Every year we accept nominations for OHI's most prestigious perpetual awards:

• The OHI Sportsperson of the Year
• The OHI Administrator of the Year
• The OHI Umpire Encouragement Award

The nominations are put to independent panels who asssess the nominations to set criteria and select the worth recipients. The recipients of the awards this year are detailed below. 

Congratulations to Leanne Kennewell who is the 2025 OHI Sportsperson of the Year. Please see the below information submitted in support of her nominations:

I am proud to nominate Leanne Kennewell for the Sportsperson of the Year Award in recognition of her outstanding achievements, sportsmanship, leadership, and dedication to the sport of hockey throughout the 2025 season. Leanne is a proud member of the Orange Hockey Association and actively competes in the local competition, playing in both the Premier League (3rd place with United) and First Grade (finalist with Orange Ex-Services Hockey Club). Her consistent performance and leadership make her a standout at the club level.

Leanne’s representative and higher-level accomplishments in 2025 have been exceptional:

- Selected for the NSW Over 45s Masters representative team

- Gold Medalist with Orange Opens at the NSW State Field Championships

- Captain of the Orange Over 40s Masters team

- Gold Medal at the ACT Indoor Masters Championships with Northern Sydney Beaches

- Runner-up at the NSW Indoor Masters Championships with Manning Valley

These achievements not only reflect Leanne’s elite playing ability but also her versatility across both field and indoor hockey formats.

In addition to her playing excellence, Leanne is deeply committed to the development and success of hockey in Orange:

- Coach of Orange Ex-Services First Grade and Joeys teams

- Umpires across Women's 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Grades

Leanne is widely respected for her leadership, calm presence, and fairness both on and off the field. She upholds the highest standards of sportsmanship, traits that make her a role model for younger players and peers alike.

Balancing elite-level playing, coaching, umpiring, and representative duties requires exceptional commitment, resilience, and passion. These are all qualities Leanne demonstrates week in and week out. She embodies the spirit of the Sportsperson of the Year award through her performance, leadership, and contribution to the wider hockey community.

Congratulations to Hallie Ellice who was awarded the 2025 Umpire Encouragement Award. Please see the below information submitted in support of her nominations:

For a young umpire, Hallie has shown remarkable maturity and confidence in her ability to umpire senior games.  Her growth as an umpire has been excellent. 

Halle was selected to umpire the grand final at the State Championships competition in addition to her umpiring at the Women's Masters competition.

State championship GF Umpire, Local junior and senior umpire has also helped umpire Mens division games when called upon to help    

Hallie has committed countless hours toward umpiring in and for the Orange Hockey community. She is a budding umpire who has improved incredibly over the course of 2024, umpiring regularly for OHI Senior & Junior competitions throughout the year, and notably:

- Umpired at U16s Boys State Championships as the Orange representative umpire, and selected to officiate Div 3 grand final. 

- Umpired for Orange and Hockey NSW  at NSW full state Women's Masters, including being selected to umpire a Grand Final (34/3).

Hallie is consistently improving and expanding on her skills, including maintaining her badge. She also takes the time to mentor younger umpires when she isn't blowing the whistle herself. Her potential as an evolving umpire is undeniable, marked by her growing confidence, sharp decision-making, and commitment to continuous improvement.

Congratulations to Stacey Ellice who is the 2025 OHI Administrator of the Year. Please see the below information submitted in support of her nominations:

Stacey Ellice has demonstrated exceptional leadership, dedication, and innovation in her role as Secretary of OHI. For the duration of 2025, Stacey has gone above and beyond to ensure the smooth operation and growth of hockey in her region. Her impact has been felt across all levels of the sport, from grassroots development to high-level strategic planning.

Stacey is always there helping, umpiring, keeping the game running smoothly whenever possible. She has never shied away from any part of her position, and does so much in the background that is not seen.

She has been a cohesive new executive member for betterment of Orange Hockey, contributed to the succession of the Smith Field Revitalization, successfully contributing to the running of the U16 Boys State Championships hosted in Orange, umpires for the Senior & Junior competitions throughout 2025. She has 3 children who play hockey in the Orange competitions, and volunteers herself and her family for any job that needs to be done within/for OHI. Her phone rings off the hook for OHI and she is always there to answer and provide a solution. 

Stacey's unwavering commitment, strategic mindset, and passion for hockey and the OHI make her a standout candidate for Administrator of the Year. Her contributions have not only strengthened the current state of hockey but have laid a strong foundation for its future.

Congratulations to all of these worthy recipients.