Kaluwin Potuan, ex-President of PNGHF, previous Vice President of OHF, passed away on April 18th this year.
Kaluwin’s involvement and legacy with the sport of hockey across the Oceania Region was magnificent. From the time he was elected President of PNGHF in 2008 until he retired in 2023, he was fully engaged with Oceania Hockey representing Papua New Guinea at meetings, events, and on the international stage. He was elected to the Oceania Hockey Federation Executive Board in 2011 and became the OHF Vice President in 2012 until his retirement in 2018. Kaluwin had a positive influence and gave the Pacific Island member countries a strong voice while he was representing them on the Board. As a result of his in-depth involvement in all aspects of hockey he was conferred with a life membership of Oceania Hockey Federation in 2023 and there was a wonderful celebration at the Sir John Guise Stadium in 2024 when it was formally presented to him by Gill Gemming representing OHF.
Collecting gear to take back to PNG with Secretary General Tom Kahai
One of Kaluwin’s strengths was his organisational ability. From 2007 he took the opportunity to ensure that there were always Papua New Guinea’s National teams at Continental events. These included attendance at Oceania Cups, in 2007, 2013, 2017, 2019, Pacific Games in 2007, 2015, and 2023. These opportunities were not just for athletes and coaches, but Kaluwin always made sure that PNG umpires and technical officials also got a chance to travel, and be developed, through international experience. Kaluwin was instrumental in assisting OHF in developing a new Sport for Development Program Hook in4 Health to benefit the wider hockey community in PNG which continues to run and have an impact today.
Kaluwin’s major legacy, which will continue to be recognised well into the future, was the establishment of the Sir John Guise Hockey Stadium, built for the 2015 Pacific Games. Kaluwin was determined to get on to the Pacific Games Facility Committee, as he recognised this was a golden opportunity to create a home for hockey in Papua New Guinea. He not only achieved the building of the surface and the pavilion, but he stayed on the PNGHF Executive to ensure that a long-term lease was signed over to hockey to provide future security.
It was a significant gesture and a mark of his standing in the country, that the PNG Sports Foundation, after Kaluwin’s funeral service, allowed his casket to be at the Hockey Stadium where representatives of the the PNG Hockey Community, the Sports Foundation Staff including various sporting codes including Boxing, Rugby, Athletics and Soccer were able to pay their final respects.
Kaluwin Potuan will be missed by the wider OHF Community but his descendants are already continuing his legacy in the hockey world, in both playing and organising, his leadership qualities will continue.