Vale Daphne Pirie AO MBE

Hockey Australia is saddened to learn of the passing of Life Member and former Hockeyroo Daphne Pirie (nee Welch) at the age of 90.

Daphne had a profound impact on women’s hockey in Australia – as a player, administrator and advocate for the sport. She was an amazing progressive thinker and her contribution on the Women’s Hockey Australia Board helped lay the foundation for Hockey Australia.

An Order of Australia (AO) recipient for services to sports administration, hockey and as an advocate for women and girls in sport, Daphne also received an Order of the British Empire Award (MBE) Member of the British Empire (MBE) for Services to Hockey in 1989. She was awarded Hockey Australia Life Membership in 1999.

The 166th player capped for Australia’s national women’s hockey team, Daphne represented her country in 1956 and again in 1962, playing 10 international matches in total.

One of eight children in her family, Daphne was an exceptional talent at several sports. As she grew older, these sports were narrowed to hockey in the winter and athletics (predominantly running) in the summer.

In athletics she was a finalist and medallist in numerous events at the Australian Women’s Track and Field Championships in the 1950’s having won a host of Queensland State titles.

She featured for the Hockeyroos in a IFWHA VI Tournament in Sydney in May 1956, playing matches against the Netherlands, Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland and South Africa. She was also vice-captain for a tour of Malaysia in 1962.

After her pursuits on the hockey field and athletics track, Daphne became President of the Queensland Women's Hockey Association from 1987-1993, overseeing significant change and modernisation. She championed many causes, none-the least being the amalgamation of Queensland Women’s Hockey Association and Queensland Hockey Association to become Hockey Queensland.

She represented women’s sport and sport in general at so many different organisations and served on many Boards.

Daphne became a Life Member of the Australian Women's Hockey Association in 1988 and was an inaugural Board member of the Queensland Academy of Sport.

Other significant accomplishments included Daphne being the founding President of Womensport Queensland, eight years as a Queensland Olympic Council Committee Member including the first woman elected Vice President of the Committee, Vice Patron of Hockey Queensland and an inductee into the Queensland Hockey Hall of Fame.

The widespread compliments and comments from people right across the Australian hockey community highlights the regard Daphne is held in and her standing in the sport, especially in her home state of Queensland.

Hockey Australia sends its deepest condolences to Daphne’s family as it mourns her loss but at the same time celebrates a remarkable life.