Craig Mills, Coach of the Under 9 Team

As coach, I have been described by others as encouraging and positive. I have coached all junior grades and both boys and girls, since gaining Level 1 Coaching Accreditation in 1996. I have also achieved this accreditation in both football and cricket. In some years, I have even coached 2 teams: one on Friday nights, and another on Sunday morning. I am a coach who uses game-based teaching methods, not “cone drills”.
Personally, I started playing as an 18 year old when I moved to Adelaide from Renmark to start university. After 8 years of playing junior football (I was ruckman in U15’s), hockey was an exciting change of pace. I started playing as a midfielder, then moved forwards in the centre. In later years, I have become a strong left-side midfield player.

For 10 years I have been a State Veterans player, captain for two of these years, for well-placing South Australian teams. Usually I figure in the leading goal-scorers for SA, and have not had an opposing player score a goal against me for the last 9 tournaments. I have also been lucky enough to have played in every state and territory in Australia.

My likes: Structure in teams, and individual work ethic

My dislikes: Laziness

Most common instruction: “Keep tackling!”

How I rate my success as a coach: Having players return the next season, bringing a friend along.

Proudest achievement in hockey: Having 3 children (now adults) who have played hockey at Forestville since Minkey. Geoff [24] is now co-captain of the men’s Premier League side, Ian [22] plays Metro 2’s, and Jacqui [17] plays in the women’s Premier League team, as well as being captain of the U18 girls’ team.