Peterson, Des

BORN MAY 25TH 1941 in Sydney Australia, Des Peterson began roller skating from about the age of 6, and graduated to general skating at Sydney Glaciarium at the age of 7. He attended Granville Secondary Technical High School, and soon became seriously committed to speed skating at the ice rinks at Five Dock and Prince Alfred Park in Sydney. An apprentice Fitter and Draughtsman at Fairey Aviation by trade, he took up ice hockey with West Tigers, moving to the East Monarchs at Prince Alfred Park in 1959. A few years on, he represented NSW in the Interstate Series of 1962, '63 and '64, where he won two Goodall Cups.

Between 1965 and '67, Peterson lived in England, Scotland and Canada (Toronto), but he continued to hone his hockey skills. On his return to Australia in 1968, he rejoined Easts and the state team, and then the Bombers at Narrabeen in 1969, before moving permanently to the Australian Capital Territory.

Canberra had no competition ice until Phillip opened late in 1980, but there Peterson's legend grew. He helped start ice hockey in the Capital from scratch, as a player, coach, referee and administrator. He attended courses conducted by visiting officials from Melbourne and Sydney, and it was there that he caught the officiating bug. "Very rough times," he recalls "doing the 2-man system in the East Coast Super League".

Peterson was foundation captain of the Canberra Knights in the NSW Super League, including the matches against the touring Grand Prairie Athletics from Canada, in the first international exhibition hockey game ever played at the Phillip rink. He was also assistant to coach Murray Dent of the first Canberra Colts 23-man training squad for the under-16 representative team in 1981.

In 1982, Peterson travelled with Knights coach Stewart Wright to British Columbia Canada for an intensive 2-week training course under the auspices of the Canadian Amateur Ice Hockey Association. He returned with a class three ticket and focussed on developing junior players in Canberra's first ice rink.

By 1985, news of Peterson's skill set had reached Rick Williams, the national Referee-In-Chief. He was invited to Sydney for an IIHF Seminar conducted by legendary German Referee, Josef Kompalla, who is best known for officiating the famous 1972 Summit Series between the Soviet Union and Canada.

Soon after, Peterson earned his International Ice Hockey Federation license and officiated at IIHF tournaments in Adelaide 1986, China 1987, Bendigo 1988 and at the World Juniors B (Japan) that year. He Refereed and Lined in the NSW Super League until about 1995.

Secretary of the ACT association in 1986 and 1987, Peterson was association president for about two years in the mid-nineties. Rick Williams considered the Canberran one of Australia's "most consistent and admired officials in the history of our sport".

Peterson plays old-timers' ice hockey for the Canberra Senators and in 1992 he was honoured with the captaincy of the territory. At that time he was the ACT's oldest active ice hockey player competing against Australia's oldest player, Melbourne's Bob Motteram. The same year, Peterson spoke out against the NSW association ban on Wendy Ovenden, one of Australia's finest women's ice hockey players, who had played with the Sydney Icemen men's team in 1991. Offering an age dispensation, Peterson invited her to play in one of the two Canberra oldtimer teams.

Des Peterson is still active in skating and ice sports approaching his sixth decade of participation.