McConchie, Lorna (1914 - 2001)

After nine years playing for both Victorian and Australian netball teams, Lorna McConchie coached Australia to victory at the first netball World Tournament in 1963. A member of the International Federation of Netball Associations for twenty-five years, McConchie was added to the Victorian Honour Roll of Women in 2004.

Lorna McConchie was educated at East Kew Primary School and University High School. She studied physical education at the University of Melbourne and began lecturing in dance, movement and teaching practice. McConchie was involved in the establishment of the University’s prestigious physical education course, drawing students from all over the world.

From 1931 to 1940, McConchie played for the Victorian and the Australian netball teams She was vice-captain of the Australian team in 1939, but a planned tour to New Zealand had to be cancelled after the outbreak of WWII. From this time, McConchie became more involved in the administration of the sport. By 1949, she was representing the Australian Physical Education Association at the first women’s conference in Denmark. Ten years later she was the Australian delegate at the Inaugural Conference of the International Federation of Netball Associations (IFNA), where an international constitution was accepted. Convenor of the initial IFNA Rules Sub-committee from 1963 to 1967, she remained a member of the Federation for twenty-five years and was awarded the IFNA Service Award in 1991.

McConchie continued her involvement with the game itself despite her administrative duties. In 1956 she had become Australian coach and manager of the first women’s touring netball team to visit England. In 1963, once again in England, she coached the undefeated Australian team at the first netball World Tournament.

Lorna McConchie was nominated as a member of the Netball Victoria Team of the Century in 2000, and in 2001 was inducted into the Netball Hall of Fame. She died the same year. Netball Victoria has named the State League Umpire Award in her honour.

Supporter

• Netball (c. 1900 - )

  McConchie was highly influential as a sports administrator and coach for netball in Australia

Related Concepts

• The 1956 Australian Netball Team (1956 - )

  Lorna McConchie was coach of the 1956 Australian netball Team

Related Corporate Bodies

• Netball Australia (1927 - )

  Lorna McConochie coached and managed the All Australia Netball team in 1956 and 1963 and had a longstanding association with Netball Australia in an official and unofficial capacity.

Related People

• Gill, Eunice Elizabeth Perrott (1918 - 1987)

  Lorna McConochie taught Eunice Gill at the University of Melbourne and was a colleague in the Department of Pysical Education. She also worked with her in netball administration.

Australian Women Exhibitions

• She's Game: Women Making Australian Sporting History, Australian Women's Archives Project, 2007, http://www.womenaustralia.info/exhib/sg/sport-home.html. [ Details... ]

Books

• Gill, E.E.P. and L.J. McConchie, An examination of some aspects of sports administration in Victoria, Department of Physical Education, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 1976. [ Details... ]

Edited Books

• McConchie, Lorna (ed.), How to play netball, Jack Pollard sportsmaster series, Jack Pollard, North Sydney, 1975, 132 pp. [ Details... ]

Online Resources

• Office of Women's Policy, Department for Victorian Communities, Victorian Honour Roll of Women 2004, State of Victoria, 2004, http://women.vic.gov.au/web12/rwpgslib.nsf/Graphic+Files/2004_Honour_roll/$file
  /2004_Honour_Roll.pdf. [ Details... ]