Federal - Our Brief Timeline

1901
The Federal Hockey Club is formed consisting of a boys team and a men’s team, playing their first game at Botanics and winning 2 - 1.

1902
Nelson Hockey Association is formed.

1901 - 1917
Federal won the Nelson championship eight times.

1921
The Newman’s family presented the Newman’s shield for the men’s championship.

1951
At the 50th centenary the club has five boys teams and three men’s teams.

1977
Federal enters it’s first women’s team in the competition.

1989
Federal wins all five senior grades, winning a total of 18 trophies. No other club has ever bettered this result.

1990
Federal Premier men win the men’s championship by two rounds, scoring 175 goals for and 12 against.

1991
Stu Fellows is tragically killed coming back from a club trip to Marlborough. The Stu Fellows memorial trophy is presented for the premier men’s championship. Federal has won the trophy every year except 1993,2008 and 2009.

2001
Fed Premier men win the championship for the 5th consecutive year and remain unbeaten in 85 games. Premier women win the competition by a massive 18 points. Federal fills the Nelson Representative teams with 48 players. Eleven being in the men’s A rep team.

2003 - 2008
The Premier men and women completely dominate the premier competition winning almost all trophies available. The Federal Premier Men have won the men’s championship 48 times since first presented in 1921. More than all other clubs combined.

2008 - 2010
These will be forever known as the years of redevelopment where a strong push from other smaller combined clubs in the junior areas saw Federal slip from their normal dominance. However with careful selection of quality coaches a natural critical mass eventually saw Federal once again push back to the top of the club rankings.

This was celebrated when Federal travelled as an entire club to Westport to take on the best of the Westcoast. Club moral had returned and Federal once again saw themselves as number one.

The girls junior teams were particularly strong with Multiple Nelson representative players coming from all Federal girls teams. The Federal 5th Division Raptors were born ....

2011
After regaining the title as the biggest club in the Nelson region holding over 50% of Girls representative players in Federal and the having the largest selection of club teams, Federal happily looks for competition in other areas. Gary Wilson, our esteemed and wisened leader is getting old and looking for others to taken on the mantle of president.

Specific awards and titles won this year included Womens Premier Team, Rep Coach of the Year and Most Successful Club of 2011.

Many challenges from colleges trying once again to acquire Loyal Federal players for school teams were once again fought and won. This looks like it will continue...

2012