Hockey receives top State award

TWELVE years of hard work and commitment has paid off for the Gympie Hockey Association.

Gympie Hockey members celebrate at the Queensland Hockey awards on Saturday night after being named Queensland Hockey Association of the Year at a gala event in Brisbane. Pictured from left kneeling are Dave Innis, Ian Wenzel, Drew Wenzel and Nathan Stephens. Standing from left is Rebel Harris, Codey Warhurst, Bill Edgar, Craig Warhurst, Jordon Warhurst, Tony Stephens, Debbie Mackay, Kym Edgar, Lesley Wenzel, Scott Mackay, Tracey McKean, Neil McKean, Judy Stephens, Tracey Warhurst and Tarsha Johnstone. Picture: Contributed

TWELVE years of hard work and commitment has paid off for the Gympie Hockey Association.

The sporting body won Queensland Hockey's Association of the Year award at a gala function at the Sebel Citigate in Brisbane on Saturday night, out-pacing much larger centres and finalists Cairns and Toowoomba to take the gong.

Gympie Hockey president Ian Wenzel said the award was a massive effort for Gympie which was slowly rebuilding the sport in town.

That all culminated this year with the installation of a new synthetic playing surface and dugouts at their Ramsey Park home.

"Winning that award is like a feather in the cap for us," Wenzel said.

"For a small association like us, winning a state-wide award is very exciting.

"It is recognition of hard work put in by a lot of people over 12 years and it was good that a lot of the families who had committed to Gympie Hockey were at the award ceremonies to be apart of it.

"The win shows we are respected as a sporting organisation at a state level and hopefully it can be used as a bit of an incentive to keep moving in the direction we are going in."

The night was hosted by the Seven network's sports presenter Pat Welsh.

Welsh said the Gympie Association won the award due to three main factors.

He said the completion of the new state-of-the-art playing surface, the nomination of representative teams in all junior age groups to state carnivals for the first time in over 10 years and building partnerships with local media to help grow and promote the sport were major factors in the win.

Last night Gympie Hockey Association held its annual general meeting to elect new officials for the 2012 season.

President Ian Wenzel has re-nominated but other committee members aren't standing again.

Originally published as Hockey receives top State award