Celebrating: Devon Kay

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Celebrating Devon Kay: An Inline Hockey Legend Returns

Inline Hockey New Zealand (IHNZ) recently renamed the National Senior Cup the IHNZ Devon Kay Cup in recognition of Devon’s contribution to inline hockey in New Zealand.

New Zealand’s most capped inline hockey player made a remarkable return to the game after a 15-year hiatus and still manages to retain that title. Devon shares his journey with us, his proudest moments, and the incredible honour of having an IHNZ trophy named after him.
 
A Humbling Honour
Having a trophy named after him in the sport that has given him so much is still sinking in for Devon. He describes the experience as incredibly humbling. Hockey has introduced him to many amazing people, some of whom remain close friends to this day. "We've shared experiences, lessons, laughter - sometimes at my expense! For me, it has always been about the team first, and ironically, a great team often achieves the best results”.
 
Early Days in the Sport
Devon’s love for inline hockey began in Kapiti at the U14 level, thanks to a friend who introduced him to the game. His first tournament was in Hamilton, which also served as a trial for the 1996 Oceania Championships. Making the squad marked the beginning of a deep passion for the sport. "I fell in love with the sport instantly. What followed was an obsession: to train hard, to win, to have fun, and to sacrifice whatever I could for the team”.
Devon credits a core group of players - John Thomsen, Dion Bunt, Shane Clark, and Blair Onishenko - who shared his dedication and competitive drive. "They deserve recognition as much as I do. We pushed each other to be better every day”. Of course, his biggest supporters were always his parents, who were with him every step of the way and remain incredibly proud of this honour.
Devon talks with reverence about Dion Bunt, another of NZ’s finest inline hockey legends.  “I was captain of the U16 and U18 NZ team and Assistant in the prem team until Dion handed over the Captaincy … He pulled me aside in the Nurenburg Ice arena to tell me I was the next Captain of New Zealand.  It was surreal, a stadium with a jumbotron and maybe 10,000 empty seats, except him and me. Pure class”.
 
A Legacy of Championships
Over the years, Devon amassed an impressive collection of titles across national and international competitions, cementing his status as one of New Zealand’s most accomplished inline hockey players.

• National Championships: Secured multiple gold medals with Kapiti Rangers, Whanganui Lightning, and Christchurch Snipers, earning various leadership roles, including captaincy.
• Oceania Championships: Led New Zealand to gold in the U20 and Senior Men’s categories, serving as captain in several tournaments.
• IIHF World Cup: Captained New Zealand’s Senior Men’s team in multiple international competitions, winning silver in 2007 and being named MVP of the final.
• Personal Recognitions: Twice named Wellington College Sport Athlete of the Year in roller sports and awarded Paraparaumu College Sports Person of the Year.

 Career Highlights and a Proud Moment
One of his proudest achievements was captaining New Zealand to the final at the 2007 IIHF World Championships, where they narrowly lost in overtime. "It was the best game I’ve ever played personally, and I cherish that moment so much that it’s the only piece of hockey memorabilia I have displayed in my home”.

 Stepping Away and the Road Back
After a decorated playing career, he stepped away from the game to pursue business opportunities. "I spent 14 or 15 years away from the rink, but I never lost my love for the sport. Now that I'm back, I'm enjoying it just as much as I did in my first 15 years of playing”.
Devon’s return was inspired by a close friend, Shane Clark, who sent him a photo of he and his son celebrating a tournament win together. "That image struck a chord with me. If I ever get the chance to play alongside my son, it will eclipse any of my proudest hockey moments. Just knowing that his family name is on a trophy that teams will strive to win for years to come. It still feels unreal. I have no words to truly express my gratitude to IHNZ for this incredible honour”.
As he laces up his skates once again, his story serves as an inspiration - not just to veteran players considering a comeback but to every young player dreaming of making their mark on the sport.

 

Devon Kay: Full List of Honours
National Championships
Year	Club	Grade	Place
1996	Kapiti Rangers	U14	Gold
1997	Kapiti Rangers	U16	Gold
1998	Kapiti Rangers	U16	Gold	Captain & Tournament Highest Point Scorer
1999	Kapiti Rangers	U18	Gold	Captain & Tournament MVP
2000	Kapiti Rangers	U18	Gold	Assistant Captain
2001	Kapiti Rangers	Premier	Silver	Assistant Captain
2002	Whangnui Lightning	Premier	Gold	Captain
2003	Whangnui Lightning	Premier	4th	Captain
2004	Christchurch Snipers	Premier	Gold	Assistant Captain
2005	Christchurch Snipers	Premier	Gold	Assistant Captain
2006	Christchurch Snipers	Premier	Bronze	Assistant Captain
2007	Christchurch Snipers	Premier	4th	Assistant Captain
2008	Christchurch Snipers	Premier	Silver	Assistant Captain
2009	Christchurch Snipers	Premier	Silver	Assistant Captain
2010	Christchurch Snipers	Premier	Silver	Assistant Captain
2016	Christchurch Snipers	Premier	Bronze
Inter-Regionals
Year	Club	Grade	Place
1997	Lower North Island	U16	Gold
1998	Lower North Island	U16	Gold
1999	Lower North Island	U18	Gold
2000	Lower North Island	U18	Gold	Assistant Captain
2001	South Island	Premier		Assumed
2002	South Island	Premier		Assumed
2003	South Island	Premier		Assumed
2004	South Island	Premier	Gold
2005	South Island	Premier	Bronze
2006	South Island	Premier		Assumed
2007	South Island	Premier		Assumed
2008	South Island	Premier	Gold
Oceanias
Year	Club	Grade	Place
1996	New Zealand	U14	Silver
1998	New Zealand	U17	Silver
2000	New Zealand	U20	Gold	Captain
2001	New Zealand		Gold	Captain
2002	New Zealand	Senior Men	Gold	Assistant Captain
2003	New Zealand	Senior Men	Gold
2004	New Zealand	Senior Men	Gold	Captain
2005	New Zealand	Senior Men	Gold
2006	New Zealand	Senior Men	Bronze
2007	New Zealand	Senior Men	4th
2008	New Zealand	Senior Men	Silver
World Cups
1999	IIHF Can-Am Cup - World Inline Hockey – Ontario, Canada	U17	Bronze
2001	IIHF World Cup – Florida, USA	Senior Men
2002	IIHF World Cup – Phafenhoffen, Germany	Senior Men	Bronze	2 x Game MVP
2003	IIHF World Cup – Nurenburg, Germany	Senior Men
2005	IIHF World Cup - Bad Toltz, Germany	Senior Men		Captain
2007	IIHF World Cup - Landshut/Passau, Germany	Senior Men	Silver	Captain - MVP of Final
2008	IIHF World Cup – Bratislava, Slovakia	Senior Men		Captain
Other Achievements
1998	Wellington College Sport - Athlete of the Year - Roller Sports
2000	Wellington College Sport - Athlete of the Year - Roller Sports
2000	Paraparaumu College Sports Person of the Year