History

On Friday 12 July 1935 a meeting was held at which the Derwent Hockey Club was formally constituted.  The original office bearers were:

On Saturday 13 July 1935, the day after it was officially formed, Derwent played its first match against Baptist.  Derwent's first premiership came in 1938 and the next first Grade cup wasn't until 1962.  There have been regular successes since then culminating in a record equallling run of four consequetive premierships from 2006 to 2009.

Many of the players wives and girlfriends decided that they too should take up hockey.  At the opening of the 1977 season three new clubs, including Derwent, were welcomed to the Southern Tasmania Women's Hockey Association.  They played as a club in their own right, seperate to the men, until the 1980's when the move began to amalgamate the two.  By 1986 the amalgamation was complete and there was one Derwent Hockey Club.

The year 2000 saw Derwent change its uniform to a more contemporary design with the addition of orange for contrast.  The club also adopted a new logo and became known as the Derwent Strikers.

When Derwent first commenced in 1935, hockey was a very different sport.  Hockey sticks looked like a fishing hook, protection was non existent, there was no 'turf' other than the grass upon which games were played and women were not part of the club.  As a tree grows, so has the Derwent Hockey Club - in all different directions, yet the roots remain - the connection to the club.  The seeds were sown by our founder Allan Preshaw and other like minded individuals and as the benefits were reaped and more seeds sown Derwent has grown to become the strong, influential, respected family orientated club that we are today.  Since our humble beginnings Derwent has provided many players to state and national teams and is a club where hockey players of all ages and abilities are valued and can participate in their chosen sport.