Sharon Buchanan OAM was born on 12 March 1963 in Busselton, Western Australia. She is one of Australia’s most decorated hockey players and an esteemed figure in world hockey.

Affectionately known as ‘Bucky’, Sharon was selected for four Olympic Games and a member of the Hockeyroos’ breakthrough Olympic gold medal winning team in 1988.

Sharon was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1994, the Western Australian Institute of Sport Hall of Champions in 1999, the HWA Hall of Champions and was one of the inaugural inductees into the Hockey Australia Hall of Fame in 2008. She became the 285th player to represent the Hockeyroos.

First picking up a hockey stick at the age of four, Sharon, like many juniors, played a variety of sports.

However, it was hockey where she thrived. Her career began when she was selected in the Western Australia State Under 16 team in 1975 at the age of 12. Sharon captained the WA U16 team in 1978 before going on to play for and captain the WA U19s.

A rare and gifted hockey talent, Sharon originally played inside forward before later choosing the centre-half role. Sharon was selected for the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games as a 17 year old. However, due to the boycott she would have to wait until March 1981 to make her Hockeyroos debut. The midfielder would go on to compete at the next three Olympic Games, including the historic 1988 gold medal winning team in Seoul.

Coached for the majority of her international career by Brian Glencross, himself an HA Hall of Fame inductee, Sharon was always a highly rated junior who loved training and flourished under Brian’s coaching. Working as Brian’s assistant coach at the AIS hockey unit in Perth, Pam Glossop had this to say about Sharon. “Her unique ability to eliminate defenders with a subtle change of pace and deft stick skills, along with her vision off the ball made her one of the greatest playmakers in Australian hockey.”

Legendary coach Ric Charlesworth, who coached Sharon at the end of her illustrious career, said, “Sharon is a champion of the game and while she was usually a playmaker, her two second half goals in the Olympic Semi Final against the Netherlands in 1988 were pivotal to Australia’s Gold Medal success.”

Bucky was named in the World XI team three times (1988, 1990, 1991) and captained the Hockeyroos from 1989-1993 in an international career that comprised 186 matches (which at the time was an Australian record) and 57 goals.

Sharon played in four World Cups (winning a bronze and a silver medal) and four Champions Trophies (winning two gold and two silver medals). She was named Player of the Tournament at the 1991 Champions Trophy.

She called time on her illustrious career after helping the Hockeyroos win the 1993 Champions Trophy.

Sharon Buchanan joins the true legends of the sport and continues to be widely respected across the hockey world for her wonderful hockey ability and endearing personality.