Andy Halliday: Team GB Hockey Manager

After a career spanning three decades policing London whilst balancing the demand of international sport, he is able to reflect on a wealth of experience working with high performing teams.

As a young Mertropolitan Police Officer, he developed his policing skills in the pressured environment of the 1980’s. After initial training, these skills were to underpin a working life in specialist roles throughout his career. For many years, he was a Specialist Firearms Officer, a frontline role in the fight against armed crime and terrorism. He participated in nearly 3000 firearms operations during an 18 year stint with CO19. As both an instructor and operator, the role saw him lead firearms operations in the UK and abroad. By his own admission, it was a steep learning curve.

“The unpredictability of the environment tested situational awareness and pressured decision making both as an individual and as a team. Thorough planning, the ability to think ahead, adapting the plan and reacting accordingly were constantly under scrutiny. We accepted that things didn’t always go to plan, but encouraged an honest and robust approach to briefing and debriefing. We were able to create an environment where tough conversations were made possible in pursuit of bettering the team.”

A former international hockey player and coach, he now manages the GB Mens hockey team as they prepare for the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020.

“I’ve been fortunate to spend most of my career in pursuit of best practice alongside like minded individuals. After so many years working in high performance, It’s incredibly rewarding to be able to support other individuals, businesses and teams as they strive to be the best they can be.”

In his spare time, he claims to have invented “extreme hockey dribbling” and his dribbling challenges in the UK and the Himalayas have raised thousands of pounds for charity.

He is a TRIM Practitioner, a mentor on the Pathfinder scheme at Help4Heroes and an ambassador for Hockey4Heroes, Access Sport and Disability hockey.