EXPERIENCED hockey coach Laura Smith has ambitious plans to transform the way training is delivered at Dame Allan’s Schools to encourage player participation and support elite-level development.  

Miss Smith, who has played premiership league hockey for one of the top teams in the country, has joined the Schools’ growing Sports Department as PE, Games Teacher and Head of Hockey. 

Her vision to overhaul the way hockey is taught and introduce academy-style training will give pupils of all abilities – from grassroots level to elite players – the opportunity to play at the top of their game. This style of training was inspired whilst working at Queen’s College, in Taunton, under former international player Simon Organ, who has 30 years hockey coaching experience in the Netherlands, UK, Belgium and South Africa. 

She explained: “We plan to train like an academy, which means moving away from the more traditional games system, and instead running tailored sessions, with smaller group numbers and access to more staff and high-level coaching.

“The experience becomes more personalised and allows for more creativity and exploration of skills. Normal age-level training will be supported by invitational Junior and Senior development training sessions. Again, this allows more exposure to the game with older students. 

“We want to deliver something exceptional over the next five years – strengthening our position in the North East and developing better links within the community and with regional hockey clubs. This will shine the spotlight on hockey at Dame Allan’s and ensure pupils of all abilities are participating in and enjoying the sport.” 

Miss Smith, originally from Surrey, studied for her BSc and MSc at Loughborough University, where she played top level hockey for both the university’s 1st XI and Beeston Hockey Club.

She has been coaching for the last six years across many age groups, including at Denstone College, in Uttoxeter, and, prior to joining Dame Allan’s in April, as Director of Hockey at Bloxham School, in Oxfordshire. She is head coach for the Association of Colleges’ Women’s U21s team.

Her broad experience is coupled with higher-level training through England Hockey’s Advance Coaches Programme. Now on her second year of the programme, Miss Smith is mentored by Olympian Lisa Letchford, England Hockey’s Lead Talent Coach and the U16 girls coach for England. 

“Lisa’s a very inspirational person to have as a mentor and, by taking this advanced coaching programme, it allows me to pass on best practice and share an understanding of the technical aspects of the game at a much greater depth,” she said. 

“Hockey is so technically intricate and fast-paced that an advanced understanding is vital when playing at top level. That said, anyone can pick up a hockey stick and ball, and I want to actively encourage all pupils to get involved by introducing as many different forms of the game as possible, from indoor hockey to FIH 5-a-side.”

Reflecting on her first term at Dame Allan’s, she added: “What I have found great is the attitude of the pupils; their approach to sport and participation – and trying something new – is the best I’ve seen.

“This will prove important when we start to make changes to the way we train here. I know pupils will come on board with it straight away and, as a result, progress will be quick.

“It’s a really exciting time for hockey and sport in general; there is real vision within the department to collectively make sport even more exceptional at Dame Allan’s.”