Sumesh Putra (Official)

Inductee Name: Sumesh Putra
Category: Official
Date: Class of 2014

Inducted in the builder category (now updated to officials category), Sumesh Putra has been a part of field hockey in Canada since he moved from his native Malaysia at the age of seventeen.

After being exposed to the sport as a child, it was in Canada where he truly grew fond of it.

It was this experience that led him to join his first field hockey team and eventually umpire his first match.

As an umpire, Sumesh has travelled the world and has presided over matches in all of field hockey’s biggest tournaments.

After his first overseas assignment in 1987, Sumesh went on to umpire in his first international tournament.

Sumesh took a break from international assignments to focus on his young family, but couldn’t stay away from the game for too long.

In total, Sumhesh represented Canada in 127 international matches and officiated in two Olympic Games, three World Cups, a Commonwealth Games, Pan American Games and two Champions Trophy tournaments.

Sumesh says his lengthy career as an international official, which lasted twenty years, can be attributed to two simple keys to success: confidence and support.

As all umpires are required, he retired at the age of 47, but Sumesh did so on his birthday, a day after officiating his last game at the 2007 Pan American Games, stretching his career as long as he possibly could.

Congratulations to Sumesh Putra on his induction into the Field Hockey Canada Hall-of-Fame.

Induction Video:

Highlights:

First time overseas in 1987
1st international appointment: April 1991
FIH Grade 1: April 1993
FIH World Panel: December 1997
2 Olympic Games (2000 and 2004)
3 World Cups (1998, 2002, 2006)
1 Commonwealth Games (1998)
1 Pan American Games (2007)
2 Champions Trophy Tournaments (1997 and 2000)
Total number of international umpiring caps: 127
Last match 25 July 2007, Pan Am Games in Rio, day before 47th bday when he had to retire