After her playing career, Margaret took up coaching. Such was her outstanding contribution, an annual coach’s award is named in her honour – The McKenzie Hockey Coaching Award.
Perhaps the word is used too often but it is applicable in this case – Margaret McKenzie was an inspiration to many players and coaches in the hockey world in South Australia and Australia.
Playing as goalkeeper – and representing Australia in that position from 1951-53 and being part of the celebrated Australian team to beat England for the first time – she would later use her rich abilities to analyse the game as a successful coach.
Such was her effectiveness and contribution, Margaret McKenzie was foremost in helping to establish the important National Coaches Scheme in 1979 and then the formation of the SA Hockey Coaches Federation, which together with Val Nairn and Dennis Glencross, oversaw the operation of Hockey Australia’s coaching accreditation courses.
Glencross himself was also immensely important to the development of the game here with his progressive approach to all aspects of high performance.
As a university lecturer, he applied his understanding of psychology for high performance to his coaching and readily shared that knowledge with other coaches.
Margaret could see that improving the game of hockey in SA was dependent on improving the knowledge and overall quality of coaches at all levels. She made a generous and very significant commitment to that cause.
She is a life member of the Aroha and the SAWHA and, significantly, the outstanding coach’s annual award is named in her honour – The McKenzie Hockey Coaching Award.
Seated: Judy Blight (4th from left) SA captain/coach; Standing: Mary Burston (3rd from left) were selected to the Australian team for the IWFHA Tournament in Edinburgh in 1975.
