Jesse Foster in 1989 - back row second left

Jesse Foster in 1989 - back row second left

So we never forget

Every year the Men’s or Women’s Premier League team play for the Jesse Foster cup versus the TEM Hockey club.  Camberwell also has an annual memorial trophy named after Jess awarded to the best male junior playing seniors.
 
Who was Jess? Jess played hockey for Camberwell from Juniors and Seniors until 2000, before moving to TEM as a playing coach of the State League 2 team. Jess played for many years in Camberwell’s State League 1 team from around the age of 16. He was a member of the Camberwell 1998 and 2000 premierships, represented Victoria in junior state teams consecutively from under 13 – 21 (often as captain).  Jess was much loved and revered by a large number of Camberwell people, team mates, parents of players he grew up with, and junior players he coached.   Later in Jess’s life he suffered from a mental illness where he took his own life tragically at 32.  To many at Camberwell this was a great shock as we were unaware of his struggle.

 

History as written by Julian Foster, Jesse's Brother

  • Jess and I started playing at Camberwell about 1983 when he was 7 and I was 9.

  • Jess’ team played in the granny every year and won almost all of them (Indoor as well).

  • He represented the Vics every year from the age of 13 to 21, captaining in 15s, 18s & 21s - not sure how many times he was captain, at least 5.

  • Won the B&F for Camberwell State League when he was 17.

  • He was in the Aust 21s squad but missed out on playing in the Junior World Cup.

  • He left Camberwell at the age of 24 and stopped playing for a year or two.

  • He came to TEM, after much persuasion from myself, to coach and play SL2 in 2003 but after a tough year he decided he couldn't continue.

  • Jess suffered mental illness from about the age of 25 until he took his own life at 32.

Results

2012 Camberwell
2013 Camberwell
2014 Camberwell - Competed for by WPL due to TEM Men's out of MPL
2015 - 2016 on hiatus until TEM returned to the MPL or WPL
2017 Camberwell
2018 Camberwell
2019 Camberwell
2021 Camberwell
2022 Camberwell (draw)
2023 Camberwell

 

“We are ultimately a community based club where our culture is founded and passed on by its people. We often focus on premierships as a measure of our success of which we have a rich history. Jess’s passing had a profound impact on how we at Camberwell view ourselves, how we measure ourselves. Whilst we play hockey at Camberwell (no matter your skill level) for the love of the sport, it’s the people you meet and get to know that ultimately matter the most.”
— Hamish Ridland
 

Lifeline Australia - 13 11 14