Heggie, Jack

STATE PRESIDENT, JACK HEGGIE, had a plan to rescue the top-level of NSW ice hockey after termination of the short-lived NIHL in 1981. He presented it to the association in Sydney on January 19th 1982, like this: two recreational groups (beginner and non-checking experienced players); competition hockey for players competing in the intercity league; and elite hockey for the best of the competitive club players to receive intensified skill and team development training  prime candidates to represent Australia internationally.

The local minor competition could continue unchanged, but the senior league  formed in 1980-1 for non-NIHL players  would convert to a recreational league with no body checking or slapshots. And at the top-level of the state, including the ACT, would be a New South Wales Allstar League. Renamed the CP Air Superleague, it comprised 7 clubs: Canterbury United, Blacktown City, Canberra Knights, Newcastle Northstars, Iceland Allstars, Macquarie Bears and Warringah Bombers.

As part of the proposal, the association established the NSW Development Council to organise coaching clinics for both players and referees during winter and summer. Ray Robertson, the new Coaching and Development Officer, identified an urgent need to lift the basic skills of young players, so they introduced a skill test and all clubs appointed a head coach.

The national association had already appointed Paul Chartrand as referee-in-chief when the state appointed its own, partly replacing the Referee's Association. They made efforts to encourage young male and female referees and, although there had been interstate referee seminars in the past, the first clinic for accrediting referees was held in Sydney at the Narrabeen Fitness Camp. A convenor was also appointed at each rink to coordinate game officials.

Margaret Throsby, the popular radio and TV personality, dropped the puck for the first Superleague exhibition game at the new Macquarie Ice Rink—Bears vs Bombers. Dr Alex Tahmindjis, the state sports medicine director, presented a plaque for use as an annual award to people who had dedicated themselves to state hockey. At the good doctor's request, the first recipient was Jack Heggie.

Coached by his father for ten years in Saskatoon, Canada, alongside Gordie Howe who was a few years older, Heggie and the family later moved to New York, employed by IBM in Poughkeepsie. Jack officiated in the USA where his four sons — Mark, John, Phillip and Rob —played hockey. The family moved to Australia from Toronto in 1979, where John and Phil became Brown Trophy Champions the same year.

John in net played for the Newcastle Northstars in the 1980 NIHL. He made the semi-finals where he faced 70 shots, allowing 4 against the Sydney All-Stars, the eventual champions. He became a state coach (U16) and referee-in-chief here between October 1979 and November 1987. John and Phil in defence were foundation players of the NSW Super League with the Bombers. Rob was a lot younger and played for Canterbury because his father "didn't want any club to dominate hockey". Rob represented Australia in the 1985 National Youth Team.

Jack remained state president until the end of the '84 season, although his proposals reached further, transforming hockey in New South Wales in ways that are still clear today. "A wonderful man who helped us [women players] in the very early 1980s," says Wendy Ovenden, recalling his encouraging words to young women to attend the Summer Hockey Training Camp at the Canterbury Rink in Sydney. Jack made important changes to hockey in NSW, including the day-to-day running of the association and life support for the rebirth of the women's game after a dearth of fifty years.

His work had important flow-on nationally, and while his family's involvement was relatively short-lived here, it extended back over generations in another land. Former vice-captain of Australia, Allan Harvey, remembers Jack as a loving, supportive family man. "Generations of giving back to the sport we all love," recalls former Bomber netminder, David Turik. "And that player to make the NHL just happened to be one of the best of all-time. Must have been that early coaching!"