Stratford Hockey Club celebrates life members | Taranaki Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Taranaki

The Stratford Hockey Club held their annual prize giving on Friday, September 14 and many club members honoured, including John Clarry (JJ), and Allister Thomas who were awarded life memberships.

John started playing for the club in 1977 for the Avon team. After a few years he took over from David Boyde as captain and organised the team for years before helping with Broadway.

At a young age he went on the Hatch Cup Tournament committee which was at Stratford High School.

He also coached St Mary's Diocesan School.

Over many years he was a great fundraiser for the club doing raffles in the Stratford Hotel, picking up sheep manure and organising sheep sheds and trucks to pick it up.

He spent many hours rolling the Victoria Park Fields. When the new grounds at Swansea Road were opened he helped out to build the new club rooms and organised a five-tonne load of dirt to get the new grounds in top playing order.

He was on the Stratford Hockey Club committee for 20 years and has been club captain and was on the 2005 Centennial committee.

Allister played for Avon Primary then the Stratford High School. He started playing for the Stratford Hockey Club at the age of 13 for the men's B team and at 16 started playing for the men's senior team.

Allister had a short break from hockey with two broken collar bones and time away in Australia. He came back in 1990 for the senior side and played until 1999. In that time he fulfilled one of his greatest dreams, to play in the same team as his eldest son, Chris. Allister represented Taranaki at various levels and was the president and a committee member of the Stratford Hockey Club.

Allister was the president of junior hockey, Stratford Hockey Club rep on the Taranaki Electricity Trust Society, Turf Trust and the Umpires Association. He has been on the Taranaki Hockey Federation for 9 years, two as umpire rep, five as a board rep and is currently the chairperson.

Allister took the club practises for many years, coached the Stratford High School and many age group representative teams, including the Taranaki Hatch Cup boys who came 2nd in New Zealand in2002. Ben Collier (current Black Stick) still rates Allister as his best coach.

After Allister stopped playing, he took up umpiring which he continues today. He has umpired at many tournaments and has been picked for finals which is a great achievement.

Trophy list

Best club man Andrew Hey, L B Robinson Cup; Best club woman Natarsha Hey, Potroz Trophy; player of the year for A men John Neild, Mike Sherning Trophy; Player of the Year for Broadway Scott Weren, Sandford Trophy; best team member Broadway Sean Mooney, Bob Partridge Trophy; most improved man Brett Thomas, Sandford & Death; most promising man Greg Robinson, Stan Gillum Trophy; most valuable B lady Yvette Williams, Green Trophy; most valuable A lady Natarsha Hey,Carrie Williams Cup; most improved A lady Jayne Gulliver and Shinae Bailey, M Miller Trophy; most improved B lady Kelsey Espin, Cooksley Trophy; trapper Paul McKeown; dribbler Troy Edgecombe; stirrer Stephen Wooldridge.