Saturday, January 24, 2026

The challenges coaching a university side in England Hockey Premier Division

A university side in the Premier Division usually means a full-time role for a head coach – a rarity in English Hockey circles outside of the GB programme, writes Harry Croft-Baker.

The Hockey Paper sat down with University of Nottingham’s head coach James Bateman as he revealed the challenges that are faced when trying to keep a university side in the Premier Division, while trying to manage 20 young adults, and the changes they are facing in their lives at the same time.

This year Bateman took on the role of full-time head coach of the university’s performance hockey programme for the first time, after previously attempting to balance the head of hockey role at Oakham school.

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