ANDY
THE MAN WHOSE LEGACY WE ARE HERE TO CARRY FORWARD
Where do we start?
Andy lived and breathed hockey. Whether you were an elite player with dreams of the Olympics, or a junior picking up a stick for the first time, he’d give his time to try and help you achieve your goals.
He had an uncanny knack of being able to adapt his coaching style and delivery to his audience, so that all players of all levels would leave the pitch feeling like they have improved. Whether it was in a team environment or a one-to-one skills session, Andy absolutely loved being on the hockey pitch having fun helping others.
Early career
A decent player in his own right, Andy represented the Yorkshire & the North East Of England at junior level, and played in the Doncaster Men’s 2nd Team alongside his brother, with Dad on the side-lines… safe to say there have been a few interesting post-match reviews in the car on the way home!
Although a competent player, it was clear that Andy’s future was in developing others, and that, he actually enjoyed coaching more than playing. Mentored by Alan Stoves, he took over as Doncaster Ladies 1st Team Coach at the age of 23, whilst also heading up the junior coaching programme at his home club. After a handful of seasons at the helm, a new opportunity emerged from over the Pennines and he became Head Of Hockey at Cheadle Hulme School, Ladies 1st Team Coach at Alderley Edge and Assistant Coach at Brooklands HC, where formed great friendships with two of our trustees, Mark Bateman & Paul Gannon.
Loughborough and beyond
His most recent post was at Loughborough University where he enjoyed three amazing years working with charity trustee, Brett Holland. To work at arguably one of the country’s fines sporting institutions was something Andy was very proud of. To make some lifelong friends along the way (both fellow coaches and players), well, that was just perfect.
Andy also worked in both the England Hockey and Welsh Hockey Talent Pathways, nurturing younger talent in both training and tournament settings.
Doncaster was where Andy’s career in hockey started, but his reach was truly staggering. Hockey players around the country and beyond would have seen that smile and heard his infectious laugh.
He believed that what you could learn on a pitch couldn’t be taught in a classroom or in a book, and that sport truly had the power to change lives.
One thing is for sure: we are all richer from knowing Andy
MEMORIES OF ANDY
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