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Ross Gillespie
MBE
Ross Gillespie MBE
Born	John Ross Gillespie; 2 June 1935; Timaru, New Zealand
Died	29 January 2023 (aged 87); Christchurch, New Zealand
Height
Field hockey career
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight	68 kg (150 lb)
National team
Years	Team
1956–1972	New Zealand
Coaching career
Years	Team
1971–1976	New Zealand

John Ross Gillespie MBE (2 June 1935 – 29 January 2023) was a New Zealand field hockey player and coach. Gillespie represented New Zealand at the Summer Olympics twice as a player, in 1960 and 1964. He was head coach of the New Zealand field hockey team at 1972 Summer Olympics and of the gold medal-winning team four years later in 1976.

Early life and family

Born in Timaru on 2 June 1935, Gillespie was the son of John Arthur Gillespie and Marjory Hannah Gillespie (née Kennard).^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4] He grew up in Christchurch, and was educated at Christchurch Boys' High School.^[2]

In 1957, Gillespie became engaged to Barbara Ellen Sutherland,^[5] and they later married and went on to have three children.^[6]

Hockey career

Playing

A member of the Woolston club, Gillespie made his representative debut for Canterbury in 1955.^[2]^[7] He was first selected for the New Zealand national team in 1958,^[8] making his debut in the first test against Pakistan at Lancaster Park, Christchurch, on 12 April that year.^[9]

Gillespie went on to play for New Zealand at two Olympics: in 1960 when New Zealand placed fifth; and in 1964 when New Zealand finished in 13th place.^[10]

Coaching

As a teenager, Gillespie began coaching junior teams at the Woolston club, and eventually became coach of the club's senior side.^[2] In 1971, he co-coached, with Ray Mackinlay, the New Zealand men's team that finished second at the Southeast Asian regional tournament in Singapore.^[11]^[12] The following year, he was the sole head coach of the New Zealand side that placed ninth at the 1972 Summer Olympics (where he was listed as 17th man on the team sheet, but did not make an appearance on the field).^[2]

Gillespie was able to keep the core of the 1972 team together for the 1976 Summer Olympics, and the New Zealand team emerged victorious, defeating Australia in the final by one goal to nil to win the gold medal.^[2]

According to Barry Maister, Gillespie was not a loud, demonstrative coach.^[2] Of Gillespie, Arthur Parkin said: "At first meeting you think, he's a grumpy bastard, when actually he's very personable and very witty".^[13]

Honours and awards

In the 1977 New Year Honours, Gillespie was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to hockey.^[14] In 1990, the 1976 gold-medal hockey team was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame.^[15] In 1998, Gillespie was elected a life member of Hockey New Zealand.^[2]

Later life and death

Gillespie retired from international coaching after the 1976 Olympics, to concentrate on his sawmill business and his family, although he remained a national selector for a period.^[2] He died in Christchurch on 29 January 2023, at the age of 87,^[6] having been predeceased by his wife, Barbara, in 2017.^[16]

References

^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Ross Gillespie". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 24 September 2010.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Smith, Tony (31 January 2023). "New Zealand Olympic hockey gold medallists mourn 'highly respected' coach Ross Gillespie". Stuff. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
^ "Birth search: registration number 1935/46495". Births, deaths & marriages online. Department of Internal Affairs. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
^ "Golden weddings". The Press. 22 August 1978. p. 27. Retrieved 12 January 2024 – via PapersPast.
^ "Engagements". The Press. Vol. 95, no. 28222. 9 March 1957. p. 2. Retrieved 12 January 2024 – via PapersPast.
^ ^a ^b "John Gillespie obituary". The Press. 1 February 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
^ "New Zealand hockey squad to play against Pakistan". The Press. Vol. 97, no. 28559. 12 April 1958. p. 5. Retrieved 12 January 2024 – via PapersPast.
^ "NN.Z. squad selected for Pakistan test". The Press. Vol. 97, no. 28529. 7 March 1958. p. 25. Retrieved 12 January 2024 – via PapersPast.
^ "Decisive win for Pakistan in test". The Press. Vol. 97, no. 28560. 14 April 1958. p. 15. Retrieved 12 January 2024 – via PapersPast.
^ Ross Gillespie at the New Zealand Olympic Committee
^ "Tough tour ahead". The Press. Vol. 111, no. 32676. 4 August 1971. p. 28. Retrieved 12 January 2024 – via PapersPast.
^ "N.Z. hockey tour a success—coach". The Press. Vol. 111, no. 32688. 18 August 1971. p. 32. Retrieved 12 January 2024 – via PapersPast.
^ "Remembering Ross Gillespie". New Zealand Olympic Committee. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
^ "No. 47104". The London Gazette (3rd supplement). 31 December 1976. p. 43.
^ "Men's hockey team 1976". New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
^ "Barbara Gillespie obituary". The Press. 28 December 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2024.