NHC Life Member - Bill Zidov
Club Involvement
Executive Role - President - 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983
Executive Role - Vice President - 1990
NHC committee member -1992 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
NHC 20 year committee - 1998
NHC 25 year committee - 2003
Canteen Manager - 1994
NHC BVHA delegate - 1995
NHC Stockwell rec park committee - 1981 1982 1983 1990 1995 1996 1997
Playing Years (premierships)
A Grade - 1978 1980 1981 1982 1984 1985
B Grade - 1982
Coaching (premierships)
A Grade Women - 1988
B Grade Women - 1996
B Grade Men - 1982
Under 15 - 1984 1985 1986
Under 13 - 1990
Minkey Under 11 - 1988 1989
Minkey Under 9 - 1991
Personal Achievements
NHC Best & Fairest - A Grade - 1985
Senior Games as at 30 Sept 1986 - 135
Awarded Life Membership - 1998
The Bill Zidov Story:
Bill Zidov - should we call him ‘The Father’ or maybe ‘The Grandfather” of NHC.
‘BILL ZIDOV WAS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NURIOOTPA HOCKEY CLUB, and indeed the establishment of a hockey competition for men in the Barossa Valley’ (as quoted in” NHC –The first 20 yrs”)
It was this foresight, initiative, drive, passion, hard work and love for hockey that Bill used, to first bring into being and continued to build The Club over the years.
What can you say about Bill, who has held every possible position in the Club from 1978 to 2000.
He has been President, committee member, canteen manager, rep on the BVHA, Stockwell Park committee member.
As a player he has played in both the A & B grade men’s competition.
As a coach Bill has imparted his knowledge and skill to A & B grade women’s teams, B Grade Men’s team and more importantly has coached, nurtured and encouraged NHC juniors, building the Club from the ground roots.
As a committed team player, Bill was always quick to seize on opportunity on the field, penetrating and often ’destroying’ the opposition.
Off the field he was just as quick to seize every opportunity to ultimately benefit and advance the Club. With this drive and persistence, in 1985, Bill was the force behind two newly installed light towers at Stockwell Park to assist training at night. He was given the honour to ‘switch on the lights’ In today’s terms this might seem a small step, but it was the ‘laying of these foundations’, all these advancements in the early days that has made the Club the force it is today.
Where ever Bill was, his wife Jig was part of the journey, her support, help, ideas and hard work made them a formidable team, not to mention a fun, ‘life of the party’ duo. Today their support and Club loyalty is as strong as ever and are always part of the NHC celebrations.
“I wish to again mention the special work done by Bill Zidov, not only for the Association, but for his own club which he has built up to be now, in my view, the most effective body in the Association” These words of the BVHA President in 1980 still apply today as a fitting tribute .
The First Life Member of Nuriootpa Hockey Club - Bill Zidov