New Junior Awards for 2013
In line with the changes to the playing age groups introduced by Hockey Victoria this year – SUHC are pleased to announce the name of the Junior trophies that will be presented this year.
Best U12 player – Ken Walker trophy
Ken Walker is the oldest current member of our club still playing hockey. He has represented Australia and Victoria countless times as a Masters player. His coaching history goes back many decades. His calm thoughtful demeanour and presence come from many years in teaching and knowing the best way to get the best out of all different types of players. Teaching skills to the young as a foundation to their hockey career is Ken’s mantra: “Get the basics right”. Ken has given so much to so many over his coaching career from the very young to top end senior teams. Ken is father of Ross Walker and Linda Gray and grandfather to Jayden, Davin and Carlin, all players at Southern United. Ken was a life member of Moorabbin and now SUHC.
Best U14 Boy – Gardiner Family trophy
The Gardiner family have been involved in the establishment of our new club from it’s inception in 2006. Mark and Deb Gardiner have given so much to the hockey community in the past decades. Mark lead the early coaching of many of the current crop of young players in our club. He has helped coach and select representative teams both Sharks and state levels. Deb Gardiner’s managerial work for both Moorabbin and Southern United set the bench mark for all to follow, always organised ahead of everyone else and willing to do the hard work behind the scenes to make thing run smoothly. Kirsty and Nathan are current players who have come through the juniors and in different ways are helping to continue the family connection with the club.
Best U14 Girl – Tamsin Nelson Trophy
Tamsin (Taz) has been until recently the leader of the women’s section for the last decade or more. Her passion for our club and previously Moorabbin has stood out in her commitment as committee member, player, women’s captain, women’s president and leading girls coach in the junior section. This was capped off in 2011 and 2012 by coaching the Southern United U13 girls to A grade premierships and being awarded life membership of our club, the first awarded since our inception. Tamsin represented Victoria at senior level from 2001-2004 and won the MVP in SL2 in 2012. Currently Tamsin is taking time off to raise young Charley.
Best U16 Boy – Cameron Hunter Trophy
Most people know Cameron as a Moorabbin person but his work across the hockey community goes much further. As a junior coach he has developed so many players in not just skills but hockey smarts, coaching at many levels for over 20 consecutive years. Cameron was one of the original coaches at Sandringham Hockey Club in the late 80’s when the club was formed as well as a top player for Moorabbin Hockey Club for many years. Cameron was award life membership of Moorabbin for his services to the club. He was one of the founding members of Southern United Hockey Club and drove our commitment to improve everything we did to achieve what we see today both in juniors and senior sections, one of the strongest clubs in Victoria with many good coaches who Cameron mentored over the years.
Best U16 Girl – Sue Styles (McIvor) Trophy
Sue Styles involvement in Southern United HC and Moorabbin HC is so extensive it is hard to catalogue. Sue has been involved in both running both clubs and coaching junior and senior grades for over 2 decades. A highly skilled field player, who now is working hard to develop the next generation of players across all the grades not just elite. She is passionate to help everyone, from beginners to the top, achieve their personal best. Her commitment to others is only matched by her ability to do so much to ensure our club carries on developing to be a great organisation to belong to for many years to come.
