06/30/2026
Episode # 9: Julian Austin
The interview: https://youtu.be/oAXPHYRc3ns
My Life as a Field Hockey Player
Beginning in 1970 with the Guyana Police Force Hockey Team
My name is Julian Montgomery Austin. My journey into field hockey began in the spring of 1970, but before that, my primary sports were track and field and football, known to many as soccer. I had speed from running and confidence with my feet from playing football. Those abilities would unexpectedly open the door to a new sport and a new chapter in my life.
The Beginning: 1970
In the spring of 1970, I was asked to join the Guyana Police Force Hockey Team because of my speed and my ability to kick a ball. Since I came from a football background, the team saw something useful in my athletic ability and asked me to take on the role of goalkeeper. At the time, field hockey was new to me, but I accepted the challenge and stepped into the position with determination.
My very first game was not the best beginning. Our team lost by seven goals, and it was clear that most of the members had little experience with the game. Still, that first match became an important lesson. It showed us how much we had to learn, how hard we would need to work, and how much growth was possible if we stayed together as a team.
Learning the Game
As I continued with the team, I quickly learned that field hockey was quite different from football and track. Speed was important, but it was not enough by itself. As a goalkeeper, I had to develop courage, concentration, quick reactions, and an understanding of angles and positioning. The early losses and mistakes helped me learn the game faster, and each practice gave me more confidence in my new role.
Roger Mattar was the captain and assistant coach of the team. His leadership helped guide us as we were learning the sport and trying to become more competitive. Another important influence was senior police officer Cecil “Skip” Roberts. Although he played for another team, GCC, he was influential in helping to shape our team and encouraged us to improve our skills, discipline, and understanding of the game.
Pride in the Police Team
Wearing the colors of the Guyana Police Force Hockey Team gave me a deep sense of pride. The team represented strength, order, and commitment. We played with determination and respect for the game, and we understood that our conduct reflected not only on ourselves but also on the Force. The friendships formed through training and competition became an important part of my hockey life.
We didn't always win, but we continued to improve and sometimes finished among the top four teams. Those results showed the progress we were making, especially considering that many of us had started with little experience in field hockey.
Perseverance paid off in 1971 when our team won the Intermediate Division Joe Chin Trophy. That victory was huge for us because it proved how far we had come from our difficult beginning. For me personally, it was my first major achievement as a field hockey goalkeeper and the first of many memorable moments in the sport.
Another important moment came when I was selected for a tryout with the National Team that was preparing for the Pan American Games in Cali, Colombia. Although I did not make the final team because I did not yet have enough playing experience, being invited to try out was still a meaningful achievement. It showed that my progress as a goalkeeper was being noticed, and it motivated me to continue working hard to improve my game.
A New Chapter in Canada: 1972
Early in 1972, I migrated to Canada. That spring, I joined my first field hockey club in another country, the Toronto Field Hockey Club. It was a major step in my life and my hockey journey, but I soon found comfort in a familiar connection. There were other Guyanese players at the club, and being among them helped me feel at home and among friends.
I must mention some of the members of the Toronto team who made that period special: Clive Lisson, Patrick Lisson, Charles Cumberbatch, and Brian Cumberbatch. Together, we formed what I remember as the Guyanese connection. There was a lot of laughter, friendship, and fun around the matches during the summer, and those relationships helped make the club feel at home.
The club’s first team already had an established goalkeeper, Brian Cumberbatch, who was also Guyanese. I joined the second team as goalkeeper and focused on continuing to develop my game. Although my play was strong and there was an opportunity for me to be promoted to the first team, I refused because it was too soon. I wanted to keep learning, build my confidence, and earn my place at the right time.
That summer, I was selected for the Ontario provincial squad for the national tournament. Because Ontario was hosting the event in Toronto, the province entered two teams, and I was selected for the B team. Our team came close to winning the tournament and earned the bronze medal. For me and my teammates, it was a great honour. That experience opened the door for me to be recognized as a goalkeeper to be reckoned with.
During the next year, I continued playing and improving my skills. Because Canada had a colder climate in the winter, we played indoors on a smaller surface, and I had to adjust some of the things I did as a goalkeeper. The indoor game was faster and required quick reactions, sharper positioning, and effective communication with teammates. Our club adjusted well and fared strongly in many of the indoor tournaments.
In the summer of 1973, I was selected to the Ontario provincial team as the number one goalkeeper. That selection was a major step forward in my hockey career and confirmed the progress I had made since arriving in Canada. Ontario went on to win the national championship that year, and we repeated the achievement the following year. Winning nationals for two consecutive years was a proud accomplishment and strengthened my reputation as a dependable goalkeeper.
The Toronto Lions: 1973–74
The 1973–74 season brought a new team to Toronto: the Toronto Lions. Many of the players had come to Canada from Africa, and some had represented their countries in the recently concluded Olympic Games in Germany. They were very skilled players, but the team did not have a goalkeeper.
At that time, I needed to get to the next level of competition. With Toronto Field Hockey Club, Brian Cumberbatch and I were both goalkeepers, and although I was being asked to play more often, we normally shared the duties. Joining the Toronto Lions gave me the opportunity to evaluate myself in a stronger competitive environment and take on full responsibility as the team’s only goalkeeper.
My time with the Lions exposed me to stronger competition from visiting clubs. From that year onward, we won most of the tournaments we entered in North America. Clubs from other countries wanted to play against the Toronto Lions, and that was great for me because it gave me valuable international competition and helped raise my standard as a goalkeeper.
As the years passed, I continued to represent my club and my province with pride. Each season brought new challenges, stronger opponents, and more opportunities to prove myself. The experience I gained with the Toronto Lions became an important part of my development and helped establish me as one of the recognized goalkeepers in the game.
The Canadian National Team: 1977
Another Pan American Games came in 1975. With all the exceptional goalkeeping I had been doing, one might have thought I would be a top choice for the National Team, but that was not the case. During those days, a person had to be a resident of Canada for five years before becoming eligible for citizenship. Because of that requirement, I had to wait for my time.
My time came in 1977 when I became a Canadian citizen. I was immediately selected to the Canadian National Team and remained with the program for the next ten years. That selection was a major milestone in my hockey life and marked the beginning of my career representing Canada at the international level.
My first tour with the Canadian National Team was the Intercontinental Tournament in Rome, Italy, which served as qualification for the World Cup in Argentina. I played in that tournament as the backup goalkeeper. Canada finished fifth out of twenty teams, with the top four automatically qualifying. We narrowly missed direct qualifications and became the standby team for the World Cup in the spring of 1978.
One of the teams that had qualified later dropped out of the tournament; I believe it may have been Russia. As a result, Canada received the opportunity to compete at the World Cup in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Going to the World Cup was a tremendous honour and a major highlight of my career. I became the first Guyanese-born field hockey player to accomplish this, and Canada finished tenth in the tournament.
The 1979 Pan American Games in San Juan, Puerto Rico my first Pan Am Games with Canada. The tournament was also important because it served as a qualifier for the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow. Canada won the silver medal, a proud achievement for the team and for me personally. We were scheduled to attend the Olympics, but the opportunity was taken away when several countries, including Canada, joined the boycott of the Moscow Games. It was a difficult disappointment after earning the chance to compete on the Olympic stage.
Over the next several years, I represented Canada in several world tournaments and tours, including competitions in Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Holland, and Spain. I was truly on the big stage, facing strong international opponents and learning what it meant to perform consistently at the highest level. Those experiences prepared me for the next major challenge in my career.
In preparation for the 1983 Pan American Games in Caracas, Venezuela, I was named the number one goalkeeper for Canada. I understood that the fortunes of the team would depend on my performance, and I accepted that responsibility. I was ready for the time of my life as a world-class goalkeeper.
For the first time in the history of the Pan American Games, Canada defeated Argentina in the men’s field hockey gold medal game. Backstopped by a goalkeeper who had been given the chance to be number one, Canada won the gold medal and qualified for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, United States. That victory brought several firsts: Canada’s Pan American gold medal, an Olympic berth, and personal milestones for me as a Guyanese-born field hockey player competing at that level.
Looking Back: 1970–1987
As I look back on the journey from 1970 to 1987, my one regret is that I never had the chance to represent my birth country, Guyana. I always dreamt of what it would have felt like to wear a Guyanese shirt and fight for the cause. Whenever I played against teams from the Caribbean, a part of me wished I were playing for Guyana. I never received that call, but wherever I went in the world, I made it known that I was a product of Guyanese sports.
I retired from competitive hockey in 1987, though I continued to play for my club for several more years. Field hockey gave me friendships, challenges, travel, discipline, and unforgettable memories. It is truly a beautiful game. Blessings to all.
Memories, Lessons, and Legacy
Looking back, my life as a field hockey player is filled with memories of hard training, competitive matches, loyal teammates, and valuable life lessons. Hockey taught me discipline, patience, leadership, and resilience. It showed me how sport can bring people together and how commitment to a team can shape a person’s entire outlook on life.
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