New Zealand Hockey legend, Shea McAleese is set to be inducted into the Hawke’s Bay Sports Hall of Fame at the 2022 Forsyth Barr Hawke’s Bay Sport and Recreation Awards.

Postponed until 29^th October 2022 due to crowd restrictions and lockdowns, the regional awards functions celebrate all that is great about sport and active recreation in Hawke’s Bay.

McAleese was nominated by Hawke’s Bay Hockey for the Hawke’s Bay Sports Hall of Fame following his retirement from the game in 2021. In a national career that spanned 17 years and earning 320 caps, McAleese will be remembered as a player who always put his team first with a number of teammates saying he is the epitome of the ‘team man’.

“I am honoured to receive this award and to be recognised alongside some legends of Hawke’s Bay Sport, in particular hockey legends Marg Hiha, Shirley Eddy and Caryn Paewai means a lot”

The William Colenso College old boy started his representative career in Hawke’s Bay before moving down to Canterbury and then overseas. McAleese always found his way back to Hawke’s Bay and represented the Central Falcons throughout his career winning national titles in 2011 and 2020.

Showing his longevity to the game, McAleese represented New Zealand at four Olympic Games, four Commonwealth Games and four FIH World Cups, earning Bronze and Silver Commonwealth medals in 2010 and 2018.

Alongside an international career that spanned 17 years, McAleese forged an impressive domestic résumé for Canterbury and the Central Falcons as well as several successful stints in Australia, India, Germany, Holland and Belgium.

In Europe, McAleese is a household name after playing for the Uhlenhorster Hockey Club in Hamburg from 2007 till 2009, winning the hotly contested Euro Hockey League 2007–2008. He also helped his team to a second-place finish in the competition in the 2008–2009 Season, when they were defeated by HC Bloemendaal of The Netherlands.

McAleese was awarded a Life Membership of the Hawke’s Bay Hockey Association in 2022. Hawke’s Bay Hockey General Manager, Strahan McIntosh says “the whole region is thankful to have Shea here in the Bay supporting our up-and-coming hockey players. We know how much the sport of Hockey means to him and he has given so much to achieve at the highest level”.

“This recognition along with his Lifetime Membership with Hawke’s Bay Hockey shows the long-lasting impact he is having on our game”.

Throughout his career McAleese has been heavily involved with supporting the next generation of hockey players in Hawke’s Bay and New Zealand. Since retiring this has been through his role as High Performance and Development Manager at Hawke’s Bay Hockey.

McAleese is the current Assistant Coach to the Women’s Black Sticks side, taking the team to the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

The last inductee to the Hawke’s Bay Sports Hall of Fame was All Blacks star, Israel Dagg, inducted at the annual Forsyth Barr Hawke’s Bay Sport and Recreation Awards in May 2021.  

Tickets to the 2022 Forsyth Barr Hawke’s Bay Sport and Recreation Awards are available from www.hbsportsawards.co.nz and are selling fast.

Article added: Tuesday 04 October 2022