Vale Suzie Calvert

It is with great sadness that we advise the passing of Suzie Calvert, Life Member of Hockey Tasmania and of the DiamondBacks Hockey Club.

Suzie Calvert’s involvement in Hockey began at Huonville High School and Ranelagh Hockey Club. She played with United Hockey Club, then with Canterbury Hockey Club and in 1998 she joined Prince of Wales Wellington Hockey Club, now known as DiamondBacks. In 2013, Suzie was awarded Life Membership for her outstanding service to the Club.

Suzie was a keen A Pool umpire for many years and officiated at club and school matches regularly.

Suzie played and umpired at national veterans’ championships and since 2017 has been actively involved in the Hood Family Junior Umpire Academy as a mentor to several junior umpires. Suzie umpired regularly at junior intrastate tournaments as well as at masters’ intrastate tournaments.

For twenty years, Suzie was an active committee member for the organisation of national championships held in Hobart. Her volunteer service also extended to undertaking the role of Team Manager for Hockey Tasmania state teams.

In 2006 and again in 2013, Suzie was awarded the prestigious Laurie Smallhorn Award for her outstanding contribution as a member of the Hockey Tasmania AHL Committee.

In 2019, Suzie was the recipient of the prestigious DiamondBacks Hockey Club Best Club Person award. Suzie was recognised for:

• her willingness to put her hand up whenever help is sought
• a hard worker willing to take on volunteer roles others shun, often found in the box at the gate to the THC collecting admission fees from patrons, forgoing the chance to watch the top class matches underway and at the recent Hockey1 games in Hobart was again involved as a volunteer
• always been involved in fundraising and social activities for both our Club and for Hockey Tasmania
• a state team manager on many occasions – this year managed a state indoor team
• for the past 3 years has been involved in the junior umpire academy as an umpire mentor, as well as regularly umpiring roster games
• regularly attended our men’s & women’s premier league games to show support and encouragement; knows everyone and everyone knows her
• the first to always like a post on the DiamondBacks FB and TeamApp news
• a key contributor to the organization of our club dinners

Suzie was the recipient of the inaugural Hockey Tasmania Volunteer of the Year Award in 2020, a wonderful recognition of her outstanding service. She continued to be actively involved as the Volunteers Coordinator at recent Pro League and Hockey One events held in Hobart.

In 2023, in recognition of her long and meritorious contributions and outstanding service to Hockey, Suzie Calvert was awarded Life Membership of Hockey Tasmania.

Thank you to our Hockey Tasmania members for compiling Suzie's history in hockey. A Celebration of Life will be held in New Town at the Tasmanian Hockey Centre, with details to follow informing of the date and time.