Juliet Haslam OAM

Outstanding Alumni Contribution to Sport Award recipient 2023

Juliet Haslam is one of our country’s most decorated female hockey players and has dedicated much of her life to Australian sport. A Hockeyroo for more than 12 years, Juliet’s impressive list of sporting achievements includes winning gold at two Olympic Games and a Commonwealth Games, two World Cups and five Champions Trophy tournaments. For her significant contribution to Australian sports, she was awarded the inaugural Outstanding Alumni Contribution to Sport Award by the University of Adelaide in 2023. 

Despite the many trophies to her name, Juliet’s measure of her own success has little to do with awards and accolades. “I never think of success being about winning medals. It’s about how you can make a real difference in people’s lives and it’s that opportunity to create impact,” she says.
Raised in a sporting family, Juliet has witnessed the powerful impact of sport. “It brings so much to our lives. It makes us happier, healthier, more connected, and gives us the most amazing memories and friendships. It gives us that real sense of belonging.”

Juliet first played for Australia in 1989, representing the country on many occasions while studying her Bachelor of Commerce, which she finished in 1995. As a high-profile athlete leading women’s sport in the 1990s, the impact of Juliet’s impressive career has indeed reached far beyond her own life and trophy cabinet.

I was very fortunate to have been a part of an era that helped to pioneer women’s sport in this country. The Hockeyroos were the first Australian female team to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games and that success has paved the way for the champion women’s teams that we see today, and for future generations.” Juliet’s team was named the ‘Australian Team of the Century’ by the Australian Sports Commission.

Juliet’s dedication to sport has not waned after her retirement following the 2000 Olympic Games. While building a successful corporate career, she has served on the boards of Hockey SA, Hockey Australia, the SA Sports Institute and the Board of Governors for the SA Hall of Fame, and led the Port Adelaide Football Club’s entry into the AFLW competition. She has also been heavily involved with projects to mentor young professional athletes and normalise mental health conversations within sporting clubs.

Juliet was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1996 and was given the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 1997 for service to sport.
Her significant contribution to Australian sport continues to evolve.