By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
Saints Hockey Club has been synonymous with the sport in the region for 40 years, so its members figured the milestone was worth celebrating.
Club stalwart Joyce Climpson said a number of original players were still going strong at the Geelong club, including 800-game players and coaches Alan and Peter Climpson.
The club also boasts three 700-gamers in Greg McGrane, Karen Kolsch and Peter Kolsch, also still active.
Eleven of its original players have racked up a mammoth 5600 games between them, many still active in either coaching, team managing or umpiring.
The club got off to a great start after winning its inaugural premiership in 1974, defeating Winchelsea 2-1 in a replay after the first grand final ended in a one-all draw. Captain-coach Nick Goldsmith won the association’s best and fairest to top off the year.
“A number of players have played representative hockey for Geelong and some have gone onto represent Victoria,” Climpson said.
“Tegan Purser has represented Victoria in all age groups from under-12 to under-21 and Ellen Chaplin is hopefully following in her footsteps with representation at under-12 and 14 levels.
“Scott O’Reilly has also represented the state as an umpire. He is currently on the state panel for umpiring and has umpired the Australian under-21 titles as well as an international series in the Pacific islands.”
Climpson said the club hoped to get back in touch with as many past players as possible for a 40th anniversary celebration on 28 June at Buckley’s Entertainment Centre.
She asked past players to get in touch at saintshockeyclub@hotmail.com or the club’s Facebook page.
