2023 Life Members and Award of Merit recipients announced

The newest additions to the Hockey Australia (HA) Life Member and Award of Merit lists have been ratified following this year’s HA Annual General Meeting.

Robyn Bannerman (Davis) OAM (pictured above, right) and Victorians Keith Murton OAM and David Peebles have been awarded Hockey Australia Life Membership for outstanding and sustained service to hockey in Australia at national and/or international levels, or achievement in significant areas of endeavour which enhanced hockey at a national and/or international level.

Former Hockeyroo Tracey Belbin OAM and David Saleeba are the latest recipients of a HA Award of Merit, which is given for dedicated and sustained commitment to the development of hockey in Australia, and devoted and successful service to hockey and the promotion of the values which underpin the sport.

“Congratulations to these five wonderful servants of Australian hockey on this deserved recognition,” said Hockey Australia President Ross Sudano.

“Each of these individuals have given decades of service and have shown an infectious passion for hockey, devoting countless hours to the betterment of the sport in Australia.”

“One only needs to look at the names already on Hockey Australia’s Life Membership and Award of Merit lists to appreciate the calibre and number of people who have given so much to the sport and made a lasting and positive impact.”

“Thank you to the Member Associations and the Hockey Australia Awards Committee for their time and consideration in putting these nominations forward.”

Hockey Australia Awards Committee Chair, Richard Aggiss said the five recipients exemplified what the respective awards are about.

“These five people have given so much to hockey through their field of expertise,” said Aggiss.

“Something that stands out with all of Hockey Australia’s Life Members and Award of Merit recipients is that what they do is largely not for personal gain and recognition, but more often than not to help others have a positive and memorable hockey experience.”

“It is great to be able to acknowledge these individuals in this way.”

Presentations to the recipients will take place at events to be determined at a later date.

Hockey Australia 2023 Award Recipients
LIFE MEMBERS
Robyn Bannerman (Davis) OAM (NSW/VIC)
One of Australia’s greatest hockey umpires, Robyn has done so much in the field of officiating at State, Australian and international level. The first umpire inducted into the Hockey Australia Hall of Fame in 2008, Robyn has umpired and been involved in umpire coaching and development, of both female and male umpires, from grassroots to the elite level. She was a member of the inaugural Hockey Australia Umpiring Committee and received an Order of Australia Medal for services to hockey and her local community in Lithgow and the Australia Sports Medal in recognition of her services to sport in Australia in 2000. Robyn continues to umpire local hockey and school games on the Mornington Peninsula.

Keith Murton OAM (VIC)
For several decades Keith was the ‘front office person’ of the Australian Hockey Association (now known as Hockey Australia). A skilled and dedicated team manager and administrator for Australian national hockey and Olympic teams, Keith was known and highly regarded across the hockey world and Australian sport. Being the honorary secretary of both the ACT and NSW Junior Hockey Associations as a teenager, it was the start of a journey that saw him appointed Team Manager of Kookaburras teams for numerous tournaments between 1970 and 1976, including two Olympic Games (1972, 1976). He served on the AHA Board and also spent eight years on the Executive Board of the Australian Olympic Committee. He was the recipient of a Hockey Australia Award of Merit in 1992 and received a Medal in the Order of Australia for service to hockey and the Olympic movement in 1997.

David Peebles (VIC)
The strength and popularity of Masters hockey in Australia is testament to David’s contribution to the sport in this area. David has been a Masters player, coach and selector at national and international level and was on the HA Masters Commission from 2003 to 2012. He has also been part of the HA Masters Selection Panel and a Board Member of two former international Masters bodies. David has been extensively involved with the Oceania Hockey Federation (OHF) since 2012 when he was the Competitions Chair before becoming a Director in 2019. In 2021 he was elected Secretary General/ Treasurer. During this time David has represented OHF at FIH meetings since 2014 in his role on the Competitions committee. One of his proud achievements has been the move of international masters from two independent aged based bodies to one structure (now under FIH), with 135 odd teams entered in the last Masters world Cups.

AWARD OF MERIT
Tracey Belbin OAM (QLD)
Tracey had an outstanding playing, coaching and administrative career at regional, state, national and international level. Already a HA Hall of Fame inductee, Tracey was part of the Hockeyroos’ 1988 Olympic gold medal winning team in a decade long international playing career. However, it is what she has done since that warrants her Award of Merit. She has been involved in a coaching capacity for the national teams of Australia, South Africa and the USA.
She was a Director on the Hockey Australia Board and continues to identify and coach talented aspiring hockey players in Mackay.

David Saleeba (VIC)
David is one of Australia’s leading umpires, having first starting officiating games as a 14 year old. He received an Australian umpiring badge in 1969 and his international badge in 1975. President of the Umpires Association and Council and on the Umpire Appointments and Examination Committees for over 30 years, David retired from top grade umpiring in 1998 after over 750 games at that level, only to return in 2013 due to a shortage of umpires. David continues to volunteer his time to educate and mentor aspiring umpires and was awarded Hockey Victoria Life Membership last year. David still umpires when required in Masters and school hockey.