Spark’s over 40s side won gold while Salter’s over 50s side picked up bronze. 

The Blues over 60s and over 65s were also crowned national champions, while the over 55s, over 45s and over 35s finished third and the over 45 (2’s) fifth, earning the hosts the best competing state award.

Several former Tamworth players figured in the various sides and in coaching capacities. Among those were Sue Hunter, Lindl Taylor, Helen Taylor and Deb Orrack.

Orrack was part of the successful 60s side and showed tremendous courage, playing the gold medal game with a smashed nose courtesy of a ball to the face in an earlier game.

Hunter played for the 55s while Lindl Taylor coached the 35s and Helen Taylor was manager of Salter’s 50s side.

Tamworth’s involvement also extended to other states with Aleasha Brown playing for the Tasmanian 35s. They finished just out of the medals placing fourth.

For Spark the national title topped off “a massive year” that included helping Flames win their first Tamworth women’s first grade premiership since 2013.

It was her fourth time representing NSW at the masters level and second, and last, time in the 40s.

The Blues defeated Queensland 5-4 in a shoot-out to win the gold after scores were locked at 1-all at the end of regular time.

They still couldn’t be split after the first round of one-on-one’s with the keeper, the Blues netting the decisive goal with their second shot of the golden goal second round.

Spark thought it was – as the scoreboard portrayed – a pretty even tussle, Queensland possibly tiring a bit towards the end of the third quarter and into the fourth.

The two had met in the second last game of the pool stages with Queensland taking the win 2-1.

“[But] We were playing a different structure that day,” Spark said.

“For the final we went back to our well-drilled structure.”

The change paid off.

Spark mainly played up front, “helping out intermittently in the midfield”, and scored a double in NSW’s opening 9-1 win over South Australia. They dropped just two games for the tournament, the pool game to Queensland and their final pool game against Tasmania, and played some brilliant hockey over what Spark said was a great week.

“There is some quality hockey right through every age division,” she said.

“Even the 60s and 70s are inspirational to watch.”

Salter echoed those sentiments after what was her second masters nationals.

“It was a fantastic experience,” she said.

Her NSW team secured the bronze with a 3-nil win over Victoria.

“We played really good solid hockey,” Salter said.

“It was just frustrating we couldn’t put that together against Queensland and Western Australia. 

“The two losses to them cost us a spot in the final.”