Carolyn Burrell (Buzz as we know her) was first introduced to hockey at the age of 13 in a high school program in a small country town Gilgandra NSW. Hockey was not the main choice for the winter sport for girls, however they still managed to field teams for interschool sport in neighbouring towns. “It was love at first hit” Buzz says who had to lie to her parents and sneak sporting gear to stay at a friend’s home so she could play in the winter school carnivals where her school team would be flogged by the Dubbo sides.
Buzz had a break from hockey and recommenced playing for Co Waterford Ireland at aged 28 where she was living at the time. She would travel 2 hours or more to play mostly in the freezing rain and at times sleet. She returned to Australia in 1996, settled on the Sunshine Coast in 1997 and joined Caboolture Cougars. It was then she had heard about the Master’s Championships and her first year was in the rained out Brisbane Championships in 1999. She still has her Brissie games T Shirt.
Buzz was selected and played for the Sunshine Coast 2s side and has continued to do so for the past 20 years. She loves going away with the Sunshine Coast ladies and refuses to miss a year – they play hard, party hard (oops) and have built some longstanding friendships with team members and some opposition players. The memories are everlasting although some they would rather forget. One great memory Buzz has is riding the 3 bulls at the Steakhouse on the Gold Coast – lasting the 8 seconds.
Her 2 sons and husband are involved in other sports and do not play hockey, but she has gained many sisters in her hockey family throughout Queensland.
Buzz has undertaken co-coaching a J3 girls’ team with a friend this year and has given a mixture of many belly laughs, nail biting and hair pulling moments. The joy on the girl’s faces is heart-warming and thankfully the score doesn’t always matter.
Attending various Australian Masters Games in Alice Springs, Pan Pacs and the Worlds Masters games in New Zealand have been an enjoyable experience. She has received Player of the Year Award for Landsborough Club. Buzz has been selected and played in the Qld 55 #2 team in 2018 and 2019. Buzz says “my heart leaped right out of my body with mixed emotions of excitement and nerves … OMG what have I done” when she was first selected in the Qld 55 #2 team in 2018.
Buzz says one of her best hockey experiences is playing for Team 2 Sunshine Coast for 20 years which has been fabulous. She loves these players, Coaches and Managers. She hints that a life membership should be in order.
Without a doubt though, being selected in the Qld 55 #2 team was eye watering. She was so overwhelmed, and this has been the highlight of her hockey life. What a proud moment for a little country NSW girl to wear a state Qld shirt – how awesome!