One of the most respected sports officials in the Illawarra and South Coast, the 85-year-old said it was time to take a back seat.

"I have enjoyed every minute of the role as president and although I have stepped down as president, I will still be there each week cheering the team on," she said.

"Along the way I couldn't have done it without the continuous support of my husband Pat, who has worked tirelessly in the background to provide support."

When quizzed about her career highlight, the obvious one would have been the naming of the synthetic fields at the Croome Regional Sporting Complex in her honour.

However, she instead nominated Dianne Gorman's selection in the Australian team in 1971.

"Di was our first Australian representative and went on to so many honours in her career, and is an ornament to the sport. We have had several other Australian reps since in both outdoor and indoor hockey, but Di's selection will always be special and I can still remember the club rallying to help raise the money for her to go on her first overseas trip."

There are few people who have put so much into sport as Mrs Marley, who has lived in the area all her life; being educated, married and bringing her family up here.

She was a founding member of the Albion Park Women's Hockey Club in 1947 and has been a member ever since.

In that year she was part of a group of teenagers interested in hockey who met in the local pie shop and eventually established the Albion Park Women's Hockey Club.

After initially playing on the football field, Mrs Marley and other players in the club worked tirelessly establishing a hockey field on local council virgin ground nearby.

"It took us five years to win anything, but once we got that first one there was no stopping us and since then I think we have won well over 40 premierships, something that the whole club is proud of."

Apart from her tireless work with the Park club, Mrs Marley has also worked on many sporting committees, not only hockey, to make sporting facilities better in the area and make it easier for other sportspeople to afford to travel overseas through her 28 years on the Shellharbour Sports Assistance Fund.

She paid tribute to incoming president Karen Seaman, who has stepped into some giant shoes.

"Karen will slot in very nicely and I certainly think she will do a wonderful job."

Ms Seaman said Mrs Marley will be hard to replace.

"I think I speak from all members, past and present, when I say that our club would not be where it is today without the dedication, passion and time Mary has given to our club for such a long period," Ms Seaman said.

"I would like to personally thank Mary for her friendship and on behalf of all club members express my gratitude for all she has done for the club and players over the many years. I am also looking forward to gaining all I can from Mary to hopefully fill the position of club president in a way that she will be proud of."