Nearly 50 years ago, Janette Francis, Linda Kenny and Robyn Hickley joined forces to represent the Otago under-21 hockey team and, as luck would have, it they were named national champions.
The trio are getting back together to hunt for another crown this weekend — albeit at the other end of the scale, playing for Southern in the women’s over-65 grade at the national masters hockey tournament.
"It is just getting back together after so many years. It’s been quite a while," Francis said.
Francis recalled playing Central Otago, North Otago, Southland and Eastern Southland at the under-21 tournament — back then they played regional tournaments to find the champions — in 1978.
Francis and Hickley, whose mothers also represented New Zealand together in 1953 and travelled to England by ship for an international tournament, also represented Otago together the following year in Whangarei. Francis captained the team, and remembered getting "mud-bathed" as games were played on grass.
Francis and Hickley went on to play senior club hockey in South Canterbury for many years but once hockey moved to an artificial turf, Kenny focused on her other sport, squash.
Life had taken them in different directions, Francis and Kenny now live in Timaru, and Hickley is in Mosgiel, but the love of hockey brought them back together.
It helped them reconnect with others they had crossed paths with too: their Southern masters team had players from Otago, Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland, Northland and Whangarei.
"We’re obviously passionate to make that effort."
They also became acquaintances with their opponents, having played each other year after year.
"It’s always good getting together with mates," Francis said.
"There will be others that we’ll know.
"Over the different age groups, you’re playing the same people year after year and while it’s all on on the pitch, it’s good mates off it."
The national masters tournament starts in Wellington on Sunday.
