Surbiton’s head coach Brett Garrard is stepping back from his role with the women’s team after leading the team to an unprecedented spell of success in English hockey.

The double Olympian has been part of the coaching setup since 2009 when the London club were in the East Conference before being promoted twice in three years.

It saw them rise to the Premier Division for the first time in 2012/13 when they finished fourth in their debut season.

They went on to lift eight consecutive national titles from 2014-2022, take four National Tier 1 Cup wins and achieve an incredible 53-game unbeaten run in domestic hockey between 2014-2017.

Indeed, the club’s media officer and statistician Colin Pike details Garrard oversaw 321 fixtures and 230 wins (71.7% win ratio) across league, cup, playoff and European fixtures.

Having grown up in the local area, he has been involved as a player and coach at Surbiton since his teenage years.

And the club hope to see him continue to stay involved in some capacity at the club alongside his new role as Director of Hockey at Epsom College.

First team captain Sarah Evans said: “Brett has truly been the reason behind our sustained success as a ladies 1s squad over the last 14 years. 

“He has this amazing ability to get the best out of players no matter what their experience level is and has created an environment that has the perfect balance of being highly competitive but also ensuring that everyone has fun. 

“Personally, I owe so much to Brett and would not have been able to navigate the highs and lows of international hockey without his guidance and support. Everyone in the Ladies 1s will hugely miss Brett but we wish him all the best with his new role.”

Reflecting on his time as Surbiton coach, Garrard added: “My initial aim was very clear – to get the team and ladies hockey at Surbiton to the same level as the men. 

“It was a job that I only intended to do for a few years but I have to say that, after 14 seasons, it has been the most rewarding, challenging and fun time I have had in hockey. 

“The journey became far more than any success – it was about building a culture and environment where players could have fun, develop and be part of a great club. 

“I was lucky to be part of the club myself at such a young age and enjoy life both on and off the field, and that was something I always wanted the L1 players to experience. I think it shows we did something right as many of the girls from the 10+ years are still good friends and continue to come back to the club. For me, that is what club hockey is all about.”

** Information provided via Surbiton Hockey Club; full article here: https://www.surbitonhc.com/news-events/club-news/2023/record-breaking-l1-coach-brett-garrard-steps-away/