Celebrating a Champion I Elspeth Denning

The legendary Western Australian Women’s hockey team of the late 80s was a star-studded squad of 31 that, during the period of 1985 to 1991, never conceded a loss or a draw. 

The squad was packed full of Olympic stars and players who possessed incredible talent, some of the best to play the sport of hockey. 

A golden run of seven consecutive national titles showcases the breadth of talent in the side, with many of the players considered the best of the best during the era. 

Hockey legend and member of the famous squad Elspeth Denning was one of the stars who helped cement the side in hockey folklore. 

Born in Kenya, East Africa, Denning said her love for hockey began after moving to Cape Town, South Africa, at the age of seven.  

Denning’s father was a national rugby and hockey player for Kenya, generating her own love for hockey. 

“There was always fierce competition with my dad and two younger sisters, especially as we got older and my three brothers joined in,” Denning said. 

Denning’s hockey competitiveness began at age 12, where she began to play in senior school, eventually leading to her playing junior state hockey for Western Province in South Africa. 

Denning got serious about hockey after moving to Western Australia. 

“A few weeks after we arrived in Perth, I happened to be walking along Langley Park in Perth, where there were so many hockey teams practising,” she said. 

“I ended up walking over to one of the teams and asked if I could come train with them; that team ended up being the Pirates (now Curtin University Hockey Club) and I haven’t looked back since.” 

Denning says that club was one of the key drivers towards her early success in Western Australia. 

“The coach of the Pirates at the time, Gwen Brockman, really encouraged me to go to the state selection trials the following year and I was lucky enough to make the WA senior side.” 

Denning retained her position in the side, which eventually led to a long run of success. 

“There are so many eras that could have been inducted into the Hall of Champions, as WA barely lost a tournament during the 70s, 80s & 90s,” she said. 

“I was just lucky enough to have been playing in that historic seven-year run where the team didn’t draw or lose a game throughout the whole period.”  

The key to success for the side at the time was a winning environment, developed by the coaches and welcomed by the squad. 

“We trained hard, we took feedback whether it was harsh or not and we learnt from that,” Denning said. 

“We constructed a winning environment because of this, so losing just wasn’t a part of who we were.”  

Elspeth, left, at the WA Hall of Champions ceremony

Denning was selected for the Australian Olympic team in 1980 (Moscow), 1984 (Los Angeles) and 1998 (Seoul), alongside a bunch of her very own Western Australian teammates which she said was a key driver in Australia’s strong performances in each Olympic Games. 

“It was such a happy time to be selected together, the four of us – Lee Capes, Michelle Hager, Jackie Pereira and myself – all played for the Pirates, along with other WA players Sally Carbon, Rechelle Hawkes, Lorraine Hillas and Sharon Buchanan,” she said. 

“We knew how each other played, making it incredibly easy to gel together with the rest of the Australian team. 

“The opening ceremonies were amazing, along with the friends I made, then culminating in a gold medal at Seoul was a dream come true,” 

“Being able to watch other sports was fantastic, and some of the famous names you’d see in the food hall left you star-struck.” 

The players in the legendary WA squad and Australian National Team weren’t the only stars of the show at the time, there was also a coaching cohort who were stars in their own right. 

“Don Smart was a fantastic coach and a man with such great wit; a superb tactician along with Gordon Pearce and Colin Brandis,” Denning said. 

Denning’s love for hockey and the Curtin University Hockey Club withstands the test of time, as she now reaps the joy of seeing her own daughters thrive. 

“There’s always ups and downs in all hockey clubs, but I love being a part of the Pirates; I’ve made so many amazing connections and friends along the way,” she said. 

“My kids Katie and Kirstie had no choice but to play for the Pirates, but they have remained there too, and I have loved watching them along the way. 

“My daughter Kate, along with Lee Capes, will coach the Pirates’ Premier 1 side this season, along with Kim Walker as assistant coach who has returned to the club after having her two beautiful children – it's exciting!” 

Elspeth, a Hockey WA Life Member, Medal of the Order of Australia recipient and now an inductee alongside a star-studded squad in the WA Hall of Champions, will forever live amongst the greats in Western Australian Hockey. 

Click here for the full story and list of players inducted from this star-studded team for the ages.