Life Member - Lyn Hill

Successful in her own right on and off the pitch, Lyn Hill has dedicated much of her life to the development of hockey in numerous roles simultaneously.

This is the case particularly for what she has done in the officiating area and for indoor hockey within Australia at club, association, state and national level.

Lyn’s passion and love for hockey started during her upbringing in Rockhampton. In the 1970’s she was selected for Queensland Country while she also represented Rockhampton at Indoor hockey carnivals. She then went on to coach, umpire and serve on the Rockhampton Hockey Umpire Committee and Secretary of Rockhampton Indoor Hockey for 19 years (1979-1997).

Since the first time she blew a whistle as a hockey umpire, Lyn enjoyed the challenge and in the early 1980’s started her umpiring pathway at the Queensland State Championships and then national tournaments. Her umpiring highlight was being awarded her Australian Umpires Badge in 1987, having the opportunity to umpire on AIS international team tours and four nation tournaments in Australia. Indoor Hockey provided another highlight with selection to umpire at the inaugural indoor World Cup in Leipzig where she umpired in the Final between Germany and Holland.

From this experience she became a highly regarded umpiring educator, mentor and coach to many budding umpires at various levels from U13 to Australia’s best national competition. Notably, she has been an Umpires Manager or Coach at a number of national underage tournaments.

Relocating to Brisbane in the late 1990’s for work, Lyn immersed herself in a range of hockey roles and activities within Queensland and across Hockey Australia. She was a selector for Queensland Women’s Indoor Teams for a number of years; umpire and umpire coach at National Indoor since being awarded her National Indoor Badge in 1988, and has contributed to the Brisbane Women’s Hockey Association in the support of officiating and coaching. Lyn also put her hand up to volunteer for many positions at Hockey Queensland from Board positions to many sub-committees including Umpiring, Athlete Development, Officiating and Competitions. She is currently Vice President of Ascot Women’s Hockey Club and continues to play at club, state and national Masters level.

And Lyn shows no sign of slowing down. She is currently Chair of the Hockey Queensland Umpiring Committee and HA Appointments Panel and represents Australia on the Oceania Officiating Committee, while continuing to mentor and encourage umpiring participation at the grass roots level. She also continues to be a significant contributor and figure in Australia’s indoor hockey scene.

Following the announcement of Lyn being named a Life Member of HA, Hockey Queensland published an article on her hockey journey, and it fittingly states what she has done in hockey ‘is a rare and outstanding achievement’. The full article can be found here.

Lyn’s Life Membership of Hockey Australia follows her being awarded Hockey Queensland Life Membership in 2018.

What they said…
“I feel very honoured to receive Life Membership from Hockey Australia along with the other five recipients who are so deserving and major contributors to our sport in so many ways. I know there are people from Hockey Queensland, staff and volunteers, who have nominated me and I am very appreciative for all who took the time to initiate this.

Hockey in all aspects has given me so much in friendships, opportunity to meet, play, officiate and administer with amazing people. I am really humbled by the time that so many people have taken to send me messages of congratulations, it means a lot.” Lyn Hill

From those in the know…
“Lyn, or 'Hilly' as she is affectionately known is one of the most selfless, dedicated hockey volunteers I have ever known. I first met Hilly when I started working for Hockey Australia back in 2005, through her involvement in Indoor Hockey. Back then indoor did not have the profile it does these days and I will never forget her polite determination to promote 'her' format of our sport. Since leaving HA, I have had the pleasure of working alongside Hilly as an official, volunteer and most importantly to me, a friend.

I can honestly say I have never met a more selfless soul, willing to dedicate hours upon hours on a daily basis to help promote, play, educate and assist others in the sport she loves. I cannot think of a more deserving recipient of this prestigious Life Membership and am honoured to have had the opportunity to learn from and work alongside such a fabulous patron of hockey.” Tammy Standley (fellow official, colleague and friend)

Hockey Timeline
Umpiring - Field
1986 U21 Nationals and recommended to attend Senior Nationals for Australian badge assessment
1987 National Open Women in Darwin and awarded Australian badge
1988 Selected to attend National U21’s as Australian Umpire
1989-1993 National Open Women
1993-1995 Selected to umpire in Australian Hockey League
1989 FIH International badge
1990 AIS tour of Europe
1991 AIS tour of Korea
1994 Four Nations tournament in Cairns

Umpiring - Indoor
1988 National Indoor Open Women’s (awarded Australian Badge)
1989-2013 National Indoor (except for 2 years)
1989 New Zealand Tour with Australian Indoor Team
1992 FIH Indoor International
1995 Europe Tour with Australian Indoor Team
1999 South African Tour with Australian Indoor Team
2001 South African Tour including 2 x Four Nations tournaments
2003 Indoor World Cup in Germany – umpired final and upgraded to International Grade 1

Umpire Manager - Field (National)
1994 Level 3 UM theory accreditation with practical assessment at U18 Nationals (Brisbane)
1994-2019 Various UM roles between U13 and U21 age Championships (not available every year for appointment)

Umpire Manager - Field (State)
1988-2019 Umpire Coach or Umpire Manager at various State Championships in Queensland

Umpire Manager - Indoor (National)
1993-2019 Umpire Manager at many National Indoor Championships for various age groups, in both lead and mentor roles, facilitating development of the next generation

Umpire Manager - Indoor (State)
1990-2019 Umpire Manager or Umpire Coach at various Indoor State Challenges/Championships

Administration
1988-2019 Member of HQ Umpire Committee (Chairperson since 2007)
2000-2003 Hockey Queensland Board Member
2016 Appointed to HA Officiating Committee (Chairperson in 2017)
2018-2020 Re-appointed to HA Officiating Committee (Chairperson in 2019 and 2020)
2017-2019 Appointed to Oceania Officiating Committee
2008-Present HQ Indoor Committee or Advisory Group (Chair since 2008)
2008-Present HA Indoor Advisory Group (Chairperson 2010-2020)
2015-Present Vice President Ascot Hockey Club

Awards
1997 Life Member Rovers Hockey Club, Rockhampton
1997 Life Member Rockhampton Hockey Association
2015 Life Member Ascot Women’s Hockey Club
2018 15 Years Long Service BWHA
2018 Life Member Hockey Queensland
2020 Hockey Australia Life Member