RANSOME, Miranda

BORN OCTOBER 4TH, 1962 Miranda Ransome grew up in Canterbury in Sydney, and while she skated, she never played hockey. However, in 2006 her son Jack started skating at SIA in Sydney, and joined the Norwest Emperors in the local league in 2007. She began volunteering, joined the club committee, and managed some of her son's teams, from Atoms to Midgets.

Ransome was club secretary and registrar for seven years or so, and club rep on the state association for four years. This led to other roles, such as Member Protection Information Officer, state team manager, team manager of the Sydney Wolf Pack in the national junior league, and chef-de-mission for teams such as the Australian Thunder and the Ice Crocs at the Quebec International Peewee Tournaments (2013, 14). She also helped out with the governance structure of the committee of the AIHL Sydney Ice Dogs for a couple of years.

In 2013, Ransome served as manager of the national development camp for some years. In 2014-15, she took on the new role of Director of National Player Development Camps, which she held for many years. In 2016, she became national vice president, and in 2018 and 2019, she was General Manager of the U18 National Youth Team. In 2020, she was Team Manager of the U20 National Junior Team, winning silver.

In March 2019, Ransome was appointed the first female president of the national association when the incumbent resigned for health reasons. Australia listed 4,465 registered ice hockey players sharing 20 ice rinks. The administrator brought considerable skills and commitment to the role at a time of significant change in the governance of National Sporting Organisations (NSO). A business owner with association experience, she had been president of a national industry peak body which had gone through significant structural and constitutional change. Her skill set was well suited to an organisation that needed to change and adapt in response to changing societal and member expectations.

The national association became a company limited by guarantee, which required serious financial governance aimed at delivering better value to members. During Ransome’s tenure, Sport Australia recognised the national association as an NSO, opening the door for future participation grants, director and coach development and education, and athletes, providing it complied with the new Sport Australia governance principles. The organisation’s move to a new constitution saw an increased focus on strategic direction and organisational oversight, while working with the Australian Olympic Committee and the Olympic Winter Institute Australia.

During that time, the national association expanded its team significantly. In 2019, Gill McLean was appointed Commissioner of the Australian Junior Ice Hockey League, the long vacant MPIO position was filled, the marketing role expanded from one to a team of five people, the High Performance director long vacated by Marcus Frankenberger was replaced, a new Strength and Conditioning director was appointed, and a new Goalie Development Manager role was filled by Bruce Poling, and later Sera Doğramacı.

Miranda Ransome received a special introduction when IIHF President René Fasel opened the 2019 IIHF Annual Congress held in Bratislava during the last week of the 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. The delegates warmly welcomed the only female president in the room. Ransome might arguably be the first president of a national ice hockey association ever.

“I’m not sure if I’m the first female President, there are many women involved in the sport at all levels and I’m one of two who serve on our board. Our Board recognises the value of diversity but not just gender diversity. It is important that board members have diverse backgrounds and that they bring to the board the diverse set of skills that can work together in the best interest for ice hockey in Australia,” Ransome said.

Miranda Ransome resigned as national president in late November 2020, and is still active in the sport. In 2022, she and her husband Steve were Team Managers of the Central Coast Rhinos in the Pacific Hockey League. The administrator, who studied chemical engineering and has an MBA, runs a waste management business in Sydney.