The beating heart of state school hockey in the Midlands

Dave O’Brien says he gets ‘zero support’ from governing body ‘just sound bites and hot air‘

In the often-overlooked corners of Midlands school sport, one man is quietly transforming the game of hockey. Not with funding or fanfare, but through sheer passion, resourcefulness, and relentless dedication. Dave O’Brien is a volunteer coach, fundraiser, and grassroots warrior who’s spent the past decade bringing hockey to hundreds of children across state schools, many of which had no previous connection to the sport.

By day, Dave is a Royal Mail worker. By night (and often weekends), he’s the lifeblood of hockey coaching sessions stretching from Sutton Coldfield to Olton. His mission is simple but profound: to give children in state schools access to hockey; often their first ever taste of the sport. He was awarded volunteer of the Year by the Hockey Writers’ Club last year.