Hockey: Queechy celebrates 60 years thanks to French family

Since 1967, the French family have been a constant within the club's circles and before the grand celebration next weekend, four members of the tight-knit crew spoke to The Examiner about the club's journey and what it means to them.

The patriarch of the family, 84-year-old Kevin French started his involvement with Queechy 54 years ago.

Finishing his playing days just over a decade ago, Kevin has fond memories of the club's development.

"When I moved to Launceston, the club was new, and we just tried to improve it as much as we could as we went along and it took us 17 years to win our first division one premiership in 1978 - 11 years after I got there," he said.

"The club has been a rollercoaster since then.

"Winning that premiership is a major highlight as far as the club's concerned.

"Then in 1986, we won the Queechy quadrella - all four men's premierships and a women's premiership - so that's certainly a club highlight."

Recognised as a life member in 1975, the father and grandfather credited the people around him for "making the club" and is "fairly proud" of his family continuing the hockey tradition.

Kevin's son Paul's earliest hockey memories involve senior players picking him up, taking him to games and dropping him back home.

Backyard battles with older brother Ian were also prominent, with the pair later honoured with life membership on the same day in 2009.

"We were very competitive, he did nothing and I did all the work," he said.

"He was an attacker and I was a defender and I guess that was the nature of when you played hockey in the backyard together, somebody had to be the attacker and somebody had to be the defender and the younger brother always got the short end of the stick."

Now 55, Paul has had a lifetime of involvement with the hockey club and couldn't be happier for it.

"It's a great club, we are a family club, we look out for one another, we've been around for a long while.

Still playing division two, Paul has coached senior and junior sides and played in premierships with son Elliott.

"That's always fun, to be able to play hockey with your son, I think we [Kevin and I] did that as well but I can't really remember, that was probably a long time ago - that's definitely a highlight.

"To be able to have your name on trophies with your parents [means a lot].

"There's a few trophies that I've won that Kevin's won that are perpetual trophies, so that's probably a highlight as well."

Hannah's life hasn't always been full of hockey, taking a decade off after juniors, but she has since returned after missing the club's people and wanting to carry on the family's name.

"I think the really nice thing was that even after 10 years away, I could come back and feel that I could come in and be welcomed back, encouraged and supported by everyone in the club," she said.

"I think that's part of the club's atmosphere, that together we support each other no matter what division we are in, how we are going, it's always about the best outcomes for the club and the team."

ELSEWHERE IN SPORT

The 28-year-old describes her dad and uncle's life membership coronations as a personal highlight, calling herself "lucky" to be in the position that she is, having so many members of her family involved in the club.

"We were never pressured to play, it was never like 'you have to play hockey' but I remember my dad playing, I remember my grandfather playing from when I was four [years old].

"You grow up in that environment and naturally you're a bit like 'oh yeah, this is my environment, this is where I want to be'."

Roughly 13 years ago, Elliott was "convinced" to play hockey by his dad Paul and ever since then, he's never stopped.

Now 26, he is a member of Queechy's Greater Northern League squad, a side that has consistently made the finals over the past decade.

But the Penguins haven't been able to raise the trophy since 2013, where they completed five consecutive premiership wins when Elliott was in his teens.

"The last few years, we've always bowed out just before the final so hopefully this year we can get to it, but we are looking stronger.

"[We are looking to] make finals and from there, we will see what happens."

Like the rest of his family, Elliott complimented the club's social atmosphere, making plenty of mates which creates the strong environment.

"There's a lot of good hockey players around and all the senior people are always helping out the younger ones coming through so you've always got a new wave of juniors.

"[When I was young], there was always someone showing interest in you and your abilities and trying to make you a better player and that's obviously continued on for a while."

Do you know someone who is contributing to Northern Tasmanian sport, whether through participating or assisting?

The Examiner's Junior Sports Awards, sponsored by Woolworths, provide acknowledgement of accomplishments by players, coaches, volunteers, teams and clubs across the region.

Nominations are open from Wednesday, April 14, and will close at midnight on October 4.

Entries must include a photograph of the entrant.