Mark Knowles (field hockey)

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Mark Knowles

| honorific_suffix = OAM

| image = Great Britain v Australia 13 June 2015 (18765200126).jpg

| image_size =

| caption =

| nationality = Australian

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|3|10|df=y}}

| birth_place =

| height =

| weight =

| website =

| country = Australia

| sport = Field hockey

| club =

| turnedpro =

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{AUS}}}}

}}

Mark William Knowles {{post-nominals|country=AUS|OAM}} (born 10 March 1984) is the Australian field hockey captain. He has played professional hockey in the Netherlands for HC Rotterdam. He plays for the Queensland Blades in the Australian Hockey League. He has been the captain of the Australia men's national field hockey team the Kookaburras since 2014. He won a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics, the 2014 World Cup, the 2005 and 2012 Champions Trophy.His most recent achievements include coaching the Eastern Suburbs Hockey Club Division 1 club side.

Personal

Mark Knowles is from Rockhampton, Queensland.{{cite web|publisher=Hockey Australia |location=Perth, Western Australia |url=http://www.hockey.org.au/index.php?id=90&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=906&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=18&cHash=25584a5e4d |title=Kookaburras begin their Olympic Games Campaign |date=7 February 2012 |access-date=7 March 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321013204/http://www.hockey.org.au/index.php?id=90&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=906&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=18&cHash=25584a5e4d |archive-date=21 March 2012 }}{{cite news|access-date=9 March 2012|title=Cairns hosts international hockey clash|newspaper=The Cairns Sun|location=Cairns, Australia|date=15 February 2012|page=4|id=TSU_T-20120215-1-004-877399|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AUNB:QRPB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=13CEBACD11117DD8&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=1053B823C33F21F9}} He lives in Brisbane with his wife, Kelly (sister of Australian Hockey teammate, Jamie Dwyer) and their two sons.{{cite Sports-Reference |title = Mark Knowles |url = https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/kn/mark-knowles-2.html |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200417235310/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/kn/mark-knowles-2.html |url-status = dead |archive-date = 2020-04-17 |access-date = 2015-07-30}}

Field hockey

Knowles played professional hockey in 2008{{cite news|access-date=16 March 2012|title=Ocky has deal with the Dutch|newspaper=The Sunday Mail|location=Brisbane, Australia|date=7 September 2008|first=Damien|last=Stannard|page=96|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AUNB:ACMB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=1230961EF924D478&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=1053B823C33F21F9}} and 2011 in the Netherlands for HC Rotterdam.{{cite news|access-date=16 March 2012|title=New Straits Times (Malaysia): Aussies look powerful despite injury woes|newspaper=New Straits Times|location=Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia|date=26 April 2011|first=Ajitpal|last=Singh|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AUNB:KLSC&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=136E9197793B3EC0&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=1053B823C33F21F9}} He plays for the Queensland Blades in the Australian Hockey League. In 2010, he played in the final game of the season for his team.

=National team=

Knowles is the captain of the Australia men's national field hockey team. In 2006, he represented Australia at the Azlan Shah tournament in Malaysia.{{Cite news|access-date=15 March 2012|title=Tassie teenager in Australian team|newspaper=Hobart Mercury|location=Hobart, Australia|date=22 May 2006|page=48|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AUNB:AHMB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=111C42B0389B68C8&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=1053B823C33F21F9|first=Paul|last=Malarski}} He competed in the 2007 Champions Trophy competition for Australia.{{cite news|access-date=15 March 2012|title=Ockenden to miss Trophy But Dancer recalls Wells|newspaper=Hobart Mercury|location=Hobart, Australia|date=5 October 2007|page=48|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AUNB:AHMB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=11C16DFAD99F8260&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=1053B823C33F21F9}} In December 2007, he was a member of the Kookaburras squad that competed in the Dutch Series in Canberra.{{cite news|access-date=9 March 2012|title=Canberra Times: Lakers duo in Kookaburras side for series|newspaper=The Canberra Times|location=Canberra, Australia|date=14 November 2006|publisher=Financial Times Information Limited — Asia Africa Intelligence Wire|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AUNB:ATMB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=115699E1F5230ED0&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=1053B823C33F21F9}} In January 2008, he was a member of the senior national team that competed at the Five Nations men's hockey tournament in South Africa.{{cite news|access-date=15 March 2012|title=Bulletin Wire: Fresh faces for next Kookaburras tour|newspaper=Bulletin Wire|location=Australia|date=20 December 2007|publisher=Financial Times Information Limited — Asia Africa Intelligence Wire|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AUNB:ZFAD&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=11DAD612B7C55FD0&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=1053B823C33F21F9}} He was a member of the 2009 Champions Trophy winning team, playing in the gold medal match against Germany that Australia won by a score of 5–3.{{cite news|access-date=15 March 2012|title=Epic fightback from Kookaburras secures perfect 10 - HOCKEY|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|location=Sydney, Australia|date=7 December 2009|first1=Guy|last1=Hand|author2=AAP|page=12|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AUNB:SMHB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=12C6F46D81208B30&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=1053B823C33F21F9}} New national team coach Ric Charlesworth named him, a returning member, and fourteen total new players who had few than 10 national team caps to the squad before in April 2009 in a bid to ready the team for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.{{cite news|access-date=15 March 2012|title=Carroll, Abbott in new-look Kookaburras|newspaper=Northern Territory News|location=Darwin, Australia|date=15 April 2009|page=46|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AUNB:NTPB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=127925F9F61398F0&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=1053B823C33F21F9}} He was a member of the national team in 2010.{{cite news|access-date=9 March 2012|title=hockey — Top guns take the field for finals|newspaper=Westside News|location=Brisbane, Australia|date=18 August 2010|page=79|id=WSN_T-20100818-1-079-091512|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AUNB:QGCBT&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=131C791FD40BD600&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=1053B823C33F21F9}} That year, he was a member of the team that finished first at the Hockey Champions Trophy. Because of other commitments, he could not compete at the Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia in May 2011.{{cite news|page=59|access-date=15 March 2012|title=Deavin back in 'Burras|newspaper=Hobart Mercury|location=Hobart, Australia|date=20 April 2011|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AUNB:AHMB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=136B88BD20A84A60&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=1053B823C33F21F9}} In December 2011, he was named as one of twenty-eight players to be on the 2012 Summer Olympics Australian men's national training squad. This squad will be narrowed in June 2012. He trained with the team from 18 January to mid-March in Perth, Western Australia.{{cite news|access-date=7 March 2012|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/kookaburras-name-training-squad-for-2012-olympic-games/story-e6frexni-1226222155261|work=The Daily Telegraph|location=Sydney|date=14 December 2011|title=Kookaburras name training squad for 2012 Olympic Games|agency=Australian Associated Press}}{{cite news|access-date=9 March 2012|title=FOR THE RECORD|newspaper=The Australian|location=Sydney, Australia|date=15 December 2011|page=35|id=AUS_T-20111215-1-035-447690|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AUNB:AUSB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=13BA2D291920D0C8&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=1053B823C33F21F9}}{{cite news|access-date=9 March 2012|title=SCOREBOARD|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|location=Sydney, Australia|date=15 December 2011|page=116|id=DTM_T-20111215-1-116-447684|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AUNB:ATLB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=13BA2D2E271CEC98&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=1053B823C33F21F9}} In February during the training camp, he played in a four nations test series with the teams being the Kookaburras, Australia A Squad, the Netherlands and Argentina. He is one of several Queensland based players likely to play in a three-game test series to be played in Cairns, Queensland from 22 to 25 June against the New Zealand's Black Stickss. Final Olympic section will occur several days before this test and his inclusion in the series will be contingent upon being selected.

Recognition

File:Mark Knowles1.jpg in Rockhampton, 2018]]

In the 2005 Australia Day Honours, Knowles was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) "for service to sport as a Gold Medallist at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games."{{Cite web|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1057946|title=Knowles, Mark William|website=honours.pmc.gov.au|access-date=2019-02-03}}

In 2007, Knowles was honoured by being named the Young Player of the Year by the International Hockey Federation. In 2015, Knowles was honoured by being named the 2014 World Player of the Year, following on from his performances at the 2014 Hockey World Cup, by the International Hockey Federation. He has been the Kookaburras captain since 2014.

Knowles was the Australian flag bearer at the 2018 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony on 4 April 2018.{{cite news|access-date=14 March 2012|title=Sports extra with Brent O'Neill|newspaper=City North News|location=Brisbane, Australia|date=19 January 2012|first=Brent|last=O'Neill|page=47|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AUNB:QGCBD&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=13C8872665791038&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=1053B823C33F21F9}} He was also a baton runner during the Rockhampton leg of the Queen's Baton Relay on 23 March 2018 in the lead up to the Commonwealth Games.{{cite web |url=https://gc2018.com/article/queens-baton-rocks-rocky|title=Queen's Baton Rocks into Rocky|author= |date=23 March 2018|website=Gold Coast 2018|publisher=2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation|access-date=15 March 2022|quote=}}

In 2024, he was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.{{Cite web |date=2024-10-24 |title=Sport Australia Hall of Fame announces eight new Inductees for 2024 {{!}} Sport Australia Hall of Fame |url=https://sahof.org.au/sport-australia-hall-of-fame-announces-eight-new-inductees-for-2024/ |access-date=2024-10-23 |language=en-US}}

References

External links

{{sports links|properties=-P4548}}
{{CGF profile|47133}} (2006, 2010)
{{CGF profile|64758}} (2014)
{{Commonwealth Games Australia|mark-knowles}}
{{Hockey Australia|796}}
{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150311123315/http://hockey.org.au/High-Performance/Kookaburras-mens-team/Kookaburras-Squad-Profiles/ContentId/40 |title=Mark Knowles at Hockey.org.au |date=dmy}}

{{Navboxes

| bg = gold

| fg = navy

| title = Awards

| list1 =

{{Succession box|title=FIH Rising Star of the Year|years=2007|before={{nowrap|{{flagicon|Germany}} Christopher Zeller}}|after={{flagicon|England}} Ashley Jackson}}

{{Succession box|title=FIH Player of the Year|years=2014|before={{flagicon|Germany}} Tobias Hauke|after={{nowrap|{{flagicon|Netherlands}} Robert van der Horst}}}}

}}

{{Navboxes

| title = Australia squads

| bg = #ffe605

| fg = #005800

| list1 =

}}

Category:1984 births

Category:Olympic field hockey players for Australia

Category:Olympic gold medalists for Australia

Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Australia

Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Australia