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Mill Hill Welcomes Kwan Browne as Head of Hockey

We are very excited to have Trinidadian field hockey player and GB men’s coach Kwan Browne as our new Head of Hockey

Globally renowned in the hockey world, Mr Browne has represented Trinidad and Tobago at the Commonwealth Games, Pan American Games and Pan American Cup. He is also Head Coach at Southgate HC and is currently part of the England and Assistant Coach to the GB Men’s Hockey Team.

We spoke to Mr Browne when he arrived to find out a little more about him and his lifelong passion for hockey.

Where did your passion for hockey stem from? 

I am from a sporting family, especially the women. Five of my aunts and my mother played for the West Indies cricket team. My mother and aunt played in the first ever West Indies women’s match. They also played for the national hockey team of Trinidad and Tobago. They took me along to training ever since I was a baby, and I fell in love with the sport.

What skills make a good hockey player?

“Nothing beats hard work”; this is what I believe in. If you are a team player who works hard, then you are on your way to becoming a good hockey player.  I like these characteristics as they are both controllable.

Of course, there are some physical, mental and technical qualities that are important too, but if we start with working hard and having a positive attitude towards sport we will be at a good starting point.

Why is sport so important for young people?

Judging from my own experiences of playing sport as a youngster and also as a coach of young people, apart from getting exercise which has a long list of benefits, sport was a brilliant avenue to meet people and create new friendships.

Sport also taught me how to work in a team and helped develop my social skills which has been invaluable to me every day.

Sport gave me a good balance in life and assisted with teaching me how to plan, which helped with my studies.

What are your hopes for hockey at Mill Hill?

I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am about the possibilities at Mill Hill. However, if I was to summarise, I would like to ensure that there are opportunities for all pupils to participate and enjoy playing hockey, regardless of their level, with the ultimate aim of taking both the boys’ and girls’ hockey teams to national success.

I am looking forward to seeing some pupils from Belmont to Mill Hill transition into junior and senior international players.

I am just as excited to see the pupils who have never played before leave school loving hockey and continue playing when they leave.

What are you most looking forward to about coaching at Mill Hill?

I have met most of the staff and it is already feeling like a family. I am looking forward to being part of something that doesn’t feel like work, and the pupils and staff are excited/proud to be part of the hockey programme.

What has been the sporting highlight of your career so far?

Tough one….as a school coach winning the National Championship, eight out of the ten players who won the championship picked their hockey sticks up for the first time at school.

As a club coach winning the English Championship was also special moment. The moment we were crowned the best in England was a great feeling as a coach.

(updated May 2022)