Ross Gillespie

Ross Gillespie was a New Zealand field hockey player and coach. Originally a rugby player, Gillespie was encouraged to take up hockey by his father. By his early 20s he was playing for the national team, including a memorable match against Pakistan at Eden Park in 1956. Four years later Gillespie was part of the New Zealand team that reached the quarter-finals of the hockey tournament at the 1960 Roma Olympics. At the 1964 Tokyo Olympics the New Zealand team finished in a disappointing joint-13th place.

Gillespie then began working as a hockey coach. After coaching junior teams, he was appointed as the co-coach of the national team for a 1971 world tournament in Singapore. The following year Gillespie was the head coach of the team at the 1972 München Olympics, with New Zealand finishing in ninth place. At the München Games Gillespie was also named as a reserve player, but he was not required to play.

At the 1975 Hockey World Cup the New Zealand team finished seventh overall, losing 5–0 against Australia in their placement classification match. Gillespie coached New Zealand at the 1976 Montréal Olympics with the team getting revenge against their antipodean rivals, beating them 1–0 in the final to win the gold medal.

Gillespie ended his coaching career following the Montréal Olympics to focus on his family and sawmill business. He was awarded with an MBE for services to hockey in the 1977 New Year Honours.