Legendary Milestone: Maris Margetts celebrates 1000 games for Melville
Published Thu 30 May 2024
A lifelong passion for hockey has seen a local Masters player become the latest to achieve a huge playing milestone.
Hockey WA wishes to congratulate Maris Margetts who achieved the incredible 1000-game milestone with Melville City Hockey Club during their Ladies Mid-Week Masters competition.
Maris’s journey into hockey began as a 12-year-old in the mid-1960s, starting out as a junior for the then-Applecross Women’s Hockey Club, which would eventually become the Melville City Hockey Club.
Maris’s talent would see her rise through the ranks to form part of Applecross’s top side before moving to Port Hedland in 1976.
She continued playing hockey in Port Hedland, then had stints with South Perth and Canning Hockey Clubs after her return to Perth in the late-1970s before eventually coming back to Applecross Melville Women’s Hockey Club in 1983.
In 1995, Maris initiated the first Ladies Applecross Melville Vets team to play on turf on a Wednesday night in the new Veterans competition. This team went on to play in 10 Grand Finals in as many years.
The following year, Maris achieved Life Membership with the Applecross Melville Ladies Hockey Club and went on to win the Catherine Bayens Clubman award in 1997.
Maris also played an instrumental role in assisting the amalgamation of Applecross Melville Ladies Hockey Club and Melville Men’s Hockey Club – which would be known today as Melville City Hockey Club.
She also held positions within the Applecross Melville Ladies Hockey Club over the years from treasurer to committee member to secretary to Masters midweek manager and as President during the amalgamation with Melville Men’s Hockey Club.
She continues that active involvement to this day, preparing Melville City Hockey Club’s weekly President’s Newsletter.
Outside of her long-standing club involvement, Maris has represented WA in State Masters competitions 29 times and is getting ready to represent her home state for the 30th time in the 2024 Hockey Australia Masters National Championships.
Maris was also acknowledged for her Outstanding Contribution to WA Women’s Masters Hockey in 2016.
All the while, Maris continues playing hockey on a regular basis and she was very thrilled to play her 1000th game with the Melville City Hockey Club.
“I keep coming back because I just love playing hockey,” Maris said.
“[Hockey and Melville City Hockey Club] has a huge presence in my life.
“They’re like family and I’ve made lots of friends over the years.
“You don’t think about [milestones] when you start playing hockey but it’s more or less just one game at a time and I’m lucky to be able to turn up every week.”
Melville City Hockey Club life member Hilda Klass said she was not surprised that Margetts has entered the 1000-game club.
“I remember Maris making her debut with the higher-grade teams in the blink of an eyelid,” she said.
“Her skills and determination for a teenager were outstanding.
“She never hesitated to put her hand up for extra ‘jobs’ and carried them out with great enthusiasm.
“It was always refreshing to see a young lady so talented encouraging the older ones to put in the extra effort, she was well beyond her years on the hockey field.
“I was fortunate to share my last playing days in a team with Maris. Most of us were ‘vets’ status and it was Maris who helped us steady the ship!”
