Starting a hockey coaching academy and creating new opportunities | Michael Wood (American and Canadian Studies)

Michael Wood is a final year University of Birmingham undergraduate from Tywyn, Wales. In 2021, he co-created a hockey coaching service that offered 1-2-1 training, hockey camps and sessions for junior and adult hockey players, working with beginners right through to junior internationals.

Michael: The idea for the Samak field hockey academy came about in January 2021 when myself and a partner had enough of coaching for other companies and giving sessions we didn't believe in.

We set up the coaching partnership across the Midlands area and instantly drew in a high number of players. Following our launch we partnered with Ludlow Hockey Club where we held a number of successful camps and clinics, gaining recognition in the local newspaper

Ludlow Advertiser: Ludlow Hockey Internationals arrive to coach next generation of players

We decided to set up the academy so we could give hockey players in the Midlands the opportunity to be coached by international players in a set up that ensured all players received detailed coaching with a max of 8 players per coach.

A typical day ran alongside my degree in American & Canadian Studies. Most days involved responding to parents and the admin that comes with running hockey camps. 

For instance, booking venues, running social media pages, organising camps and thinking of new venues and ways to grow the brand. On days where we were running camps duties shifted more towards more coaching but also the safeguarding of kids that attended the camps.

The biggest challenge we faced was the response from other coaching companies in the area. Many old school coaches are very territorial with many making it difficult for new coaching companies to break through. 

Fortunately, we were able to push through this and secure a number of venues that were keen to have us coach there.

Michael was awarded funding through the B-Enterprising Ideas Fund to help provide coaching kit, hockey equipment and marketing resources to help grow the idea.

My biggest takeaway from starting up with the Ideas Fund? The general understanding on how to start something from scratch but the main takeaway was how it feels to run something 7 days a week and how to manage customers.

Past experience leading to a next idea

The Samak Field Hockey Academy is still running however, I no longer have any involvement with it after relocating to a different part of the country. I am still in touch with those who run it so often keep tabs on how it is going.

Currently, I am working on launching a new business venture - a Welfare Company which is a third party subscription service that specialises in welfare support for local, town and parish clerks and employees.

Due to the nature of Councils, the welfare of clerks is often disregarded with many working in an unacceptable environment. 56% of clerks reported being bullied in the workplace. This being double the UK average of 23%. With the importance of mental health becoming more and more mainstream now is an ideal time to push the importance of workplace welfare on UK Councils. 

I feel I am in a good position to launch the Welfare Company due to many of the things learned from starting the Samak Field Hockey Academy. I appreciate the academy was only made possible due to the support of the Ideas Fund so I am very grateful towards the University of Birmingham as without the fund I wouldn't be in the position I am now. Confident in starting my own official business. 

With thanks to Michael Wood
Added by Bob Lee