Matt Hotchkis playing for Central in the Capital League 1. Photo: Supplied.
At 42 years of age, Matthew Hotchkis shows no signs he’ll be slowing down any time soon.
As well as playing at the highest level in the ACT, Matt is also captain of the Australian men’s indoor hockey team, which has qualified for next year’s World Cup.
And as he continues playing, the records keep piling up.
In the Indoor World Cup qualification series in Canberra, Matthew became the first Australian to play 50 tests.
Matthew Hotchkis playing in the first test in Canberra. Photo: Supplied.
Last weekend, Matt played his 400th first-grade game for his beloved Central Hockey League Club in the Capital League 1 competition, becoming one of the few players to reach the milestone.
His hockey curriculum vitae is impressive: 13 first-grade grand finals with Central for 10 premierships, including one as a player/coach; two Brophy Medals for the best and fairest men’s player in the ACT Capital League 1; and he has won selection in the Hockey ACT team of the year at least seven times.
“I’ve always had a purpose to get more out of myself at this level, to achieve as much as I can,” says Matt.
Twenty-nine years ago, he made his first-grade debut for Central. In the same year, he played senior hockey alongside his father, Warwick, who had an enormous influence on his life as a father, coach and teammate.
Matt was just 14 years of age when he made his debut.
Warwick Hotchkis, a legend of the Central Hockey Club. Photo: Supplied.
“My dad passed away in 2018. That has driven me to achieve as much as I could in his memory. I learnt my hockey through him. He gave me drive and did so much for me. He was my coach, and my first senior game at Central was with him in the team,” remembers Matt.
Had it not been for four years away playing in Sydney while at university and another season in Belgium, his record in Canberra would be off the charts.
He played an estimated 110 games during his time away from the ACT, effectively bringing his tally to over 500 at the highest level possible in the respective leagues.
Matthew Hotchkis and daughters. Photo: Supplied.
Taking into account his indoor hockey games, it all adds up to a hell of a lot of hockey.
Says Matt, “As to how long I will keep going? It’s a question that was asked a lot last weekend. I’ll keep playing as long as I’m still playing well enough to compete and I can offer something to the team. There’s the possibility that I may not have many years left at this level, but I still have a great passion for the sport and the club. Central has helped shape me as a person as well as a hockey player.”
In many respects, Matt and his family have shaped Central to what it is today in the ACT – one of the premier hockey clubs.
As a bonus to the club, in the twilight of his career, Matt Hotchkis is as motivated as ever to win a premiership.
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