Pathway to Paris: special Q&A with CEO David Pryles

With the Hockeyroos and Kookaburras confirming their spots at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Hockey Australia CEO David Pryles took some time to reflect on the teams’ achievements this year and what will be a massive 12 months ahead.

Thanks for your time David. Can you give an insight into how Hockey Australia and specifically the Kookaburras and Hockeyroos are situated less than 12 months out from Paris?

DP: “We are situated really well now that the teams have qualified and destiny is in our own hands. The teams will resume in the Daily Training Environment before competing in the Hockey One League that starts on October 6. The High Performance Programs will have a short break over Christmas before starting up again in earnest in early January.

The details and the schedule for the next FIH Pro League season are set. The Hockeyroos will be back to a centralised model in Perth in the lead up to Paris, so I’m just pleased we did the job in New Zealand and don’t have to worry about sending teams to the FIH qualifying tournaments in January.”

You were in New Zealand for the Oceania Cup. How do you think the teams dealt with the occasion with an Olympic berth on the line?

DP: “There was a sense of relief and excitement. Being over there with our President Ross Sudano…as a CEO and President your job is to put structures, systems and processes in place and let the High Performance Director and coaches do their job. I’m really proud of the Hockeyroos with the way they opened the series with a 3-0 win. They were genuinely disappointed with a 1-1 draw in the second match which shows the level of maturity that they now have as a playing group. Then to do the job on the Sunday was really professional.

With the Kookaburras, having a solid win on the Thursday then getting a wake up call on Saturday (but take into consideration in the first half New Zealand scored four goals from six shots, we scored one from nine). To come back on the Sunday and show a really strong professional effort holds them in good stead. There is a lot of hard work to go but it is great to know both teams will be in Paris.”

There is no hiding from the fact the Hockeyroos have had to make adjustments since Tokyo due to the reduction in funding. What has been the impact of this and can you touch on the character and resolve you have seen in the group and to an extent in the Kookaburras as well?

DP: “With the Hockeyroos, it was obviously a kick in the guts at the end of 2021. The team dominated the Olympic quarter final in Tokyo but didn’t win and then to have the funding cut by 45 per cent meant we couldn’t have a full time second assistant coach or performance analyst, and we also had to de-centralise the program. The journey since the start of last year with a new CEO, new Hockeyroos Head Coach, new High Performance Director, putting in place the recommendations from the review, having high performance mindfulness brought in among the group and spending a lot more time with the athletes, you can see there is an enthusiasm and a steely resolve about the group. Now that the Hockeyroos have qualified for Paris they have the best opportunity to prove the doubters wrong. The Hockeyroos are in a really good space.

The Kookaburras haven’t had the year they would have liked from a results perspective. But they have now adopted the mindfulness program run by Emma Murray and I think it is going to be great for the group. The Kookaburras have also had to deal with a host of injuries this year which hasn’t helped, so hopefully everyone comes into the new year fit and firing. I don’t think we should lose sight of the fact we were two minutes away from making the World Cup Final. With the talent in the group, the Kookaburras are definitely a medal chance in Paris.”

Back in July the Hockeyroos and Kookaburras received a portion of the Paris Preparation Funding announced by the Federal Government and Australian Sports Commission (ASC) that was spread across multiple Olympic sports. How important and significant is that in the lead up to Paris and what will that allow the High Performance unit to do?

DP: “That funding is really important. We are thankful to the ASC and the Federal Government. In addition to that funding, we also announced an investment by the Western Australian Government, so if you combine both, it gives us an opportunity to centralise the Daily Training Environment for the Hockeyroos. We can pay the athletes more for being in Perth. We will look to add a second permanent assistant coach and performance analyst for the Hockeyroos next year in the lead up to Paris. It also allows us to continue doing the work off the pitch with the high performance mindfulness program. Every cent certainly helps.”

How valuable is the contribution of other stakeholders such as commercial partners and the national institute network?

DP: “We transfer a considerable amount of funds from the sponsorship we derive into our high performance program. A large portion of the money that we bring in commercially doesn’t go to admin, it is invested into high performance. We are really appreciative of our commercial partners. Several have come on board in the last 12 months. We have increased our commercial revenue by 54 per cent and it is worth noting that while we have done that, we have increased our investment into the high performance program by 60 per cent. This has been much needed, and we would obviously still like more, but it is heading into the right direction.

The state institute network in hockey has been extremely supportive. We are appreciative and it is worth noting since the start of last year the contribution they have made, particularly the NSW Institute of Sport where their performance analyst, Sam Marshall, has been working with the Hockeyroos. Also the South Australian Institute of Sport who have allowed Hugh Purvis to work with the women’s program. A lot of the state institute coaches have been part of the programs over the course of the year which is great. It is really building our hockey family and improving the standard of coaching in the hockey network in Australia.”

Hockey’s elite athletes in Australia are in the sport because they love it and want to be the world’s best. They are not professional in respect to what they earn or can afford to live off playing hockey. How important is the funding Hockey Australia receives across the board in helping these athletes achieve their goals and dreams?

DP: “It’s super important. The mental aptitude of our athletes is second to none if you compare it to professional athletes who are obviously paid a lot more. Our athletes wake up and train at 6am in the morning, go off to work or university and then often come back and train in the afternoon. What they devote to their sporting pursuits can never be underestimated. We are doing all we can to try and lift their payments through other sources (non-government revenue). I am in awe of our athletes. The sacrifices they make are significant so we can never lose sight of that.”

A big part of the Australian hockey whole of sport strategy is around heroes and growth. What is coming up in the next 6-12 months in regard to enhancing that link from the grassroots to the elite levels of the sport?

DP: “We are significantly investing in the relaunch and rebrand of our introductory program, Hookin2Hockey around the Hockey One League season and trying to link that program with the Hockey One teams. A version of the new Hookin2Hockey logo has colours from every Hockey One team. Every child who signs up and elects to purchase a stick in the Hookin2Hockey program will receive a hockey stick in their favourite Hockey One team’s colours.

In addition, some of the deals we have done this year…Channel 7 is now the new home of hockey. The broadcast audience numbers from the Oceania Cup are significant which is great for the growth of the game. To have every Hockeyroos, Kookaburras and Hockey One League game LIVE and free is huge for the sport. There is also the partnership with News Corp and the syndicated editorials we receive in trying to build that heroes pillar. Growing the brand of the Matildas and their players is what the recent FIFA Women’s World Cup did really well. I feel like our national teams have a strong brand. Everyone knows who they are but it’s about building and increasing the profile of the players.”

Finally, what are the crucial aspects of continuing hockey’s positive trajectory over the next 6-12 months leading up to and beyond Paris?

DP: “We need to support the athletes as well as we can but overall we need to be brave and bold. They are the two words I like to use and we also need to innovate. What worked in our sport five years ago or even two years ago is not necessarily going to work in 2024. We need to be bold and brave as a sport to move it forward and make sure we bring everyone on the journey with us.”