Sixty years of passion

WHAT drives Ollie Rinkin to give more than 60 years of his time and talent to sport, particularly hockey?

“I value comradeship and some of my opponents in hockey are my best mates,” Ollie said.

“I’m happy keeping young people off the streets and training youngsters to excel in the game.”

Ollie became a foundation member of the Gloucester Hockey Association in 1955 after teachers at Gloucester High School formed a hockey club.

He had been training with the Gloucester under-18 rugby league team but hockey soon became his passion.

His representative career began in 1957 when he played for Manning Valley against a touring New Zealand team.

Ollie later represented the district against Queensland, Townsville, the USA, England and New Zealand.

At just 17, he began coaching juniors in 1958 and senior hockey the following year.

He went on to play 30 years of first-grade hockey, including 25 years as captain-coach, and coached Gloucester Public School to five State titles.

His contribution extended well beyond the playing field.

He served as Northern NSW delegate to the NSW Junior Hockey Association and was a NSW selector for 20 years, managing NSW under-14 and under-16 teams.

His achievements have been widely recognised.

He was named Rotary Citizen of the Year in 1991, Gloucester Sportsperson of the Year in 1994, and became a life member of Hockey NSW in 2000.

Ollie also excelled in cricket, tennis, rugby league and athletics, and served as president of Gloucester Sports Council for 11 years.

Even after retiring from a 60-year automotive career at 75, Ollie continued coaching young people.

“I trained under Ollie from 10-17 years old,” Mark Holstein said.

“He put Gloucester on the map as a great hockey town and all of us kids saw in him a father figure producing some great hockey players.”

His greatest legacy is not the awards, but the generations of young players he has inspired and encouraged along the way.

By Kim TEOH