HISTORY

 

HISTORY

This section aims to profile some of the history of the WHA which has helped determine and shape its future, as well as honor some of those who have helped make this association what it is today.

Member profiles honor some of the more substantial contributors to the sport and some in memorium.  Honorboards list the various members who have held executive and other positions, as well as those who have made various other achievements and been recognised in a certain way.

  • WHA milestones

    • WHA was officially started in 1974.

    • The Horsham Women’s Hockey Association preceeded the WHA, which ran from 1951 until 1973, before it was considered that the WHA encompassed more Wimmera teams outside of Horsham and more mixed members of varying ages which demanded more divisions to accommodate these.

    • WHA became an incorporated body in 1985.

    • WHA honored its first Life Member in 1990.

    • WHA celebrated 50 years of hockey in the Wimmera, which encompassed the Horsham Women’s HA from 1951 to the Wimmera HA up to 2001.

    • The WHA’s 50th anniversary was recognised with the ‘50 Years of Wimmera Hockey’ booklet compiled by Casey Phelan in 2001.

    • WHA celebrated 60 years of hockey in the Wimmera, which encompassed the Horsham Women’s HA from 1951 to the Wimmera HA up to 2011.

    • An inaugural WHA yearbook, the ‘WHA Season Round Up 2010’, was officially launched at the WHA Presentation Night on Saturday 17 September 2011.

    • The first official WHA hockey round on the new artificial turf at the Dimboola Health and Fitness Centre began with night matches played between the senior Dimboola and Horsham teams on Friday night 18 May 2012, with the remaining Round 6 matches played on the following day.

    • The Dimboola Health and Fitness Centre which incorporates the Wimmera’s first artificial playing surface was officially opened on Tuesday 22 May 2012.

    • WHA celebrates 40 years of the current association in 2014.

    • 2016 saw the introduction of an official Under 12 Division to be included on the weekly draw.  Each club had 1 U12 team.

    • 2018 Yanac Hockey Club becomes the first WHA club to achieve the elusive premiership trifecta, winning three grandfinals in one season: U16 Yanac Warriors, Yanac Women and open team Yanac Tigers.  Tigers also became the first men's/open team to win 4 consecutive premierships.  The Yanac club was also the first club to claim all 3 Best on Ground in the Grand Final medallions in the one year.

  • Member Profiles

In this section we will endeavour to profile some of “the greats” of the WHA.  This particularly profiles those who have made substantial contributions to the WHA over a period of time to have been awarded life memberships, also those who have had various awards, trophies, shields and medals named after them for various contributions and some in memorium.

These profiles are a work in progress, so please bear with us.  If you happen to have some information which would help fulfil any of these profiles, please contact the WHA Historian via the WHA Contacts.

 

WHA Life Members

 

# Year Life Member Club(s)
1 1990 Noreen Wheaton Yanac
2 1994 Jean Darnell Dimboola / Horsham
3 1996 Peter Colbert Nhill
4 1996 Jennifer Ford Warracknabeal
5 2001 Jenny R Smith Horsham
6 2001 Darren Barnett Horsham
7 2003 Simon King Dimboola / Warracknabeal
8 2009 Launa Schilling Horsham
9 2009 Suzanne Puls Horsham / Warracknabeal
10 2009 Sally Klinge Dimboola
11 2009 Heather Hutchins Dimboola
12 2010 Christine Dufty Nhill
13 2013 Casey Phelan Warracknabeal
14 2018 Helen Cannell Yanac / Nhill
15 2018 Clint Beattie Yanac / Kaniva

 

Awards named

    • Noreen Wheaton Shield for Women’s Best and Fairest
    • Jenny Ford Shield for Women’s Premierships
    • Peter Colbert Medal for Best on Ground in the Junior Grand Final
    • Jane Gregson – Jane Gregson Memorial Medal for Best on Ground in the Women’s Grand Final
    • Ken Flack – Ken Flack Medal for Best on Ground in the Men’s/Open Grand Final
    • Iain Aitken – Aitken-Findlay shield for Open Best and Fairest
    • Grant Findlay – Aitken-Findlay shield for Open Best and Fairest
    • Andrew Darnell – Andrew Darnell Memorial Plaque for Junior Boys and Andrew Darnell Memorial Plaque for Junior Girls Best and Fairest, up to 2010 when plaques were filled
    • Life Members Medal for Best on Ground in the Open Grand Final (2015 onwards as Ken Flack stepped aside from this award following the 2014 grand finals)

    •  

  • Honorboards

Honorboards are a work in progress.

    • Life Members honorboard

    • Executives, Non-Executives and Other Positions honorboard

    • Premierships honorboards

    • Best and Fairest honorboards

    • Golden Whistle honorboards

    • Encouragement Awards
    • Highest Goal Scorer honorboards

    • Best on Ground in Grand Finals honorboard