Heroes of Hockey I Eddie Wright

Anyone who has played or been involved with hockey in the Goldfields would have seen this familiar face around the stadium. Eddie Wright has been part of the Kalgoorlie hockey community for more than 50 years, playing, officiating and coaching at varying levels. He’s the heart and soul of the Eastern Goldfields Hockey Association – a place he describes as a "community within a community".

“My earliest hockey memory is in primary school when headmaster John Walsh - father of Terry Walsh - was introducing the game to students.

I became involved as a player in 1968, where I was involved as a member & youth leader with the local YMCA, as part of the junior activities program were forming a sub-junior boys’ team.

It was as a junior with the YMCA Hockey Club - now known as YM Hockey Club as of 2015 - that my coaching career inside my YMCA Youth Leadership Program began in 1970, assisting my metal work teacher & Club member Alan Bitters with the sub-juniors.

While I played other sports, my involvement with hockey saw progression to coaching teams at the association/regional level at all ages, but particularly around juniors. Then I got into officiating, sports administration with the club, association and State Country levels with both field and indoor hockey.

Hockey was a minority sport for the winter season compared with strong Australian Rules Football in the town.

As with most junior sports in Kalgoorlie-Boulder, it was played on gravel initially until transitioning to grass at the Cruickshank Oval.

In those early years the only access to hockey was the local competition, as there were no other competitions for juniors outside high school ages for inter-region, Schools country-week or going to Perth for State Schoolboys Under-16 team trials.

My first involvement with the Eastern Goldfields Hockey Association came in 1972, when I was invited to be a coach with the Under-12 boys’ team.

I suppose this began my coaching career at higher levels, which developed further later. Although involved at club level, I was encouraged to look at other aspects of the sport at association level, through umpiring and administration of the game, so joined a couple of sub-committees then joined the Association Management Committee.

EGHA is a community within a community, providing opportunities for a sport for members of families at all levels albeit social or aspiring to a higher elite level.

While it can be very competitive on the field, unlike seen with some sports, there remains a comradery and general respect for fellow hockey lovers.

This ensures that everyone has the same desire for the sport to develop and grow for the next generation.

My involvement with my club and association has been diverse throughout the years… but it includes coaching, umpiring, committee positions, junior development coaching roles, and more.

Volunteering gives a sense of helping you feel part of a community, helping to share what you have learned through journeys, learning new skills, to help inspire and guide the next generation to want to be part of their chosen sport or community group and watch them grow into the leaders of tomorrow.

Hockey is a sport that provides many opportunities for participation. As seen over the years just having the opportunity to have a go has been important.

This brings not only the participant but families to be involved, while understanding that not all participants can be an Olympian there can still be a sense of achievement while enjoying the game.

The WA hockey community is made up of all ages & diverse backgrounds… playing what can be a sport for life in all regions across the state.

It provides opportunities to just get out there and do it. Outside the more structured competitions, things that now see like ‘Walking Hockey’, events like the ‘Bionic and Survivors Cup’ as played in the metro area, are ensuring to keep these members involved who may give back further through their clubs and associations in other ways through their own volunteering.

To anyone who may have played the game but not currently involved and to anyone looking for a new sporting opportunity, I recommend giving the sport a go – play hockey.

Become part of the family community to meet new friends and have fun at whatever level you choose.

For everyone involved, many of our clubs rely on volunteers and I would encourage you to become involved, as it can be rewarding.

No-one is expecting to make this a life-time thing, but anything you can give back to the sport that given many of us enjoyment will ensure the sport and enjoyment remain for those who follow.

By ERIN HARWOOD