Club History
 
 

Harbour City Hockey Club was formed on 4 May 1994 by amalgamating Wellington Collegians' and Huia Wanderers Hockey Clubs.

Wellington Collegians' Hockey Club (Prepared by Tim Crump)

Wellington Collegians' Hockey Club was formed on 21 October 1982 by the amalgamation of the College Old Girls' and Wellington College Old Boys' Hockey Clubs.

At the time, both Clubs saw the benefits of pooling resources, but primarily could foresee the full integration of Women's and Men's Hockey within New Zealand, as has been realised over the past few years.

Collegians' Hockey Club was headquartered at Anderson Park, (these premises shared for a time with Huia Wanderers) until 1989, when following the establishment of a very attractive sponsorship package with the Featherston Tavern; the lease on Anderson Park Pavilion was relinquished.

Prior to 1983, both the Old Girls' and Old Boys' Clubs had been very strong in the Wellington Hockey fraternity over many, many years.

WCOB had won the Senior Competition from 1970 to 1973 and finished in the top four teams in the same grade from 1974 to 1977. From this golden era WCOB produced a New Zealand Men's Coach in Kevin Towns.

Towns had played for WCOB for many years prior to moving to Auckland in early 1971. Doug McLean and Dave Reynolds, became prominent provincial coaches after having played for WCOB in the early to mid 1970's. One further point of interest was the appearance in the WCOB Senior team in the late 1950's of, at the time, 4 current New Zealand players.

The College Old Girls' Hockey Club had produced many outstanding representative players, notably Barbara Tilden and Karen Brown who represented New Zealand at Senior and Under 21 level. Barbara Tilden became Collegians first full International representative when selected for the Los Angeles Olympic Team. Karen Flett (nee Brown) was a trialist for the LA squad.

Other recent/current Collegians New Zealand representatives have been Graham Burnett, Ian Brown, Duncan Lints at Under 21 level. Megan MacKay and Rowan Pearson were selected in National Age Teams and Development Squads.

More recent milestones in the Club's history were the winning of the Premier One Women's Competition in 1988, a second place in 1989 and third in 1991 completed the trifecta. After a number of seasons in the wilderness a Collegians Men's team regained Premier One status in 1992.

Huia Wanderers Hockey Club (Prepared by Dave Binnie)

Known as Huia the original Club comprising many keen hockey enthusiasts in the Education and other Government Departments, was formed at a meeting held on 15 April 1919.

In its first season the Club was successful in winning the W.H.A. Junior Championship winning 10 games and losing 1, scoring 68 for, 12 against.

A letter on file records the Adjutant, Wellington Division, NZ Garrison Artillery granted permission for 3 Gunners to be absent from a parade on Saturday 12 September in order to participate in the final match being played that day.

In the following year, when membership permitted entering another team, the Club was Runners up in the Junior Grade.

The Club continued to gain in numbers until it reached its peak in the mid 1930's when eight teams turned out each Saturday. For some years the Club had two teams playing in the Senior Grade and in one memorable year when W.H.A. adopted the policy of promoting teams after the first round such was the playing strength of Huia that three teams from this Club were actually competing in the top division.

About this time too, the Club had a number of excellent goalkeepers by the name of Marshall, Jim, Alf and Charles, not related in any way but all top players who made the Selectors task an unenviable one in endeavouring to sort out the best for the top team.

Over the years the Club was successful in winning the following Championships:

Senior 1935, 1936, 1937, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1946

2nd Grade 1929, 1932, 1936, 1937, 1964

3rd Grade 1955

5th Grade 1933

Intermediate 1936, 1938, 1940

7th Grade 1962, 1965

Over the years the Club concentrated its energies in taking every opportunity of supporting hockey amongst schoolboys and in last winning the Senior Championship in 1946 ten out of the team of eleven were Old Boys of Hataitai Primary School.

In 1954 the Huia Club lost its Senior status when the Senior Team was beaten in a promotion relegation game by Rongatai Old Boys who replaced them in the Senior Competition the following year.

In 1969 the Club had a stocktaking and after much thoughtful discussion it was agreed to alter the Club's name to "Huia Scots College Old Boys" in order to accommodate those from the College who were on the verge of forming a new Club. In its first year the new Club had 4 men's and 4 schoolboys teams turning out each Saturday.

Again in 1972 discussions commenced with Rongatai College Old Boys Hockey Club and at a meeting held 22 February 1973 the "Huia Wanderers Hockey Club" came into being.

In 1976 their Senior Reserve Team won promotion to the Senior Grade after winning a promotion relegation series. The men's 5th Grade team won their grade and the Club won the overall Club Championship having 3 boys and 5 men's teams competing each week.

In 1977 the Club retained its Senior status and the 5th Grade team were again Grade winners. In 1978 the Senior 6th team won their Grade. In 1979 the Club won Senior Reserve, 2nd and 3rd Grades. In 1983 the Senior 2nd Grade competition was won. In 1984 and 1987 the Men's Senior 5th Team was again successful.

Over its 75 years the Club under its various names has been well served on the administrative side and many well-known names in both Wellington and National Hockey circles have been connected with the Club. These have included Messrs S.G. Nathan, L.S.P. Butcher, J.L. McAlister, K.C. Osborne and D.I. Binnie. The latter served 3 years from 1967 as President of the old N.Z.H.A.

Many well known players turned out for the Club over the years and while many obtained Provincial Honours the Club was especially proud of the fact that Messrs D. Wilson and N. Brown went to Australia in the 1937 New Zealand team.

No mention of the Men's Club would be complete without some reference to the fact that it has been responsible over the years in encouraging women into an interest in the game.

Records show that a Huia Women's team was formed in 1922 and played in the local competition. This section went into recess in the 1930's but was reformed as a completely separate Club in 1964. In 1969 they had four teams competing with one in the Senior Grade for the first time.

Since 1981 they have usually fielded at least 2 teams in the Local Women's competitions - being 1st equal in the 5th grade in 1983.

 
     
     

 

 

 
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