Aberdeen Amateur Athletics Club Obituary: Joyce Hogg

Born: 26 March 1948

Died: 26 April 2023

With great sadness, we advise of the passing of Joyce Hogg. Surrounded by close family, Joyce passed away on Wednesday 26^th April following a brave battle with mesothelioma and complications after surgery.

All of us at Aberdeen AAC and the wider sporting community send our condolences to family and friends.

Joyce and Ken with Michael Ferguson following Michael’s win in the Scottish Senior 1500m, 2019.

Joyce started with Aberdeen AAC as an individual athlete participating in a variety of disciplines, each time taking on a new event with enthusiasm and vigour, as she did with any challenge. However, she is best known as a coach and stalwart of AAAC, alongside her husband, Ken. Her coaching career lasted many decades with a long list of notable successes across middle and long distances: Debbie Kilner to Scottish senior cross-country champion in 1996; Rhona Auckland to multiple European track and world cross-country championships, including European U23 champion in 2014; Laura Mahady to multiple world over 50 & 55 middle distance and relay champion titles (2009-14); Kelsey Stewart to multiple junior European and Commonwealth relay representations and British U23 400m champion in 2017; Michael Ferguson to Scottish 1500m champion in 2019. Rarely was a Scottish cross-country or track fixture complete without Joyce navigating the mud to cheer on athletes or camped out trackside at the 200m start providing advice and support – the pair of them racked up a significant mileage!

As a long-standing member of the AAAC committee, Joyce took on the newly established role of coach coordinator, laying the foundations and overseeing the formalisation of a club coaching structure ahead of the 2009 opening of Aberdeen Sports Village, anticipating significant interest from prospective new athletes. She and Ken setup the AAAC Academy, providing additional support to developing club athletes participating at the highest standard in the country. Joyce was also key in the support of students at Aberdeen university, the development of the student athletics club, but also the link between the local athletics club and local students at both Aberdeen university and RGU.

Joyce and Ken with the squad on a training night at the track, around 2012.

Amongst it all, Joyce encouraged athletes to take up athletics coaching and mentored many young, newly qualified individuals. These efforts and foundations leave a significant ongoing legacy and enabled Joyce and Ken to retire from coaching in late 2019.

Many athletes lucky enough to have been coached by Joyce will enjoy fond memories. Personally, my favourite over the 15 years I worked with her will always be the many celebratory ice creams we each enjoyed following my expulsion from 800m qualification rounds at BUCS and English age group championships on a sunny Bedford day.

Joyce is survived by husband, Ken; a daughter, Lorna; and a son, Graeme.

Funeral arrangements:

Thursday 18th March, 11:15 am, Aberdeen Crematorium West Chapel

James Joy, AAAC Coach Coordinator, on behalf of AAAC members.