Hockey: Helen Willis awarded life membership of Tudor Wests

Almost two decades later it has turned into a real passion, and seen her coach NSW hockey sides to national championship success.

Along the way she has been a constant presence in the dugout for Tudor Wests' junior girls and women's teams, and filled various roles on the club's women's committee.

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Also one of the driving forces in the push for the club to return to the Tamworth women's first grade fold, in recognition of her contribution to the club, Willis was at Tudors presentation awarded life membership.

The most illustrious honour that a club can bestow, it caught her by complete surprise. She had "no idea".

"It's pretty humbling," she said.

"It's pretty special to think that people think that much of you and what you've been able to do for the club."

Willis was also honoured to be presented her badge by fellow Life Member Doug Truman. One of the most respected figures in the club, Truman's wife, Dorothy, was the one that formed the women's club back in 1979.

At the time they were the the first club in Tamworth to have both men's and women's teams.

That is, Willis highlighted, one of the great things about the club: "that everyone can come and play at the same club; mum, dad, son and daughter".

She has had the opportunity to play with, and later coach, daughter Sarah, while son Dave has also donned the maroon and gold.

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It was coaching their minkey sides when they were at Nemingha that her association with Tudors began. Nemingha was one of the feeder schools to the club.

Pretty much ever since then she has played a role in the club in "some way, shape or form".

For the better part of the last decade she has been coaching the first, and second grade, women's sides.

She recalled sitting with a few other club members after the club's AGM, about 10 years ago now, and discussing how they needed to revive the first grade side (they had dropped out a couple of years earlier) or they risked losing some of the promising juniors coming through.

Deciding to take the plunge, the side that initial year included Sarah, and another 13-year-old in Em Jarrett, in goals.

Willis was still playing so didn't coach but took over the following year.

There were a lot of tough seasons, and some pretty heavy scorelines they were on the wrong end of. But Willis and the club persisted.

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That persistence paid off this year with first grade not only reaching the semi-finals for the first time since their return to the top grade, but making it all the way through to the grand final.

While they didn't get the result, she said it was "immensely satisfying" just to be there.

She said it was "a great club effort" and noted how much the depth in the club helped in their success. They had quite a number of young girls make their first grade debuts this year, and stepping up from second and third grade.

It was a bit of a watershed year for the club with second grade also making the grand final and going on to win the silverware.

"To have both first grade and second grade (in grand finals) was special as well, because who knows the last time that kind of happened," Willis said.

"Second grade have won it a couple of times over the years but we've never even been able to make semi's in first grade."

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