McKowen, Max OAM and Joan

HIS INTEREST IN FIRST-AID began in 1939 as a first-aid messenger during the war and developed through a Level 1 sports trainer course following his retirement in 1981. He was Sports Medicine Director for the Development Council of the national association during Elgin Luke's term as National Coaching Director (1981 to 2008), conducting many courses on sports medicine for national and state teams. [1] In 1980, Max was the trainer for Hakoah, the Victorian premiers in both A- and B-grade that season. He trained Victoria's Oakleigh Golds in the National Ice Hockey League (NIHL) of the early-1980s, and traveled the world with national ice hockey teams.

Max was Sports Medic and Trainer of the 1985 National Junior Team (NJT) in Seoul and GM of the National Men's Team in 1986 when Charles Naish was Coach and Assistant Coach in Johannesburg South Africa in 1995 with Head Coach, Dan Reynolds. [2] He was Team Manager of the 1983 and 1984 National Junior Teams in Romania and Varese Italy, respectively, [3] and in Denmark in 1987. Then the National Youth Team in Harutori, Japan, in 1992 and the NJT in Beijing in 1994.

Yet, he was still more than that. He did everything — driving the bus, fixing gear, sharpening skates. According to players, he was a motivator and worked to maintain the standards, conduct and codes of behaviour of touring teams. Glen Grandy recalls a talk he delivered on team standards had venom in the words after a small fight in the warm-up for a game against Denmark! That year he succeeded Bob Blackburn as president of the Victorian association. He was also a trainer with the ACT state teams and was made a Life Member of the national association in 1994. He died in 2010.

Born Joan Moreen Scott, she attended her son's sporting injuries at first, then qualified as a remedial masseuse specialising in post-game rehab, and became assistant manager of the 1985 National Junior Team in Seoul with her husband. She had the same role in the 1986 National Youth Team at the Asian-Oceania championships in Adelaide, South Australia. She also toured with Max in the 1983 and 1984 National Junior Teams to Romania and Varese Italy, respectively. In the 1987 NJT, she was the trainer, and son Marty was an Assistant Coach, and the same again in the 1992 National Youth Team, with Max and Marty. Geoff Rains recalls Marty's army training was at the forefront of the dry land training of the NYT at Kushiro in 1992.

The trophy awarded to the AWIHL league playoff champion is named in honour of Joan McKowen. In one form or another, it has been the award for the national senior women's ice hockey tournament for the 21 years since 1995. She died in 1992 and her family maintain an Honour Board in her memory with the names of national team players and officials dating back to Australia's 1960 Olympic Ice Hockey Team. It is a reminder to all athletes of the proud history of the sport of ice hockey in Australia.

A founding member of the Australian Sports Trainers Association, Max began his work with state and national teams in 1972. In the later years of his life, he was a well-known and respected figure (some might even call him a character) within international ice hockey circles. He maintained connections with a diverse array of people in the community, spanning from Sweden to Canada, Japan, and beyond. He did not retire; he remained active until he died on 25 February 2010. He left behind three children, six grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and a multitude of friends and colleagues.

Max and Joan's son Marty James was a trainer with three national junior teams. Born October 15th 1961, he played Junior hockey in Victoria and the 1979 and 80 seasons of seniors for Hakoah including a Brown Trophy. Marty was a sound defenseman according to Kevin Touzin, and returned for five games for the Blackhawks in 1987 and again in 88. Marty played a Goodall Cup for Queensland where he started an ice hockey team in Toowoomba.

The McKowen's were fixtures in the ice hockey community both in Victoria and in the ACT. Their involvement extended from local hockey competitions and development, to being part of many Australian National Teams over the years.




Max and Joan had another son and a daughter. Anthony John was born November 8th 1950 and became a builder. He died early-2016 in Cairns, aged 65 years. Gae Francis was born August 12th 1953 in Glenhuntly and worked as a secretary. She lost a long fight with cancer on July 10th 2015 at age 61, survived by her husband and sons.

Gae married Robert William Callow on June 9th 1972 and had two sons, Craig and Michael. In 1988, she received a black belt in martial arts. She was also active in pistol shooting, camping and speedway racing, winning the ladies Gippsland title in 1984-5. Gae Frances McKowen Callow and Bob Callow will leave a gift of $50,000 for the Joan McKowen Memorial Trophy.