Hall of Fame - Kenneth Wark
Published Tue 15 Dec 2020
A triple Olympian who competed at three World Cups across an international playing career that spanned over a decade, Ken Wark will go down as one of Australia’s greatest ever defenders.
The 269th player capped for Australia, Ken made his Kookaburras debut on 2 February 1985 against New Zealand in Melbourne, the same year he married his wife Kerrie.
Ken is renowned for his speed, long reach and fierce determination in coming up against some of the world’s best forwards of the time.
In his first World Cup appearance in London in 1986, Ken was a member of the Gold Medal team that defeated England in a memorable final at Wilsden. Then in front of massive crowds at the Lahore Stadium in Pakistan in 1990, Ken was a key defender alongside Michael York in the team that won a bronze medal and another at Sydney in 1994.
The Wark – York combination at the back was a feature of Australian teams for eight years with Ken holding down the key right fullback position. His fierce battles with Pakistan’s champion forward Shabaz are legendary in hockey circles.
Ken played in every Champions Trophy between 1986 and 1995 except for 1993, when he was injured, winning a gold Medal in 1990 and silver medal in 1991.
He called time on his career after the 1996 Olympics where the Kookaburras won bronze. Overall, Ken played 214 games for Australia and scored 5 goals.
Ken’s induction into the Hockey Australia Hall of Fame was ratified in 2016.
From those in the know…
“Ken joined the AIS in its inaugural year in 1984 and made an immediate impact with his great speed, fierce tacking and huge desire to win. Australian selectors and coaches were on immediate notice that Ken was here to play for Australia and for a long time. Over the next decade, including three Olympics Ken established himself as one of the great Australian fullbacks, and who could forget his battles against ‘the great one’ Shahbaz Ahmed. Ken was very coachable, had a wonderful work ethic and a willingness to be a better hockey player.” Richard Aggiss (former Australian Coach)
Hockey Timeline
Player
Kookaburras career 1985-1996
1986 World Cup in London (Gold Medal)
1988 Seoul Olympics
1990 World Cup in Lahore (Bronze Medal)
1992 Barcelona Olympics (Silver Medal)
1994 World Cup in Sydney (Bronze Medal)
1996 Atlanta Olympics (Bronze Medal)
Competed at every Champions Trophy between 1986 and 1995 except for 1993, when he was injured.