SJA member Rowley receives BEM in Birthday Honours - Sports Journalists' Association

Pat Rowley, the veteran hockey writer, has been awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday honours list announced on Saturday.

SJA member Rowley has been involved in the sport for more than 60 years, as a player, coach, author, archivist of the hockey museum, where he is a trustee, as a broadcaster and sports writer. His BEM was awarded for services to hockey.

Rowley began working in newspapers in 1950, and has written on hockey for The Guardian, Sunday Times and Sunday Express, Telegraph and The Observer. He was the editor of World Hockey from 1969 to 1991. In the past, he has represented the SJA on the AIPS Hockey commission.

“The Association is delighted for Pat that his long contribution to hockey has been recognised in this way,” said Steven Downes, the Secretary of the SJA. “We are sure all SJA members will want to congratulate Pat on this honour.”

Another sports journalist on the honours list was Anna Kessel, who has worked for The Observer and The Guardian. Kessel has been awarded an MBE for services to journalism and women’s sport.

“I am absolutely thrilled to receive this honour. It says so much about how far we’ve come over the last decade or so in terms of the recognition women in the sports industry are now getting,” Kessel said in today’s Observer.

“There’s much work still to be done before women truly achieve equality in the sector, but I’m excited to be part of the journey.”