Historic fortnight for YMCC as legendary duo reach major milestones

The next two weeks are packed with excitement for YMCC Hockey Club, as two of their Premier League men, Mark Boyne and Tyler Lovell, will play their 400^th and 350^th Premier League games respectively.

The two have played almost their entire senior hockey careers together and feel lucky that they get to share the landmark achievements so close to one another.

Mark Boyne is YMCC Hockey Club’s proud Premier League games record holder, which will become 400 on Saturday 19 August when YMCC take Reds Hockey Club at Aquinas College.

Boyne says he’s not nervous about the coming game, but instead, he’s relieved.

“This has been a difficult year for me personally and I didn’t think I’d be able to set foot on a hockey field again, so to reach this milestone is extremely satisfying,” Boyne said.

The achievement on its own is remarkable, but it is made even more so by the fact that Boyne underwent major life-saving bowel removal surgery earlier this year, during which Mark spent a fortnight in hospital and lost over 10kg, due to a two-decade-long ongoing battle with Crohn’s disease.

After intensive physical therapy, Boyne returned to YMCC’s Premier League side in round 10 of the 2023 season, and has played every game since – despite also nursing a broken thumb.

He says his favourite memory with the club was their 2009 premiership win.

“That premiership was special,” Boyne said.

“The team of misfits came together to achieve something few thought possible and ultimately set the club up for a sustained period of success.”

He also credits the club’s great success to not only the players, but also the people within the club – the volunteers and those behind the scenes that work to make the community something special.

Mark is beyond proud of his career with YMCC, and his record, but his sights are set on the club’s future.

“I’m quietly tipping Tyler Lovell will take that record in a few years’ time, which will be richly deserved,” Boyne said.

Lovell’s own 350^th milestone is scheduled to be played on Saturday 26 August against UWA at YMCC’s home ground of Shenton Park, but he’s not letting the excitement of milestone event get in the way of playing his game.

“It means a lot, of course, but ultimately, it’s just another game that I’m proud to represent my club in,” Lovell said.

Rather, Lovell says he is more focused on the team performance and playing their best game leading into finals.

He began at Minkey, and even then, he had his sights set on goalkeeping. He was finally able to put on the pads when in under-9s as soon as the team was asked who would like to be goalkeeper, Lovell was immediately jumping into the goals and kicking balls away in nothing but his runners.

“They kitted me up and that was it,” Lovell said.

Just a few short years later, in 2002, Tyler was recruited to YMCC by WA State Coach, Colin Howell, and YMCC’s Head Coach, Jason Duff, from the under-15 state tournament.

“YM gave me an opportunity when I was young,” Lovell said.

“They saw something in me that I hadn’t quite see in myself yet and they gave me the opportunity to succeed.”

He debuted into the YMCC Premier League team that very same year, aged just 15, and was very excited to learn from ex-Kookaburras Goalkeeper Stephen Lambert who was YMCC’s Men’s Premier League goalkeeper at the time, which allowed him to learn from the best while he filled Lambert’s spot during Kookaburra tournaments. 

Lovell also won five premierships in a seven-year period with YMCC – 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Similarly, to Mark Boyne, he says that he will always remember their 2009 premiership victory, as not only did he come away with the gold, but he was also awarded Best on Ground for the final.

Lovell is deeply entrenched in the YMCC Hockey Club and believes the club is truly a special community.

“Mateship is probably the one word I would use to describe the club,” Lovell said.

“I love that I get to play with my best mates.”

The pair had nothing but the highest praise about one another.

“Mark is incredibly resilient and has had an unbelievable contribution to the club. The influence he’s had on everyone is remarkable,” Lovell said.

And Mark attributed a lot of the team’s success to Tyler’s unparallel ability to make the crucial saves in their biggest games.

“You couldn’t ask for a better teammate and person to play alongside for 20 years,” Boyne said.

“He’s world-class and he’s been a driving force for the success we’ve had at our club and for keeping the new generation grounded, focused and honest.”