Geoff Kelleher and Roger Matthysz.

A Reserve and U13 Premiers. 2nd Grade played the grand final.

John Lawler and the Men’s President and Sue Williams (Tony’s wife) was the Women’s President.

1981/82 Indoor Div 1 Premiers – Steve Kuncio, Doug Patten, Michael Hirst, Ian Bowden, Barry Collins, Roger Matthyz, Robin Birch, Graeme Corney and Eric Perriman.

1982/83 Indoor Div 1 Premiers

First A Grade Premiership – Graeme Corney (Coach).

Opening Day Tournament, State CSR League Cup, State Premiers.

A Reserve Southern and State Premiers (indoor and outdoor) – B Collins (Captain) and Phil Hughes (Vice Captain).

2nd Grade SHA Opening Day Tournament, Southern and State Premiers.

3rd Grade SHA Opening Day Tournament and State Premiers.

A Grade and 3rd Grade win SHA Opening Day Tournament.

SHA AWARDS – Michael Hirst – Top Goal scorer.

U15 Premiers – Geoff Perriman (Coach).

1983/84 Indoor Div 1 Premiers – Geoff Perriman, Craig Irwin, Michael Hirst, Barry Collins, Eric Perriman, Roger Matthyz, Mark Aspinall, Ian Bowden and Robin Birch.

SHA AWARDS – Geoff Perriman – Best and Fairest.

A Grade, A Reserve and 2nd Grade win SHA Opening Day Tournament.

1984/85 Indoor Div 1 Premiers v. Prince of Wales 8-5.

1984/85 Indoor Div 2 Premiers v. University 10-9.

A Grade Premiers – Colin Pearce (Coach and Captain), G Perriman V Capt, M Aspinall, J McMullen, R Mollross, T Williams, R Matthysz, I Bowden, P Gayton, R Pearce, A Sprott, S Crick, R Birch, M Hirst, C Irwin and G Collis (Manager).

2nd Grade Southern and State Premiers – S Soul (Captain), S Penneyston, L Saint John, R Mitchell, R Steedman, J Wadsley, I Bowden, G Collis, A Coombe, D Coombe, C Cooper, J Hawson, P Hughes, D Patten and L Crick.

U13 Boys Premiers – Peter Gayton (Coach).

SHA AWARDS – Peter Gayton – Top Goal scorer.

1985/86 Indoor Div 1 Premiers (5th year in a row) v. Wales 6-5 Eric Perriman (Coach).

Indoor A Reserve Premiers (7th year in a row) on strokes v. NWG.

Todd Williams and Joe Crawford AIS National U17 Talent Squad.

U13 Premiers.

Last year indoor hockey was played in the South until recent years. Focus of hockey became the new AstroTurf pitches at Cornelian Bay.

A Grade State League Premiers and Vulcan Cup Winners – K Clifford (Coach), D Smith (Captain), R Matthysz, J Crawford, R Mollross, J McMullen, P Clifford, J Osborne, D Coombe, P Gayton, S Norris, Dennis Patten, C Pearce, R Pearce, A Sprott, S Crick, C Wood and A East.

2nd Grade Southern and State Premiers – Geoff Collis (Captain), M Freestone, I McCormick, R Steedman, C Browne, J Hawson, P Hughes, D Patten, R Rowell, G Gates and D Le Bis.

SHA AWARDS – Rod Clifford – Top Goal scorer.

SHA AWARDS – Don Smith – Best & Fairest Runner Up.

U15 Premiers – Paul Clifford (Coach.) Glenn Lucas hit 5 goals in the grand final (with a broken finger) to reach 50 goals for the season.

A Reserve, 2nd Grade Southern and State Premiers.

4th Grade Southern and State Finalists.

SHA AWARDS – Jason Osborne – Top Goal scorer.

SHA AWARDS – Shane Crick – Best & Fairest Runner Up.

SHA AWARDS – Daniel Sproule – Most Promising Junior Trophy.

1991-94 – Glenn Lucas Tasmanian Institute of Sport.

2nd Grade Premiers.

U13 Div 2 Premiers – Glenn Lucas and Damon Symes (Coaches).

Daniel Sproule – Aust U21.

U13 Div 2,U15 Div 2 and 4th Grade Mens Premiers.

A Reserve Southern and State Premiers – Kevin Mitchell (Coach), S Birch, D Symes, D Coombe, D Peters, R Birch, D Patten, Mark Lamb, P Andrew, Damien Smith G, Whitehouse, M Stanton and J Rice.

1993

Glenn Lucas – Australia Universities Team.

Veterans and U15 Div 1 Premiers.

Daniel Sproule – Australian Kookaburra.

Veterans Premiers.

Mark Lamb – Australian University Team, India.

Veterans and 3rd Grade Premiers.

History of the Women’s Canterbury Hockey Club

The Canterbury Women’s Hockey Club was established.

No formal committee with most of the administration done by Ian “Sparra” Bowden.

7th Grade Premiers – Ian Bowden (Coach), Sue Howell, Lynne Boyer, Therese Soul, Frances Maxwell, Pam Craig, Helen Moore, Arlene Volar, Judy Arnold, Robyn Collis, Lyn Jackson, Christine Curtain, Pauline Mann and Dee Jackson.

1995

The Canterbury Women’s Hockey Club amalgamated with the Canterbury Men’s Hockey Club.

History of the Combined Canterbury Hockey Club

2014