Remembering

Denys Cooper had a love for field hockey and contributed greatly to the game. Here are some highlights)

In 1959 Denys was named in the first eleven (field hockey) at the University of Exeter. Denys was 20 and a graduate in science. Following 3 years of arduous work and play at Exeter, Denys won a place in the graduate programme at the University of Liverpool – which he attended 1962 to 1965. Denys was involved in the 1960s with the creation of BUSF = British University Sports Federation This was created to get Oxford, Cambridge and London Univ to compete with regional teams from other universities and tech colleges. Fieldhockey and soccer were the first sports.

1968-71 he was a member of the Montreal Grass Hockey Club and played and officiated in the Montreal League and officiated at the John F. Kennedy Tournament in Washington, DC in 1969 and 1970.

1968 - 1978 Denys officiated as a Canadian Field Hockey Umpire Association (CFHUA) umpire at domestic tournaments

1969- He was a founding member of Quebec Field Hockey Association

1970- He obtained a Canadian National Umpire’s rating.

Denys was on the Executive of the Canadian Field Hockey Umpire Association from 1975 to 1986

• secretary from 1975 to 1976
  president from 1977 to 1979 & on the Technical Committee.
  
  

One task of the Canadian Field Hockey Umpire Association Technical Committee was to bring into line both men’s and women’s rules. Janet Beverley and Suzzanne Nicholson worked with Denys on the Canadian Hockey Rules Book. They would get the interpretations from the international body and then slot those into the Canadian book...which seemed to be a model for the future FIH Hockey Rules book.  Denys was definitely a leader on this project. 

Janet said Denys was a wonderful person to work with - except perhaps for deciphering his handwriting.

1975 He umpired at Pan American Games in Mexico City which led to his FIH International badge.

1976 Umpire at Pre-Olympic Games, Montreal

1976 Montreal Olympic Games - statistician

Did you know that the 1976 Olympic Games in Montréal was the first time that field hockey was played on artificial turf at an Olympic Games?! Denys and Walter Kooiman were the driving force behind this technological innovation in Canada

Sue Dodge remembers the amazing experience of working together with Denys as statisticians at the 1976 Olympics. He was a very technical guy when it came to the game and documents, like by-laws, rule books etc. Which she liked and respected that in Denys. Most of all, she loved his quirky sense of humour.

1979 He was a Judge at the Pan Am Games in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Then work and family meant that Denys just concentrated on playing and umpiring locally with the Outaouais FHC

In 2004 Denys retired as a player (at Age 65) BUT he continued to umpire the local women’s high school and club games into his 70s. Denys was one of the main umpires in the 2009 NCSSAA high school league. He umpired many a game by himself on the grass fields of the city’s high schools and always enjoyed the experience.

2006 Denys umpired at the Ontario Summer Games in Ottawa and

2008 he worked at the Technical table for Ontario Summer Games in Ottawa.

2008 Denys was awarded the Lifetime Achievement – Sport Technical Official at the 2008 Ottawa Sports Awards Banquet.

In 2009, in response to the daughter of an ex-Outaouais FHC player for help with a high school work term project, Denys prepared comments/interpretations to the main rule changes of field hockey throughout the years titled:

Field Hockey - A Century of Key Rule Changes - 1910 to 2010 

In 2019 – at 80 years young, Denys worked at the technical table at a local high school girls’ tournament hosted by the Outaouais Field Hockey Club. He was even out last year cheering a local high school festival.

In 2019 Denys was inducted into the Field Hockey Hall of Fame. (please watch his video on the FHC website)

Denys' love for field hockey was also reflected in his stamp collection. He donated a large collection of international field hockey stamps to FHC a few years back. He recently donated 3 ft by 4 ft picture frame with over 200 field hockey stamps to a Club member.

Denys was a mentor to many. Paul DeSouza remembered when Denys was both playing and umpiring hockey in Ottawa in his early days. Denys was serious about doing it all correctly whether on or off the field. He was very knowledgeable about the game and rules of play. Even when not playing or umpiring he would lend a hand and his expertise at the technical bench in tournaments in Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal and elsewhere in Canada and the U.S..

He constantly 'gave back to the game' in many ways. He would encourage and instruct new young umpires He held clinics and taught many young umpires. He also sat on executive committees for club, the region and at provincial and national levels for both players and umpires.

Although he was always serious about attention to details of doing everything correctly, he also was ready to break into a smile and share a story or some experience. He would be dressed up smartly in his red club jacket (ask an Outaouais member about those red jackets) greeting members of his and other clubs at functions, making people feel welcome and needed, and just being a great ambassador for our sport!

Denys has been a member of Outaouais Field Hockey Club since 1973. Denys has been the Outaouais Club Treasurer several times over the many years. Denys only missed 2 AGM in all those years!

Denys has always a stalwart supporter of the Outaouais Field Hockey Club and the local high school league, the Canadian field hockey community and field hockey at large.

Just a couple of years ago he spent a lot of time compiling information on Club members who went to the Olympics (check out Outaouais' webpage) and documents of the Club statistics. Just over a year ago he sent 4 large containers of Outaouais FHC's files and memorabilia to the archives of the City of Ottawa. This helped reduce the field hockey items in their house and maybe made their transition to Amica a little easier. will miss being able to visit with Denys.

Jeff Dornan wrote on a recent tribute to Denys - “I know wherever you go, you will carry your analog stopwatch, a notepad, 2 sharpened pencils and a spare whistle in case the pea gets stuck....

Thank you Denys for all that you did for field hockey. You will be missed!

compiled by:
Julie Nelson