“During my time at Hockey New Zealand, I had the opportunity to travel internationally, including participation in events such as the Junior World Cup in Malaysia and Qualifiers in Canberra, Australia. These experiences served as a significant milestone, showcasing the diverse opportunities available within HNZ’s internship program. Engaging in these events exposed me to the real-world dynamics of an analyst. These hands-on experiences proved to be immensely beneficial for skill development including networking, professional relationships, problem-solving, personal growth, feedback and evaluation, and making a substantial contribution to the organisation at its highest level. Sam’s remarkable willingness to share his expertise and knowledge has fostered my growth significantly through my two-year journey with HNZ. Working under his leadership has been an inspiring and transformative experience, I am truly fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn from him.”

“I’ve had the privilege of experiencing countless opportunities that have challenged, grown and refined both my personal and professional skills. As an aspiring professional in the sport and recreation industry, being fully immersed in the high performance sport field and introduced to new skills and pathways has been invaluable. Under the mentorship of Sam, I’ve been unconditionally supported and encouraged every step of the way. His ability to make the most complex details easily comprehensible by his intentional processes and informative approaches has secured the confidence in my technical abilities. Additionally, my first exposure at the North vs South tournament, where I was the lead analyst for the U21 men’s teams, forced me to get comfortable in the uncomfortable. My time so far with Sam and HNZ has equipped me with skills and knowledge through experiences that I am eager to continue developing.”

“This internship with Hockey New Zealand has taken me overseas to the Indoor World Cup Qualifiers in Australia and soon to Chile for the Junior World Cup.  It has built confidence and structure into my preparation across the board and reinforced the value of problem-solving, time management, self-led learning, communication, real and fake confidence, and reflecting for development. Sam is a wealth of knowledge and balances the teaching between explanations and demonstrations, and letting us jump in the deep end while providing support when needed and valuable feedback afterwards. I’m so thankful for the learnings and advice I get from him. This journey has given me a solid foundation for future endeavours by putting me in the role of a sports-analyst in a hands-on way. You get as much as you give in this internship and it’s truly not an opportunity to be passed up.”