Craig Parnham is a bit of a hero in the USA. When his team refer to him they talk about “Coach Parnham” with a mix of awe and affection in their voices. And rightly so. When Parnham took over as coach to Team USA following the 2012 Olympics, the team was in a mild state of disarray. They had gone to the London Olympics with high hopes of a podium place, and returned with nothing but three points from the pool stages and the ignominy of a last place finish.
Since then, the USA has rebuilt, refocused and re-discovered winning ways. The team played in the Champions Challenge in Glasgow in May 2014, where the straight-forward approach of hard work and then even harder work, won the team fans and admirers. The coach, Craig Parnham, talks about his players’ “mission”. This is the “commonality and clarity of purpose” within the team which drives them on.
The USA took its ‘mission’ to the World Cup in The Hague where, although they were ranked 11th in the world, they tore apart Germany, China and England – all ranked several places higher than the USA. The team finished fourth, narrowly missing out on a bronze medal after a close match with fellow Pan Am team, Argentina.
The team is now ranked fifth in the world and has the potential to move higher. So can this change in fortunes all be down to one man? Certainly, many observers of USA field hockey think so.
Craig Parnham was assistant coach to the Great Britain and England side, and was part of the coaching team that led the Great Britain side to a bronze medal in the London 2012 Olympic Games. He is no stranger to Olympic pressure – as a player he represented Great Britain at two Olympic Games in 2000 and 2004 – and his belief in hard work and practice has transcended both his playing and coaching career.
In an interview for Team USA back in 2013, Parnham said: “One of the things that I think is fundamental in being successful, in anything you choose to do, is mastery of the basic skills. And until you have mastery of the basic skills it is difficult to progress. I think habit forming in younger life and trying to do the right thing more often than not in an environment of play is important. We know that people resort to their habits when the pressure is on at the highest level and if the habits are robust and strong then you’re generally going to be in a good position.”
We caught up with the approachable Brit as he was preparing to leave for Valencia, Spain, for the first of two Olympic qualifiers this year. A top three finish in Spain would guarantee USA’s presence in Rio in 2016. Lower down the table than that, and the team will need to win the Pan Am Games or hope that other results in other qualifying events go their way.
PAHF: In terms of getting the team where you want them, how far are you from your target?
CP: The team is progressing well and we are looking forward to the upcoming tournaments this summer (Hockey World League Semi-Finals and Pan Am Games). We’ve had a good block of training during the past months and we believe we are on the right track. We are a constant "work in progress" and always looking to refine, modify and improve our game.
PAHF: Who will be your main rivals in Valencia?
CP: Every team at the World League Semi-Finals – either in Spain or Belgium – has earned the right to be there through consistent performance over the years or via qualification from World League Two. With that in mind, we respect all of our opponents and prepare thoroughly for each game.
PAHF: To outsiders your philosophy seems simple - work harder than your opponents - but clearly it is much more complex than that. Can you outline your philosophy for a successful team?
CP: My belief is that a successful team is developed from having a clear vision and mission. The expectations are set and understood by the whole team. This commonality and clarity within the culture allows for a purposeful approach to our daily training. Taking it further than that, my philosophy is to create independent learners. It is my job to open the minds of players and allow them to be creative and certainly be independent. Once the whistle goes, a coach’s ability to influence decision making is more limited. So, my main drive is to develop the players to be less coach dependent. This comes back to our culture. The players are involved in driving the program and as a coach, I am there to help guide, teach and facilitate.
PAHF: Have you had to change your approach to coaching to get the best from your players or have the players responded to you without the need for any cultural shift on your part?
CP: Part of coaching is having the ability to be flexible and having an open mind to changing the way you think. The group of players we have are not only talented, but also very creative and are fully invested in our vision. Ultimately, it is the players who decide what they want to get out of this. I see my role, along with the staff, is to create the environment which allows the players to thrive.
PAHF: Following on that point - do you think the American 'can-do' attitude makes the USA players easier to coach or get the best from?
CP: The positive attitude of the players is certainly evident. There is great unity across the group and they all work exceptionally hard for each other. Any player that is willing to commit to hard work and self-improvement is great to coach.
PAHF: What are the biggest strengths of this squad?
CP: The dedication day-in and day-out to training and work is highly impressive. That ethic galvanizes the team. There is a great feel around the team and we have a lot of fun, which I feel is important.
PAHF: What do you expect from the Pan Am Games?
CP: We are looking forward to a great tournament in a great city. Personally, it’s my first Pan Am Games experience and so I am excited to see what it brings. Being part of Team USA in a multi-sport tournament will also be new. As for the hockey, and with any continental championships that has an Olympic place riding on it, we expect it to be a hard-fought set of games.
PAHF: Within your coaching staff, what does each member of staff bring to the squad?
CP: We have a dedicated staff with an array of experience and differing backgrounds. This diversity offers alternative perspectives, creativity and ways of thinking. High performance sport often requires a degree of problem solving and creative thinking, which each of our staff members brings to the squad.
PAHF: How many hours a week are you coaching your team and how many hours a week are the squad doing other hockey-related training?
CP: Our program is a full-time commitment, where we train together six days of the week. There are a number of different components to the program, including on- and off-field sessions. The load of the program varies from week to week depending on FIH schedules, and players have their own areas of development. We are coaching the players every day.
PAHF: How do you switch off from hockey and how do you persuade your players to relax?
CP: It can be difficult to switch off from the job – you find yourself constantly thinking about ‘what’s next’. As for the players, they are encouraged to use their personal time appropriately. The program is designed to allow for players to rest and rejuvenate away from hockey.
