When Brett Herrington isn’t working as UGL’s HSE Operations Manager, you can find him at Brisbane’s indoor hockey pitch. As Head Coach of Australia’s men’s indoor hockey team, he’s preparing for the upcoming World Cup in Croatia.
Australia is one of 12 countries competing in the event in February, having successfully made it through some gruelling qualifier matches against New Zealand for the Oceania region.
It’s not just the competition that has made it a challenge for players, but also funding. Unlike many European nations, indoor hockey in Australia is self-funded, a financial barrier that has curtailed the careers of many local players.
The team is relying heavily on donations made to the Australian Sports Foundation to travel to Europe next year.
“To represent your country in our sport requires so much self-discipline and commitment as it is still a self-funded sport. It does drive those that really want it, but it also restricts some athletes that just can’t afford the money to go to tournaments around Australia for selection, let alone the cost to attend the World Cup, which is in the 10s of thousands for each athlete. It is the ultimate test to be up against the best in the world. It requires an undeniable passion to get the opportunity to be on this stage. I’m excited to be the Head Coach for the Men’s team to test our best and set the platform for future generations in what is a fast and exciting game!” says Brett.
Belgium is shaping up to be a threat for Australia, with the team soaking up practice time to prepare for a potential battle.
“The last World Cup wasn’t particularly successful. We finished towards the bottom of the ladder. This World Cup, we’re aiming to reach the quarter finals. We have some warmup games in Belgium and in the Netherlands in the lead up which will provide us the best platform in preparation.” says Brett.