Vale Peter de Lacy

Hockey SA is saddened to hear of the passing of Life Member, Peter de Lacy. 

Peter first became involvement in the game of hockey in Year 6/7, whilst at primary school. He never left the game.

Over the journey, Peter played on the field, but mostly in the goals. He went on to represent South Australia as a goalkeeper, back in the days before helmets were a thing.

After his playing days ceased, Peter switched his focus to team management at Brighton (now Seacliff Hockey Club) where he is also a Life Member. For many years, Peter was the Team Manager of the State League and State League Reserves. 

As soon as Peter's children were old enough to play hockey, he engaged himself wholeheartedly in the coaching community. Grassroots, school, SAPSASA and club junior hockey benefited from Peter's calm and educative manner with many children in the game, several of them now in their 50's, who still speak of his support and enthusiasm for hockey when they were in Primary School.

Outside of playing and coaching teams, Peter turned his hand to Umpiring and Technical. He went on to serve as an Umpires Coach at many Hockey Australia National Hockey Championships, and then engaged in the Technical side of the game. Peter went on to serve as a Hockey Australia Tournament Director for a number of years, including junior national tournaments, Australian Country Championships, the Australian Hockey League and on a number of international fixtures in Adelaide. He finished his final season of hockey involvement as a constant of many years as stalwart of the tech bench at local Premier League hockey fixtures. The tech bench was just like his second home, surrounded by people he admired and loved.

Peter was renowned as a lover of storytelling and always had a joke or two up his sleeve. He was solely responsible for some Premier League games commencing late, because he had still not got to the punch line! 

Peter was an Executive Board Director of Hockey SA, managing a number of portfolios including Umpire/Technical and then Country Hockey. Both portfolio's and communities thrived under his management. Peter also stepped in as the CEO/General Manager of Hockey SA for a period of time to allow for a seamless transition in a time of need.

Peter was inducted as a Life Member of Hockey SA in 2003. 

Our condolences, thoughts and prayers go out to the de Lacy family.