Phil Nguyen Awarded Life Membership by La Trobe University Hockey Club
At La Trobe University Hockey Club’s 2024 Presentation Night on 11th of October, Life Member and former President Zac Martin gave the following speech:
There is no award more meaningful than the one I have the privilege of presenting tonight. This is the most significant way we can recognise a member’s contribution – an award we give for outstanding service and commitment to the club.
Tonight, we award our 21st Life Membership.
Our recipient started at the club in 2009 – and in the following decade and half would go on to make many significant contributions, both on and off the field.
On field, they’ve been part of very successful teams across both Seniors and Masters – with Premierships in 2011, 2012, and 2022.
The worked their way up through the Men’s side of the club, including time as Captain before becoming a regular part of the VicLeague squad where they’ve been for more than a decade. They won the VicLeague Coach’s Award in 2014.
Further, this person would represent the club at Uni Games in 2010 and was Assistant Coach for Hookin2Hockey in 2019.
But his contribution to the club is so much more than the on field successes.
This person joined the Committee in their first year at the club in 2010 and would go on to have a position every year since – an honour only a handful of people can claim. He has the record of being the only person living overseas to still maintain a position on the committee.
His roles include Sponsorship Coordinator in 2010, Men’s Coordinator in 2011, 12 and 13, and Recruitment Coordinator in 2014, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19.
In 2020 we would finally team up in the Exec, myself taking President and him taking Vice President. We would quickly face into COVID, and I could not be more grateful for the time and commitment of this person during that period. We would continue this dream team in both 2021 and 2022.
He then stepped into the biggest shoes you can fill (mine) and was your President last year and is your President this year.
He was awarded a La Trobe University Blue Award for Outstanding Service in 2022, and is one of only two people to have won Clubperson of the Year three times – in 2013, 2021 and 2022.
In this time he has achieved a lot for the club. He is fiercely passionate about the culture of the club – he ran the Albury Carnival for four years in a row from 2010 – 2013 and 2015, and more recently has turned our Summer Competition into the huge success it is today with 100s of participants. He’s also been an advocate (and participant) in building the social side of the club – it’s not uncommon for this person to be the last one standing at Haci’s Kebabs at 2am on Bell Street.
But perhaps his most lasting legacy will be the new clubrooms, where after more than a decade and a half, he has been the driving force in finally securing the funding and steering the design – with the project currently out to tender, and looking to be complete in time for the 2026 season.
I think the great Ross Erickson sums it up best: “Phil is an outstanding member in all that he has contributed and there is no doubt he is deserving of a Life Membership.”
For these reasons, and for many more, please join me in awarding the 21st Life Membership of La Trobe University Hockey Club, for outstanding service and commitment to the Club, Phil Nguyen.
Phil Nguyen awarded Life Membership by Zac Martin