Even as his proteges found stardom at the highest level, the great servant of hockey dug deeper to unearth fresh talent.

Former national 400m hurdles champion, Anto Kenny Martin, who played school hockey under Fidelis, described him as a commanding hockey guru who kept the conveyor belt of raw talent rolling.

Equally forceful was Fidelis’ raspy, booming voice that drowned out the hockey arena when he fired up players.

He would yell “Christ on a bike!” when his charges made lame moves. After an especially bad call, he would stare down umpires.

Although he seemed permanently cranky, especially during games, even as a spectator, Fidelis was often tender and funny off the pitch.

More than a “loud” mentor, he was the voice in his players’ ears. More than a coach, he was their foundation.

When Fidelis retired in 2005, the scowl was gone and the infectious personality turned subdued.

In the years that followed, he was wheelchair-bound and staying at a home for the elderly in Seremban as his six children had their own family obligations.

Fidelis died yesterday at the Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital in Seremban after a long illness. He was 87.

He will be remembered for his significant contribution to hockey in Malaysia from the 1960s, coaching numerous sides and mentoring dozens of state and national players, including Olympians.

In 1983, he played a key role in the women’s national team who won the gold medal at the SEA Games and the bronze at the Inter-Continental Cup the same year.

Fidelis embodied true volunteerism and helped make the system work through his knowledge, passion and dedication of the sport.

He merely got a drink at the end of the day, courtesy of “Uncle Ah Kau”, the pineapple drink and cincau (grass jelly) vendor at the NS Padang after each game.

Many still feel Fidelis, a former Telekom Malaysia employee and army lance corporal, should have been accorded state and national honours, especially for grassroots development.

“He did what he loved and I suppose he was born for hockey,” said sportswriter Satwant Singh, the man behind the Yayasan Negeri Sembilan Hockey Club that ruled club hockey in the country in the 90s.

“Fidelis focused his recruiting efforts primarily on schools and was always generous with his time and ideas,” said Satwant, a past secretary of the Negeri Sembilan Hockey Association (NSHA).

In 2015, Fidelis, the late legendary coach and Olympian Lawrence Van Huizen and Satwant were inducted into the NSHA Hall of Fame.

Former Negeri Sembilan forward, Terence Rajasingham, said Fidelis was a “voice” not to be missed at hockey pitches around the country and sacrificed his time to make the NS Padang, the centre of sports in Seremban from the 60s to the 90s, his second home.

“He demonstrated a lifelong dedication to hockey and was one of the first coaches to introduce the European-style hockey,” he said.

Former national hockey coach and Olympian, Stephen Van Huizen, said Fidelis drummed the basics and tactical knowledge into players at a young age “which helped us to play hockey at the highest level.”

His father, Lawrence, and Fidelis were widely regarded as the twin pillars of St Paul’s Institution (SPI) that produced countless national and international players.

Among them was Colin Sta Maria who said the country, state, SPI, Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus and local club Rangers benefitted greatly from the guidance of Van Huizen and Fidelis.

Old Paulians’ Association president Steven Chan recalled the then prowess of the three schools in particular bode well for the future of Negeri Sembilan hockey.

He recalled that while Van Huizen and Fidelis trained their alma mater, King George V had the late Ho Koh Chye and the late S Sivapathasundram coached Tunku Besar Secondary School, Tampin.

Chan said the imposing presence of Fidelis at matches involving the three schools added to the rivalry and made him a favourite among the fans.

Hockey runs in the Fidelis family. Derek and Gary played for Malaysia in the Olympics and Asian Games while Colin and Jeremy also represented Negeri Sembilan.

Their sister Donna was in the Malaysian women’s squad during the time of the great Daphne Boudville in the 60s and 70s.

Derek said: “Our dad was dedicated and much feared as a coach. Even his own children were not spared as discipline to him was key to success.

“Many of the hockey players will remember him as a fierce, loud and outspoken man but he was a gem of a coach.

“His love for hockey is indescribable and the long hours he spent coaching is testimony of his dedication to help young people achieve their sporting dreams,” he said.

Donna said her father’s tough training regime stemmed from his days as a light-welterweight boxer when he was with the army.

Journalist Graig Nunis, whose Olympian brother Kevin was under the tutelage of Van Huizen and Fidelis, wrapped up the tributes:

“He might have been a non-nonsense coach but he meant well and would wrap his arms around the players and make them a part of his family.

Prayers will be held at 8pm at 23, Jalan Nuri Indah 6, Taman Bukit Nuri Indah, Rasah Jaya in Seremban. The cortege will leave for service at the Church of the Visitation funeral parlour tomorrow at 1.30pm followed by the ceremony at the Fairy Park Crematorium in Sendayan.