Hockey WA inducts four new life members

Four new Hockey WA life members have been inducted at the HWA General Meeting last week, following unanimous support from HWA membership. 

Colin Brandis, Charles Gaudoin, Elspeth Denning and Wendy Pritchard have collectively amassed over 200 years of combined service to the sport and state. 

A life member is any person who has rendered outstanding service to Hockey and subsequently, they may be elected by the members as a Life Member of the Association. 

Hockey WA President Michael Henderson congratulated each of the inductees on being announced to receive the honour and thanked them for their significant contribution to hockey in Western Australia. 

“I am delighted to congratulate this year’s Life Membership recipients for their outstanding contribution, ongoing passion and their dedication in serving our wonderful sport and our broader community,” Henderson said. 

“They are all highly deserving of this honour and recognition and I hope it is received with great pride.” 

Colin Brandis 

Colin has coached senior club, talent squads and multiple state teams in both mens and womens competition from 1983 to 2017. This includes WA U15 men for four years, WA U18 women for three years, WA U18 men for four years, WA U21 women for two years, WA U21 men for three years, WA senior women for four years, WA senior women indoor for two years, WA Thundersticks for two years and WA Diamonds for five years. In summary, 30 national championships for 12 gold, 7 silver and 6 bronze.  

At club level, Colin has coached for more than 26 years, with 7 premierships at Surf Hockey Club, South Perth Hockey Club, Suburban Nedlands City Hockey Club, Curtin Trinity Pirates Hockey Club, Harlequin Wanneroo Hockey Club, Melville City Hockey Club and North Coast Raiders Hockey Club. 

Charles Gaudoin 

Charles commenced playing at Harlequin Hockey Club in 1970 and was instrumental in the club progressing to first division in 1980. He continued with the club through to 1997 in a playing and coaching role, including a Premiership in 1989. He has coached first division teams at Suburban Nedlands Hockey Club, Old Aquinians Hockey Club, Melville Hockey Club, YMCC Hockey Club, Curtin Trinity Pirates Hockey Club and North Coast Raiders Hockey Club. He has also coached numerous state teams including State U15 men, State U18 for seven years, State U21 for two years and State Junior Olympics. He has previously been a state team selector and is a current Perth Thundersticks selector.  

Elspeth Denning OAM 

Elspeth moved to WA from South Africa in 1975, quickly establishing her playing and coaching expertise. She represented Australia from 1978 to 1988 and vice-captain (1985 – 1988). Elspeth was the highest goal scorer in the 1983 World Cup (Kuala Lumpur) with 5 goals, bronze medallist in 1986 World Cup Amsterdam, selected in Olympic squads in 1980 (Moscow), 1984 (Los Angeles) and gold-medal winning 1988 (Seoul). She played 101 international matches, scoring 65 goals for Australia. 

Elspeth was a WA team athlete 1976 – 1988, including captain 1983 – 1988. During this time, she was awarded WA Sports Star of the Year 1989, Caltex Sports Star of the Year 1989, Quit Campaign WA Sportsperson of the Year 1989, Order of Australia (OAM) in the 1989 Australian Honours list, WAIS Hall of Fame 1996, Hockey WA Hall of Champions 2005. 

She has been a selector, manager and coach for numerous state sides and has been a first-grade player (1976 – 1998), premier grad co-coach (2007 – 2009) and Premier team manager (2010 – 2020) for the Curtin Trinity Pirates and Curtin University Hockey Clubs. 

Wendy Pritchard 

Born in Busselton in 1949, Wendy played most of her club hockey for Busselton and Geraldton. Her accolades include Fremantle Women’s Hockey A Grade player (1968 – 1974), WA Women’s State team player (1965 – 1980) and captain (1978 – 1980), Australian Blue-Ribbon team selection (non-touring) for 1965 – 1974 and 1979, Australian women’s team (1967, 1971, 1978) and Manager of the Australian Women’s team 1994 – 2000 (which included 2 Olympic gold medals, Commonwealth Games, 2 World Cups, 4 Champion Trophies and 29 International Tournaments). 

Since retiring from playing Wendy has coached at Club level and for Geraldton Country Week. Wendy has also served on several commissions and committees including, Australian Sports Commission, WAIS Commission, WAIS selection panel for Sports Star of the Year, Hockey WA selection panel for Hall of Champions, Hockey Australia selection panel for Hall of Fame. 

In 2017 Wendy formed and continues to be the coordinator of a group of volunteer women who are in the ongoing process of collating and recording the history of Western Australian Women’s hockey from its beginning in 1916 until the amalgamation with the Men’s Hockey Association in 2004.