The EuroHockey Institute Podcast

Series 4, Episode 4: Norman Hughes talks to Jack Rolfe about his remarkable life in hockey, from a reticent 16-year-old who took up the game when he "wasn't big enough" for football. From the sulphur-fumed pitches of northern England, he would soon travel the world, winning Olympic and World Cup medals as a player and then coaching the Great Britain senior men on the highest stage. Hughes went on...

Series 4 Episode 3: In our first EuroHockey Institute podcast for 2023, Jack Rolfe speaks to the wonderful Cecilia Rognoni. She reflects on an outstanding playing career, highlighted by Argentina’s breakthrough Olympic silver medal and the “best tournament of my life”: World Cup gold in 2002 in Perth when she was named player of the tournament. The journey took her to the Netherlands to initially...

Series 4 Episode 2 - “I don’t find it my work! I can do this 24 hours a day with zero remorse. I love it. It’s a full time hobby!” Tin Matkovic speaks to Jack Rolfe about his journey in hockey, from its beginnings in Croatia to playing, coaching and umpiring across Europe. It has been a hugely varied set of experiences, feeding his “addiction” to the sport and has taken him to the EHL Men’s KO8 wi...

Helen started her international career in 1999 at the age of 17 and became the youngest ever woman to represent GB hockey at an Olympics in Sydney the following year. She went on to compete at four Olympic Games and as part of the senior leadership group played a central role in propelling the women’s game to victory on the world stage at Rio 2016. As she stepped on to the podium alongside her tea...

Robin Rösch is a coach with extensive, successful, and international experience in top-class hockey. Whether as a sports director, as a coach, or even as a coach educator for the EHF and FIH. Robin is currently the sports director at SC Frankfurt 1880 and the Head Coach of the Austrian Men and U21 teams. Tune-in to Robin in conversation with Jack Rolfe, founder of The Coaching Lab, as they discuss...

With more than 300 international caps for Trinidad and Tobago, Kwan Browne has had an illustrious 17-year international career. A career that has seen him represent his country at the Commonwealth games, Pan American Games and Pan American Cup. Add to this his domestic career for Canterbury, East Grinstead and Hampstead & Westminster and you begin to see why Kwan is such a stalwart of the glob...

Adam David Commens is a former field hockey midfielder from Australia, who was a member of the team that won the bronze medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. Commens was nicknamed Billy by his teammates, and earned a total number of 143 caps (20 goals) for Australia. Commens was named head coach of the Belgium national field hockey team on 4 July 2007. Commens was coach and a key player of...

Today we are celebrating International Women’s Day and Siobhán Madeley took over the EHF Podcast from Jack for a special edition with Marijke Fleuren, EHF President, Executive Board Member FIH, Member IOC Commission "Women in Sport", Member of the EHL Board and we are joined by Marco Moers and Mandy Beck who are part of the ABN Amro Diversity & Inclusion policy team. The theme for IW...

Dennis Bergkamp  is a Dutch professional football coach and former player. Originally a wide midfielder, Bergkamp was moved to main striker and then to second striker, where he remained throughout his playing career. Nicknamed the "Non-Flying Dutchman" by Arsenal supporters due to his fear of flying, Bergkamp is widely regarded as one of the g...

Sarah is a strategic consultant in innovation, business & brand strategy, specialising in the power of storytelling & cultural understanding to engage and change behaviour across a wide range of sectors and business challenges. In her 20+ years working in the industry, she have worked extensively with global brands such as Lexus, NIVEA, Johnson and Johnson, Bupa, McDonalds, Jack Daniels an...

Laurine Delforge is an international field hockey umpire and a Belgian field hockey player. She was the winner of the 2016 FIH umpire award and was one of the two first women to umpire at the Euro Hockey League. Playing career Delforge started playing hockey when she was 6. She started playing at Royal Parc Hockey Club in Brussels, but later moved to Royal Antwerp. Delforge currently plays for Roy...

From the beginning of his adventure with hockey, a Wart Poznań club player. He combines his field hockey adventure with a coaching career. From 2014 he was the coach of the senior team of Warta Poznań and in 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 the Savona Hockey coach (Italy) during the Indoor season. In youth groups, Mateusz Grochal worked in the Grunwald Poznań team (2013-2016) and from 2016 until today with...

In the field hockey pitch, the traveler climbs mountains invisible to others. Visiting as many different countries and cities of the world as possible is one of the Ugnė Chmeliauskaitė dreams for few last years. 2018, Ugnė visited 12 different countries of the world, and 2019 she has added nine more countries to her travel map and has planned four more routes. However, a traveler cannot just walk...

Lisa Jacob is an ex-international Irish hockey player (2006-2014) who now plays her club hockey for Old Alex HC. She became the first Irish woman professionally contracted with a Dutch Hoofdklasse club, playing for SCHC in 2013. After almost a decade playing international hockey, Lisa was contracted with the Irish Women’s Rugby 7’s squad for 18 months. Lisa is passionate about the potential of ind...

As we are in a strange time without any hockey matches, let’s try to learn some specific things about video analysis from Amber Luzar. Since 2012 Amber Luzar worked with Reading Football Club as Academy and First Team performance analyst. She was starting to provide pre-match opposition analysis and post-match statistics. Film matches from U16 – 1st Team. Live to code for U16 – U18’s and providing...

Janne Müller-Wieland is the Co-chair of the EHF Athletes Committee. The Athletes Committee serving a link between the EHF and our Athletes and making sure the Athletes have a voice in the EHF’s decision-making process. The Committee acting as a consultative body and making recommendations to the EHF Executive Board and Committees. Janne is the captain of Germany and a world-class international pla...

Do you know who in 2015 received the Athletes in Excellence Award from The Foundation for Global Sports Development, in recognition of his community service efforts and work with youth? Yes, his name Santiago “Santi” Freixa.… Presented by Jack Rolfe from the Coaching Lab and powered by our partner Coach Logic, we are today announcing the third of our EHF Breakfast Club webinar series, with Santi F...

Following the success of our first EHF Webinar Series, which delivered quality content online discussions and deep-dive learning experiences into all things hockey, we are delighted that the free series is back! ​ Over the coming weeks the EHF has lined up top-class presenters to look at more interesting aspects of hockey; including Back to hockey under the new Covid19 restrictions, Youth Developm...

Darren Cheesman is an ex-England and Great Britain Hockey hockey International who is now a High-Performance Coach for England Hockey and the FIH, as well as a Coach Educator for FIH. ​ In addition to previously being a member of England and Great Britain Hockey Teams, he was also a member of the Great Britain U21 team that won Silver Medal at the 2007 Junior Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. ​...

An in depth conversation with global hockey star Maddie Hinch. Covering her learnings and her opinions on what and who has helped drive her success all the way to Olympic Gold. Maddie Hinch made her senior debut in 2008 and was later awarded a full-time contract with GB Hockey in 2010. Since then she's established herself as the first-choice goalkeeper and has gone on to represent England and Grea...

What is like to umpire the Olympic Finals? How and why does the coach and umpire relationship matter. Join the conversation and engage with two of hockey's personalities as they talk through the rules, roles and responsibilities of coaches and officials. Coen van Bunge from the Netherlands has umpired at the top level of world hockey across International competitions at the 2016 Olympics, 2015 and...

Alyson shares her unique views on leadership, management, coaching, and how she deals with the intense pressure and scrutiny whilst also delivering continually on the international stage. With multiple international honours as a player and a coach over the last 30 years Alyson Annan holds many illustrious achievements. Including two (2) Gold Medals at the Atlanta and Sydney Olympics. Having made 2...

The third episode provided a unique chance to listen to Sofie Gierts and Joy Jouret both former Belgium international players whom have made impressive adaptations to top level coaching. Listen to their opinion on the values that should be embedded in hockey. Be inspired by Sofie & Joy and learn about how value driven leadership can inspire behaviours within a team. Sofie Gierts the figurehead...

As a hockey player Jamilon played for Germany and in 2002 became World Champion with the team. With many international honours and fantastic moments throughout his playing career Jamilon moved into coaching. Whilst also studying a BSc in Psychology and later a masters in coaching. Over the last decade following his playing career he has worked for the DHB and the Chinese Hockey Federation. After t...

The unique chance to ask Bobby Crutchley his views on hockey, sport, coaching and the unique roles he has held throughout the sporting world. As a hockey player Bobby gained 80 caps for Great Britain and England between 1993 and 1999. As well as many International Honours and National titles he holds the unique record of having been the top goal scorer in the Australian, English and Italian Nation...