Ross Gillespie
Ross Gillespie MBE | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | John Ross Gillespie 2 June 1935 Timaru, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 29 January 2023 (aged 87) , New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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John Ross Gillespie
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
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.
- PapersPast.
- PapersPast.
- ^ a b "John Gillespie obituary". The Press. 1 February 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- PapersPast.
- PapersPast.
- PapersPast.
- ^ Ross Gillespie at the New Zealand Olympic Committee
- PapersPast.
- 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.
External links
- Ross Gillespie at Olympedia
- Ross Gillespie at the New Zealand Olympic Committee
