Audrey Palmer, one of Zimbabwe women's hockey's most devoted personalities and president for 15 years, has died in Mvurwi aged 74 last week. She first made her mark as a player, for Harare Sports Club, Mashonaland and Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia) and also represented South African Universities while studying at Maritzburg University.
When she retired from playing her commitment to women's hockey continued as an administrator, in various provincial and national posts, but particularly as a noted international umpire. She was among the first South African Grade A umpires when the Women's Hockey Association of Rhodesia was affiliated to that country.
A highpoint of Ms Palmer's career was her appointment as chaperone to the Zimbabwe women's hockey team at the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games, where the newly-independent nation of Zimbabwe won the inaugural Olympic Gold Medal for women's hockey - still this country's shining glory in the history of its team sports. Vice-President Joyce Mujuru, then Zimbabwe's first Minister of Sport, was also there to share the triumph.
On return from Moscow Ms Palmer became President of the Zimbabwe Women's Hockey Association for the next 15 years. During this time she teamed up with Zimbabwe's energetic player-coach, Anthea Stewart, to start a women's hockey development program in high-density areas. Indeed, some of today's national players passed through that system. She also served on the Sports Commission. Ms Palmer was an Honorary Life Member of the Hockey Association of Zimbabwe.
In 1997 her immense contributions to women's hockey in Zimbabwe were acknowledged by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) in Lausanne, Switzerland, with the prestigious President's Award. Audrey Palmer was born in Mutare on 21 February 1932.
Source: African Hockey Federation.
