2022 Hall of Fame Honorary Member: Aaron Sher
by USA Field Hockey
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Throughout the month of January, USA Field Hockey will be celebrating and honoring the 2022 Hall of Fame Inductees, Honorary Members and Award winners prior to the 100th Anniversary and Hall of Fame Celebration, hosted by the U.S. Field Hockey Foundation.
Aaron Sher is truly a legend of field hockey in the United States. Aaron has held numerous board positions within the Pan American Hockey Federation (PAHF) and International Hockey Federation (FIH). He first served on the FIH Marketing Committee in 1996, which was the first of many positions he served through the next two decades. He not only impacted the sport internationally in these various roles but paved the way for those who followed him on those board and committee positions. Additionally, he has shared his passion for the sport and devoted his time and leadership skills with USA Field Hockey and the Olympic Movement since the early 1980’s.
Aaron served an eight-year stint as an FIH Executive Board Member from 2002-10 and served on the PAHF Board from 2005-15, holding the position of vice president from 2007-11 and secretary from 2011-15. He received the FIH Presidents Award in 1996 and the Order of Merit Award from the FIH in 2010 and PAHF in 2015 for distinguished service and exceptional contribution and achievement. Only a handful of people around the world have received both these FIH awards.
As a member of the of the FIH Media and IT Committee and chair of the PAHF Communications and Committee, he sought to modernize the game with statistics and the ever-growing social media platform. Additionally, he worked extremely hard to get the icons of the game on video or audio recordings, therefore ensuring that their voices and stories as part of the game’s evolution would not be lost.
Aaron positively impacted USA Field Hockey and its movement toward an Olympic medal by serving as the Director of Events on the Board of Directors. He got his start with the organization in 1980 as a coach and served as the coach at the 1983 U.S. Olympic Festival. From 1993-98, he was an integral part in expanding the National Hockey Festival, turning it into the largest field hockey event in the world. From 1998-02, he was the treasurer/secretary of USA Field Hockey, and he was key in digitizing the accounting systems and the formation of the USA Field Hockey Foundation.
He served the broader Olympic movement by participating in several unique roles, including serving as the Hockey Competition Director for the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games, as well as Consultant and Officials Coordinator of the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games. He currently serves as an Advisor to USA Field Hockey’s Los Angeles 2028 Task Force.
Still an avid athlete, Aaron played on the U.S. O-60 Men’s Masters Team at the 2018 EXIN Masters World Cup in Spain.
Aaron has clearly demonstrated an ongoing commitment to field hockey in general and USA Field Hockey in particular, and the sport is better because of his efforts.
“Aaron has been a giant in field hockey administration in the United States,” said Simon Hoskins, USA Field Hockey’s Executive Director. “His influence over a sustained period of time within the International Hockey Federation and Pan American Hockey Federation has provided opportunities to USA officials, teams, athletes and coaches that simply would not have existed without the knowledge, relationships and advocacy of Aaron. He has been a visionary, and coupled with much hard work and dedication to field hockey, has advanced the sport domestically with expanding competitions and modernization of our game. His contribution to field hockey cannot be underestimated. A true legend of the sport.”
He is truly worthy of induction in the USA Field Hockey Hall of Fame. Join us as we celebrate and honor all of the 2022 Hall of Fame Inductees, Honorary Members and Award Winners on Saturday, February 5, 2022 at the 100th Anniversary and Hall of Fame Celebration, hosted by the U.S. Field Hockey Foundation, at The Union League of Philadelphia. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.