Chairman of Well-Being Australia Mark Tronson says it has been his privilege to have been a receiptent of wisdom from numerous such people leading up to and during his 18 years of founding the Sports and Leisure Ministry, 17 years as the Australian cricket team chaplain, and now 29 years in faith financed mission.
One of these people was Eric Smith.
Mark Tronson picks up the story: Hockey has played a very enjoyable part of my life. When our family moved to Canberra from Mackay Queensland in 1960, I was placed in the Canberra Baptist Under 12 hockey team. Bill Hellier our hockey coach would collect us boys in his Austin A30, we'd all squash in and have a most wonderful hockey experience.
The annual presentation was "pie night" where us boys could eat as many pies as possible. One of my treasured possessions is the 1963 Under 12 Best & Fairest Cup.
My mother represented NSW in the late 30's in hockey and whether it was in the genes or not, I found the skills associated with hockey came naturally. Years later I found it difficult to coach technique as I played intuitively, I played instinctively; viz when to pass, when not to, and where to be in the right position to receive a pass.
At Narrabundah High School I won the hockey cup in 1967. I discovered Goulburn kids were born with hockey sticks, they'd regularly beat our school team by 5-7 goals.
When I transferred to Port Kembla as an Acting Fireman in 1969 was when my senior hockey career began. I'd met Dr Bob Wheway from Wollongong University at a Scripture Union Sports Camp at Moss Vale when I was 14 and therefore I contacted Bob and joined his club, St Matthews (Anglican).
This was where I first met Eric Smith, the champion club fullback, moreover a committed Christian. The club placed me as left attack and many a time Eric from defence would find me 'with a solid pass' and as "the striker" I'd manage to score a goal.
We were the two St Matthews players in the Illawarra representative team. In 1971 St Matthews finished 2nd to St George in the Easter Monday St George Hockey Carnival, the first year a Country Team had reached the final. We were grand-finalists in the local competition for some years.
When Eric wasn't available St Matthews invariably lost. One time Eric had an acute tooth ache and wouldn't play and Bob Wheway exclaimed, "You don't play hockey with your teeth!"
Eric and Alyson married, eventually took promotion to Newcastle, then to Canberra and it was here that I again caught up with Eric Smith. I'd written my first book on hockey in 1982 and had a "signing" at Angus & Robertson in Civic Centre. Eric came and we re-established our friendship which has continued for all these years.
Eric & Alyson Smith eventually moved to Melbourne with his work. Daughter Merewyn has done short term mission work and Andrew represented Australia in hockey (Kookaburras) and has been the top goal scorer in the Australian Hockey League.
Merewyn has become one of our Press Service International young 'Comment' writers for Christian Today Australia and Andrew has been interviewed by the Australian Missionary News IPTV which can be viewed at:
http://tv.bushorchestra.com/Sport/videopages/andrew_smith.html
On one occasion in 2002 watching Andrew with the Kookaburras playing as "the striker" (Australia defeated Holland 2-1) Eric and I noted the skills Andrew had and I only wished, like hundreds of other 'in our own era' I had such where-with-all.
Eric & Alyson Smith have hosted us many times in Melbourne. They have hosted a number of our family members and taken them shopping at wholesale clothing outlets.
