Ex-local retires as world masters champ
Steve Waldrom caps career with England victory
Waipawa couple Ian and Pam Waldrom had an early start recently, setting their alarm to get up and watch their son Steve play hockey for England, in the final of the over-40s Masters World Cup in Nottingham, England.
Steve’s team were up against a strong Australian team that had also won their pool.
It was a fast-paced game with England scoring two goals and and dominating posession leading into the fourth quarter. However Australia came back to level the score at 2-2 at fulltime. This led to a penalty shootout and Englamd came out the winners 3-1, securing the gold medal.
Steve had been part of the English over-35 team that had lost to Australia in the final four years earlier in Spain.
Steve comes from a hockeyplaying CHB dynasty, with both his parents having played, his dad Ian coaching at CHB College and brother Tony and sister Kathryn also playing. All three siblings represented HB.
Mum Pam says Steve picked up a hockey stick at a very young age as older brother Tony was playing “and his team was short of players”.
Steve played hockey throughout his time at Waipawa Primary School and CHB College and was selected to represent HB at under-15 and under18 tournaments.
When he left college he attended Waikato Polytechnic and played for Waikato Under-21s, before moving to Auckland and playing for North Harbour — being selected to play for them in the National Hockey League.
From there Steve went to Belgium as a player and junior coach with the assistance of Shane McLeod. He found the language barrier a challenge so moved to England.
Briefly back in New Zealand, Steve played for NZ in the Trans Tasman Challenge in Melbourne, Australia, then returned to Maidstone, Kent in England and played there, where he met his future wife Lucy, also a hockey player. The couple moved to Guernsey — Lucy’s home.
Steve was eligible to trial for England as his grandfather was English, so he trialled and was selected for the over-35 England Masters hockey team. They won the Home Nations tournament against Ireland, Scotland and Wales for a few years. He attended the World Masters tournament in Terassa, Spain in 2018 as a member of this team and they gained a silver medal, losing to Australia in the final.
After disruptions due to Covid, the World Masters tournament was played this year in Nottingham, England for the over-35 and over-40 Men and Women. Steve trialled and was named in the over-40 team — a huge achievement as being a home tournament, a lot more players trialled for it. The team posted the ultimate achievement, beating Australia in the final. The game was a 2-2 draw at fulltime then went to a penalty shootout, with England winning 3-1.
England ended the tournament on a high, winning all four finals — over35 and over-40 men and women.
Steve says he can now retire a world champion and spend more time with Lucy, Evie and Isaac, who were on hand to watch him win the gold medal.