WHITE, Andrew James

BORN JUNE 30TH 1983 in Sydney Australia, White began ice hockey in 1987-8 after seeing a poster while skating at Blacktown International Ice Arena. He was four. A 188cm ( 6'2"), 95 kg defender, he developed in the Blacktown teams. In Peewees coached by Wendy Ovenden he set the state record for most points in a season (155 points from 18 games), [2] and according to Luke Read, he "dominated" Midgets. [1]

At 15, White travelled and lived in Canada, playing Bantam AA in Alberta where he was 12th in the league on points. Accepted at the prestigious boarding prep school Shattuck St Mary's in Minnesota for ice hockey, he played Midget AAA and Junior B, then moved back to Canada and played for Castlegar Rebels in the KIJHL. [2] He joined the West Sydney Ice Dogs in the club's second AIHL season in 2003, making playoffs for the first time that year, and winning the Goodall Cup the next season. It was the first of the Club's two all-time League championships.

White remained with the Ice Dogs for nine seasons until 2012, and his Club won its second Goodall Cup the following season. Former Ice Dogs coach, Andrew Petrie, considered him the "best open-ice hitter in Australian ice hockey". White returned in 2015 with the Adelaide Adrenaline, and back again to the Ice Dogs the next season at the age of 33. "It really is great to be back playing for the Ice Dogs again. This really is home for me and I am glad I can finish up my career with the club". He scored his personal best points in 2007 (22) along with 147 penalty minutes. He was Alternate Captain of the Club that year and Captain in 2012.

By the end of Season 2016, White had played a total of 236 regular season games in the AIHL for an average 0.61 points a game. That placed him among the league's Top-3 offensive defensemen behind the North Stars' Rob Stark and the Adrenaline's Josh Harding. Over a 13-year career, he accumulated 1186 minutes of penalties, an average 5 minutes a game, to become the second-most penalised player in the league behind AIHL teammate, David Dunwoodie.

White represented Australia at nine straight World Championships between 2003 and 2012 scoring a total of 6 goals 19 assists for an average 0.58 points a game. He produced the Most Assists in the 2005 D-Pool Worlds, and he was the Most Penalized player at both the 2011 and 2012 D-Pool Worlds. Alternate Captain of Australia in Lithuania in 2009, [2] White played a total of 43 senior games for his country, claiming two IIHF gold medals, two silver and a bronze in Divisions 1 and 2.

"Andrew was always one of the fierce and scary players for anyone to play against," recalled former Ice Dogs captain, Anthony Wilson, "with an absolute fake baby-faced look". [1]