McLeod, Norm

BORN JUNE 14TH 1946 to Albert and Bessie in Waverley, Sydney, Norm McLeod first skated in 1959 at the Prince Alfred Park open-air ice rink. Next year he commenced hockey school on Saturday mornings and continued at Bondi Junction, where he joined the Prague Bombers. He played competition hockey with the Bombers from 1961 until 1967, then transferred to the Hotspurs in 1968. He was club Coach for six years, from 1969 until 1974 and club secretary-treasurer.

For four seasons straight, from 1963 to 66, the Sydney net minder represented New South Wales in the Brown Trophy, winning the National in 1963. He won the 1970 Goodall Cup, coached by Vic Mansted and managed by Harry Cameron. Selected for the National Team in 1974, he withdrew due to family reasons in an era of contemporaries such as Vince Eliasek, Ron Mann, Paul Hare, Mike Kriz and Jim Lynch. His coaches were Dick Groenteman, Emile Butchatsky, Ken Kennedy, Syd Tange and Phil Ginsberg. He worked at Canterbury as an ice official in the 70s and played for Newtown in the late 70s.

McLeod was elected state president and delegate to the NSW Olympic Committee for seven years, from 1989 to 95. Daughter Claire and a friend started a drop-in session for women interested in playing the game. With the help of Eddie and Tony Moldenhauer, they drew over 30 women to the Canterbury rink late slots on Saturday night (after 10.30 pm). McLeod spread this interest between Canterbury and Macquarie ice rinks at an association meeting to give an ice hockey league for women the push. In 1992, he coached the Canterbury women and continued to support the first league for women in NSW.

He helped convince national president Phil Ginsberg to enter the women in the World Championship. Kathy Berg was appointed coach of Australia’s first women’s national team. “My first trip to Australia for the first National camp in 2000 simply would not have been successful without Norm,” wrote Berg. “He was just there and couldn’t do enough for us to help with all the little things … and big, such as skate sharpening. A great supporter of female hockey”.

Goalkeeper for the Canterbury Ice Hawkes from 1989 until about 2000, he managed the Canterbury Eagles in the NSW Superleague in the early 90s. The national association elected McLeod treasurer in 1991, then national secretary and delegate to the Australian Olympic Committee from 1994 to 2008. He moved to Queensland and was elected state president from 2009 to 2014. Other roles included National Tournament Director for 18 years (1996 to 2003, 2010 to 2019) and four times Chef de Mission of the National Youth Team (U18) (1998 to 2000 and 2007).

A skilled ice maker, McLeod did the ice for the 2007 Australian Youth Olympic Festival at the Sydney Ice Arena, sharpened skates, and loaned old gear and sticks to young players starting out. Awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000, McLeod was elected a Life Member of the national association in 2006 and the Gold Coast Grizzlies in 2022. A close friend of Roy Philpott, Syd Tange and Phil Ginsberg, Norm McLeod’s life revolved around Ice Hockey, a contribution at local, state and national levels that has spanned six decades.