John Nicholas, affectionately known as Nicho, has played his final game with United Hockey Club after 60 seasons. Nicho is a life member of United Hockey Club since 2003 and has played approximately 1200 games with United Hockey Club since starting as a junior in 1959 with Presbyterian Hockey Club (which later became United Hockey Club). He probably has quite a selection of the United Hockey Club uniforms over the years.
Over the years with United Hockey Club, Nicho has played in all the grades from 1st Grade, where his team won 3 of their 5 grand finals between the years of 1970 and 1977, to 4th Grade where he currently plays. He has been active as a coach as well as a player, coaching various junior and women’s teams from 1990 to 2005.
Nicho will not be retiring from hockey completely and will remain active with the Masters Hockey Competition (previously known as the Veterans Hockey Competition). Nicho started playing in the Monday Night Veterans Competition in 1985, took on the team co-ordinator role in 1994, and has served on the committee. His dedication to this competition was recognised with a life membership in 2017.
Nicho represented ACT as a junior (U12’s, U14’s, U16’s, U18’s, U21’s), as a senior and continues to represent ACT and Australia in the Masters competition (40’s, 45’s, 50’s, 55’s, 60’s, 65’s). He has a gold medal from the Over 40’s game in Vancouver in 1995 and recently picked up a silver medal in the Over 65’s game in Barcelona.
Congratulations to Nicho for an amazing 60 season strong career!