Colin Batch is a professional international field hockey coach and former international player.

Colin has been the head coach of the Australian Men’s national hockey team the Kookaburras since January 2017; wining a silver medal at the recent Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. He was the head coach of the New Zealand Men’s national hockey team the Black Sticks between 2013 and 2016. Prior to this he was the head coach of the Belgium Men’s national hockey team the Red Lions from 2010 to 2012.

From 2001 to 2008 he was the assistant coach of the Kookaburras during the most successful period in their history. During this era Australia broke their Olympic hoodoo winning the gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics as well as bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Silver at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, Gold at the 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games and gold at the 2005 and 2008 Champions Trophies. The Kookaburras are Australia’s most successful

Olympic team sport. The Kookaburras have won every Gold medal since hockey was included in the Commonwealth Games, a total of 7 Gold medals.

As a player, Colin held the record for the fastest hat-trick in Champions Trophy history from 1980 to 2009 with an 8-minute hat-trick against the Netherlands in a 7–3 win during the 1980 tournament. The record was beaten in 2009 when Nam Hyun-Woo scored a 7-minute hat-trick to secure Korea a 4–3 win over Spain.

Coaching an elite sports team has many parallels that leaders can take away and implement with their teams. Throughout his Olympic career as both a player and coach, Colin has developed great insight into the importance of people, culture, motivation and the importance of planning.

Colin is able to share his Olympic Silver medal-winning journey and leadership insights in the field of elite sport.

• Head Coach Australia 2017 – 2021, 2020 Tokyo Olympics Silver Medal
• Head Coach New Zealand 2012 – 2016, 20216 Rio Olympics
• Head Coach Belgium 2010 – 2012, 2012 London Olympics
• Assistant Coach Australia 2001 – 2008 Gold Medal 2004 Athens Olympics

• 175 international matches for Australia between 1979 and 1990.
• 1979–90 – Australian Team Representative (1987–1988 Vice Captain)
• World Cup: Gold: 1986, Bronze: 1982, 1990
• Olympic Games: 4th place: 1984 & 1988, Boycott: 1980
• Champions Trophy: Gold: 1983, 1984, 1985, 1989, Silver: 1981, 1982, 1986, Bronze: 1980, 1987, 1988

• My journey in High Performance Sport
• Building a high-performance team culture
• Excelling in times of adversity and uncertainty
• Looking at what is in your control and what is not
• Focus on the outcome and process to get there
• What to change for future success?
• Adaptable, lessons learnt in a COVID world
• Leadership
• How support staff can drive excellence