Pat Rowley; credit: Dil Bahra

Pat Rowley, one of our co-founder Trustees, has been awarded the British Empire Medal for Services to Hockey in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List published on 11 June 2016.

One of the most senior hockey writers in the world, Pat has been involved in hockey for over 65 years, as a player, coach, sports correspondent, TV and Radio commentator, an author and an archivist. His life virtually revolves around the sport of hockey.

A leading and well respected personality worldwide in hockey press circles, his knowledge on the game is well known and respected and called upon on daily basis.

Pat, who first joined The Guardian newspaper in 1950 as a tea boy, worked his way up to become the paper’s hockey correspondent for over 40 years. As well as reporting for The Guardian, Sunday Times and Sunday Express, The Telegraph and The Observer, Pat was also a presenter of sports program at the London Broadcasting Centre (LBC) for a while.

Pat has been the PR and Promotions Director for the International Hockey Federation (FIH) for a number of years. He was the founder and Editor of the International Hockey Newsletter in 1969 and Editor of World Hockey from June 1969 to April 1991. He was awarded the FIH Order of Merit in 1987.

Pat is a past Chairman of the Hockey Writers Club, past Chairman of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) Hockey Commission and a past co-opted member of the FIH Media and Communication Committee.

Dil Bahra, June 2016.