Sharon Buchanan receives highest Hockey Australia honour

Hockey Australia has bestowed its highest individual honour on former Hockeyroo Sharon Buchanan OAM who becomes the latest ‘Legend’ of Australian hockey.

Buchanan joins fellow Hockeyroos Rechelle Hawkes and Alyson Annan on the esteemed Legends list, which also includes Ric Charlesworth and Julian Pearce.

Gaining induction as a Hockey Australia Legend transcends performance and considers character, sportsmanship and extraordinary reputation world-wide.

Heralding from Busselton in Western Australia, Buchanan 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 talented midfielder would go on to compete at the next three Olympic Games, including the historic 1988 gold medal winning team in Seoul.

She was named in the World XI team three times 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.

“Similarly to the other individuals in the Hockey Australia Legends list, Sharon Buchanan is a name synonymous with not only Australian but world hockey,” said Hockey Australia President Ross Sudano.

“She exudes all the traits and qualities of what the Legends status was established for, so this accolade is thoroughly deserved,” said HA President Ross Sudano.

“Sharon was a trailblazer for women’s hockey in Australia that arguably set the foundation for the Hockeyroos’ success in the 1980 and 1990’s with her dedicated and professional approach to the game and the level of hockey she played at.”

“During her time in the national program she was an exceptional leader, continually demonstrated excellence and brought the best out of herself and the others around her.”

“Sharon joins Australian hockey royalty as a Legend of our sport and we are delighted to add her name to it.”

Buchanan 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 after the 1991 victory.

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

“Legends are the crème de la crème of our sport and Sharon certainly fits that definition for how she performed and what she achieved on the hockey field,” said Hockey Australia Hall of Fame Committee Chair, Richard Aggiss.

“In her time, apart from being extremely fit and very good aerobically, Sharon was a highly skilful player…a wonderful midfielder in the true definition of a midfielder.”
 
“Rechelle Hawkes came onto the scene a little bit later after Sharon started but when they were on the pitch together, they were a force to be reckoned as a midfield combination.

“When you put Sharon’s achievements together, along with her outstanding ability and being a wonderful playmaker, she was excellent at setting the game up and was all class.

“Furthermore, she was a great leader, captain of the team, part of a very successful era, and just as importantly, she is a wonderful person.”

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