A match made in ‘Hockey Heaven’

Christchurch couple Rachelle and Howie Wilson are looking forward to their fourth National Tournament together in Wellington next week. But for the Wilsons, hockey isn’t just a game—it’s an adventure that allows them to do what they love together.

Their story kicks off six years ago after first meeting during an interclub game. But it wasn’t until a mixed game and some casual chat at an after-match function that they hit it off. Howie described it as a match made in hockey heaven.

Reflecting on their meeting, Howie remarked, “After the prize giving, you go out for dinner and everybody’s having some drinks and it’s just a hi, kind of thing.” Rachelle chimed in, “It’s easy when hockey is both your passion.”

Their journey into masters’ hockey together started in 2019 at the national tournament in Hamilton, with Rachelle playing for Canterbury and Howie playing for Tasman. Howie got his first taste of coaching Rachelle around the same time when she moved up to Mount Maunganui to live with him, before they both made the shift down to Christchurch.

Since then, they’ve always shared their hockey journey, “we go to the turf together, we watch each other’s games,” Howie said.

“We always support each other on and off the field and this is one of the main reasons I coach Rachelle’s teams, I would be there watching anyway!”

Both Rachelle and Howie have represented New Zealand in Masters Hockey in Trans-Tasman tournaments, as well as playing for the South in a North vs South series.

Their goal at the moment is to play for New Zealand at the same time at either the World Cup (with the next iteration happening in Auckland at the end of the year) or in a Trans-Tasman series so they can get another cool photo for their growing collection.

But for now their focus is on the National Tournament in Wellington, where they’re hopeful they’ll come home with some silverware.