Troy Elder
Encyclopedia
Troy Elder OAM
(born 15 October 1977 in Bunbury, Western Australia
) is a field hockey
striker and midfielder from Australia, who was a member of the Men's National Team
that won the golden medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics
in Athens
. Four years earlier, when Sydney hosted the Olympic Games
, Elder finished in third spot with The Kookaburras, as the national team is called.
Elder originated from Bundaberg, Queensland
, where he played for the All Blacks Hockey Club. Nicknamed Woody, Elder shot into limelight as a player with the National Junior Squad, that won the Hockey Junior World Cup at Milton Keynes
in 1997 against India. After the 1998 Australian Hockey League
season with the Queensland Blades
, Elder got into the senior National Squad at the 1998 Champions Trophy
in Lahore
, where Australia won the bronze. He was part of the winning team in the 1999 Champions Trophy
at Brisbane
.
Just like his countrymen Jay Stacy
and Michael Brennan
, Elder moved to the Netherlands, where he played club hockey for Eindhoven's Oranje Zwart
, with whom he won the Dutch title in the spring of 2005. The price was high, because during the Dutch play-offs he neglected the call from Australia's Head Coach Barry Dancer
to come over for a training session with the men's National Team. He therefore had to miss the 2005 Champions Trophy
in Chennai
and the 2006 Commonwealth Games
in Melbourne
.
Having retired from international hockey, Elder played club hockey for United Hockey in Brisbane for some time whilst still representing the Queensland Blades. A plumber
by profession, he is fond of surfing and fishing.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(born 15 October 1977 in Bunbury, Western Australia
Bunbury, Western Australia
The port city of Bunbury is the third largest city in Western Australia after the State Capital Perth and Mandurah. It is situated south of Perth's central business district...
) is a field hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
striker and midfielder from Australia, who was a member of the Men's National Team
Kookaburras (hockey)
The Australia national field hockey team are the Australia's national men's hockey team, and one of the nation's most successful top level sporting teams. They are the only Australian team in any sport to receive medals at the last five Summer Olympic Games , and have placed in the top four in...
that won the golden medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. Four years earlier, when Sydney hosted the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
, Elder finished in third spot with The Kookaburras, as the national team is called.
Elder originated from Bundaberg, Queensland
Bundaberg, Queensland
Bundaberg is a city in Queensland, Australia. It is part of the Local Government Area of the Bundaberg Region and is a major centre within Queensland's broader Wide Bay-Burnett geographical region...
, where he played for the All Blacks Hockey Club. Nicknamed Woody, Elder shot into limelight as a player with the National Junior Squad, that won the Hockey Junior World Cup at Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
in 1997 against India. After the 1998 Australian Hockey League
Australian Hockey League
The Australian Hockey League is Australia’s premier national domestic field hockey competition. Despite its non-professional nature, AHL is considered one of the strongest and most competitive national field hockey leagues in the world. The AHL consists of both men's and women's competition...
season with the Queensland Blades
Queensland Blades
The Blades are a men's Australian field hockey team, representing Queensland in the Australian Hockey League.The Blades have been the most successful team to play in recent years. Their home ground is the State Hockey Centre at Colmslie in Brisbane, Queensland.They have also competed under the name...
, Elder got into the senior National Squad at the 1998 Champions Trophy
1998 Men's Champions Trophy (field hockey)
The 1998 Men's Hockey Champions Trophy took place from 31 October to 8 November 1998 in the National Hockey Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan. Participating nations were Australia, titleholders Germany, Netherlands, hosting nation Pakistan, Korea and Spain.-Pool:...
in Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, where Australia won the bronze. He was part of the winning team in the 1999 Champions Trophy
1999 Men's Champions Trophy (field hockey)
The 1999 Men's Hockey Champions Trophy took place from 10 June to 20 June 1999 in the State Hockey Centre in Brisbane, Australia. Participating nations were: hosting nation Australia, England, titleholders Netherlands, Pakistan, Korea and Spain...
at Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
.
Just like his countrymen Jay Stacy
Jay Stacy
Jay Jason Stacy is a former field hockey midfielder from Australia, who participated in four Summer Olympics for his native country, starting in 1988.-References:* *...
and Michael Brennan
Michael Brennan (field hockey player)
Michael Brennan OAM is a field hockey midfielder from Australia, who was a member of the team that won gold at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. Four years earlier, when Sydney hosted the Summer Games, he finished in third spot with The Kookaburras , as the Men's National Team is...
, Elder moved to the Netherlands, where he played club hockey for Eindhoven's Oranje Zwart
Oranje Zwart
Mixed Hockeyclub Oranje Zwart is a Dutch field hockey club located in Eindhoven, Noord-Brabant, which was founded on September 1, 1933. With around 1.700 members – as of May 31, 2006 – it is one of the biggest clubs in the Netherlands....
, with whom he won the Dutch title in the spring of 2005. The price was high, because during the Dutch play-offs he neglected the call from Australia's Head Coach Barry Dancer
Barry Dancer
Barry Dancer is a former field hockey player from Australia who competed in 48 international matches for Australia between 1973 and 1979.-External links:*...
to come over for a training session with the men's National Team. He therefore had to miss the 2005 Champions Trophy
2005 Men's Champions Trophy (field hockey)
The 2005 Men's Hockey Champions Trophy took place in the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai, India. The event started December 10 and ended on December 18, 2005.=Head Coach: Barry Dancer#Jamie Dwyer#Liam de Young#Michael McCann#Nathan Eglington...
in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
and the 2006 Commonwealth Games
2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
.
Having retired from international hockey, Elder played club hockey for United Hockey in Brisbane for some time whilst still representing the Queensland Blades. A plumber
Plumber
A plumber is a tradesperson who specializes in installing and maintaining systems used for potable water, sewage, and drainage in plumbing systems. The term dates from ancient times, and is related to the Latin word for lead, "plumbum." A person engaged in fixing metaphorical "leaks" may also be...
by profession, he is fond of surfing and fishing.