Oral History Interview: Steven Bradley

Partial Transcript: ACKRELL: This is an interview with Lydia Ackrell and Steven Bradley for The Hockey Museum. Today's date is Friday 8th September 2023. We are in a coffee shop in Steven's home town of Birmingham. The interviewer is Lydia, the interviewee is Steven.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley states his name and date of birth for the record.

Keywords: Date of Birth

Partial Transcript: ACKRELL: Um, could we start with your route into hockey, so when did you become involved with the hockey world.
BRADLEY: Um, I never played hockey at school so, I think when I first started work when I left school I met some people who were playing hockey that were the same age and they said, "come along, have a go". So it just started then really.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley recalls his how he started playing hockey and how he became involved with helping people with disabilities play hockey.

Keywords: Club Junior; Coach; Coaching Course; First team; Flyerz Hockey; Friends; Sports Coaching; University; School

Subjects: Coaching & Management--Junior; Disability; Education and Schooling; Inclusivity & Accessibility; Captaincy

Partial Transcript: ACKRELL: Your earlier club hockey days, when you said you were playing for your local club, what was the name of that club?
BRADLEY: Oh wow! Originally it was Fort Dunlop in Birmingham which, I suppose, synonymous with tyres and all things rubber and golf balls and tennis rackets and stuff like that, so they always had a big, massive factory site and a lot of factory sites in and around the Midlands, and I suppose across the country, had sports and social clubs attached to them.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley reminisces over his club hockey days and what he enjoyed most about playing hockey. He also discusses the friendships he has made while playing and the importance of the 'hockey family'.

Keywords: Beacon Hockey Club; Birmingham--United Kingdom (UK); Boyn Hill Hockey Club; Factory; Family; Friends; Golf ball; Hockey Family; League Cup; Maidenhead--United Kingdom (UK); Promotion; Streetly Hockey Club; Tennis racket; University of Birmingham; Fort Dunlop Hockey Club

Subjects: Manufacturing & Industry; Recreation; Social & Friendships; Teams--Boys--Club; Teams--Men--College & University; Education and Schooling

Partial Transcript: ACKRELL: Can you tell me a little bit about, is it Midland Mencap? So how do you transition from your club days to, to your role there.
BRADLEY: So, yeah, Midland Mencap was paid employment for me, I joined Midland Mencap in 2013 as, er, disability sport lead as part of er, a Sport England funded project to, to make some sports more inclusive and my background was that I'd worked in, had a background in er, VI Sports, or sports for visually impaired people.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley describes how he became involved with Midland Mencap and why he is so passionate about access to hockey and improving hockey for those with disabilities.

Keywords: "Equality of opportunity"; Access; Brother; Disability Sport Lead; Family; Funding; Hockey Festival; London--United Kingdom (UK); Opportunity; Pitch; Sister; Specialist Schools; Sport England; University; VI Sports/Visually Impaired Sports; Midland Mencap

Subjects: Coaching & Management--Club; Disability; Inclusivity & Accessibility; Tournaments--Festival

Partial Transcript: ACKRELL: Could you talk me through that festival that you said you went to?
BRADLEY: Yeah, so it was in, um, 2014, I've just looked through, I've just tried to find some photos but I think that they're long gone. It was in um, I, think it was in Waltham Forest, um, run by, I think probably run by Waltham Forest Hockey Club or Forest Flyerz as it was.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley recounts his memories of his first Forest Flyerz Hockey Club festival in London in 2014.

Keywords: Captain; England; Flyerz Hockey; Forest Flyerz Hockey Club; Goalkeeper; London--United Kingdom (UK); Maddie Hinch; Netherlands; Seven aside game; Six aside game; Skills challenge; Tournament; Waltham Forest Hockey Club; Waltham Forest

Subjects: Coaching & Management--Club; Disability; Inclusivity & Accessibility; Recollection of Others--Player; Recreation; Social & Friendships; Teams--Mixed--Disability; Tournaments--Festival

Partial Transcript: ACKRELL: So, how did this early work that you were doing with, er, Midland Mencap, how did that transform into the Flyerz Hockey that we've got today?
BRADLEY: Yeah, so, um, I, I think there is another, there is probably lots of names you will hear in this, but, there's er, a hockey club in Solihull, Old Silhillians, I believe, there is a guy that works there, Steve Tabb who also works with England Hockey and he contacted me and said "Steve, we've, we hear you might be doing something, there's this festival and then we might be able to, to fund something else", um and it just went from there really.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley explains how Old Silhillians hockey club's Chairman, Stephen Tabb, aided the development of Flyerz Hockey. He discusses how the team progressed and was invited to European tournaments, the challenges of playing indoor hockey and how the team improved by training up and acquiring a goalkeeper.

Keywords: Access; Coach; England Hockey (EH); EuroHockey ID Championship; Flyerz Hockey; Football (Soccer); Goalkeeper; Hockey Festival; Inclusive hockey training session; Intellectual disability hockey; Midland Mencap; Old Silhillians Hockey Club; Opportunity; Solihull--United Kingdom (UK); Squad; Stephen Tabb/Steve Tabb; Train; Pitch

Subjects: Amateurism & Professionalism; Coaching & Management--Club; Disability; European Nations ParaHockey (ID) Championship–Mixed–2015 London; Inclusivity & Accessibility; International Travel; Recollection of Others--Non-hockey Athlete; Recreation; Reunion; Social & Friendships; Tactics and Performance; Teams--Mixed--Disability; Teams--Mixed--International; Training & Conditioning--Club; Indoor Hockey

Partial Transcript: ACKRELL: Um, so, for those that haven't heard of like the Flyerz Hockey and also the intellectual disability hockey, is there a difference between those two?
BRADLEY: Yes.
ACKRELL: How do they kind of work together?
BRADLEY: Yeah so I suppose Flyerz is the kind of umbrella term for inclusive hockey, or adaptive hockey and, and with those Flyerz sessions clubs might put on, we know that, um, I think that there are some clubs that predominantly have sessions, or are predominantly attended by, er, people with quite complex needs.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley discusses the difference between Flyerz Hockey and intellectual disability hockey. He explains that Flyerz is the umbrella term for inclusive hockey in the UK, whereas, intellectual disability hockey is a European term.

Keywords: Adaptive Hockey; Eligibility criteria; Flyerz Hockey; Hearing Impairment; Hockey ID; Intellectual disability hockey; Learning disability; Mobility; Tournament; Wheelchair; Inclusive Hockey

Subjects: Disability; Inclusivity & Accessibility; Teams--Mixed--Disability; Teams--Mixed--International; Tournaments--International; Rules

Partial Transcript: ACKRELL: Ok, so you kind of touched upon it a little bit there when you were talking about the different, um, areas within Flyerz Hockey, but, could you explain how the game is adapted for those with the different disabilities? Like it is different pitch, equipment, rules?
BRADLEY: So, I suppose each club, um, has their own pitch or their own facility and they, er, they use what, what they can, whether its indoors, outdoors, um, some of the people that attend sessions might not be um to good when it is really cold so I think a lot of the sessions are kind of based around getting the best out of those people.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley describes how Flyerz Hockey is adapted to be more inclusive for those with different disabilities. He also explains why there are no categories of disability like there are in the Olympics.

Keywords: Belgium; Brother; Equipment; Europe; Flyerz Hockey; Germany; Halfway Line; Hockey Ball; Hockey ID; Hockey Stick; Intellectual disability hockey; Learning disability; Netherlands; Olympics/Olympic Games; Opportunity; Paralympics; Score; Short Corner; Shuffles; Sister; Six aside game; Tackle; Walking Frame; Wheelchair; Pitch

Subjects: Disability; Inclusivity & Accessibility; Kit & Equipment; Recreation; Rules; Social & Friendships; Indoor hockey

Partial Transcript: ACKRELL: Do you know where the name Flyerz came from?
BRADLEY: Do you know what, I don't.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley recounts conversations had with Access Sport over the name Flyerz Hockey.

Keywords: Flyerz Hockey; Access Sport

Subjects: Disability; Inclusivity & Accessibility

Partial Transcript: ACKRELL: And then in 2019, I think England Hockey adopted a new national framework for Flyerz Hockey but then, because of the pandemic, it had to stop, how was the process about restarting it again after COVID, like, was it quite challenging? Was it quite straightforward?
BRADLEY: Um, so I worked for Midland Mencap at this time and I know we went in, er, 2019, we took, England Hockey put their, put a name to the first, er, national team, we had players from four clubs go to a tournament in Belgium.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley describes how the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted Flyerz Hockey and its players.

Keywords: Belgium; COVID Passport; COVID-19; Flyerz Hockey; Midland Mencap; Pandemic; Tournament; England Hockey (EH)

Subjects: Teams--Mixed--Disability; Teams--Mixed--International; Tournaments--International; Disability

Partial Transcript: ACKRELL: You mentioned about indoor hockey, and that this is different to playing than when you are outside, could you explain the differences and does it bring new challenges when you're playing inside?
BRADLEY: Er, yeah massively, so you can use the wall as a, a, rebound or passing off the wall and of course our guys had never done that before.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley describes some of the challenges of playing Flyerz Hockey indoors. He explains that, for them, indoor hockey is more about keeping his players safe and warm rather than for the technical element.

Keywords: Dribble/Dribbling; England; Flyerz Hockey; Flyerz session; Pass; Rebound; Safe; Training; Warm; Wall

Subjects: Coaching & Management--Club; Inclusivity & Accessibility; Playing Surfaces; Training & Conditioning--Club; Indoor Hockey

Partial Transcript: ACKRELL: Could you explain how Flyerz Hockey was initially received by the families, the players, um, when it was first set up?
BRADLEY: So, we, we set it up, um, and it, I suppose it wasn't set up as Flyerz Hockey, essentially it was just hockey.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley outlines how the creation of Flyerz Hockey was initially received by the players and their families.

Keywords: Abroad; Coach; Competition; Family; Football (Soccer); Fun; Goal; Hockey Ball; Hockey Stick; Injury; Parent; Parent; Rulebook; Safety; Tackle; Training; Flyerz Hockey

Subjects: Coaching & Management--Club; Disability; Inclusivity & Accessibility; Recreation; Teams--Mixed--Disability; Rules

Partial Transcript: ACKRELL: Could we talk through some of the tournaments that you've been to with the team and, um, yeah, just kind of like how they've been going? Um, what is your most memorable one?
BRADLEY: I think the most memorable one was probably the 2017 in Amsterdam where we entered as, I suppose we were given the name England but it was Midland Mencap.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley recounts his memories of some of the tournaments that he has been to with his Flyerz Hockey team.

Keywords: Australia; Berlin--Germany; Birmingham--United Kingdom (UK); Cheering; Chief Executive Officer (CEO); Coach; Daughter; England; England Hockey (EH); EuroHockey ID Championship; Family; Flyerz Hockey; Gold Medal; Great Britain; Helen Richardson-Walsh/Helen Richardson; Hollie Pearne-Webb; Hotel; Kate Richardson-Walsh/Kate Walsh; Midland Mencap; New Zealand; Penalty Shootout; Penalty shuffle; Pinoké Hockey Club; Pitch; Rio de Janeiro--Brazil; Selection; Son; Spain; Special Olympics World Games; Tournament; United States of America (USA); Amsterdam--Netherlands

Subjects: Disability; European Nations ParaHockey (ID) Championship–Mixed–2017 Amsterdam; Inclusivity & Accessibility; Recollection of Others--Non-hockey Athlete; Recollection of Others--Player; Recreation; Rules; Special Olympics World Games--2023 Berlin; Teams--Mixed--International; Tournaments--International; Teams--Mixed--Disability

Partial Transcript: ACKRELL: Um, so you kind of touched upon it when you were talking about that first, um, international in Amsterdam, um, but could you name some of the people who have been very influential within the Flyerz Hockey journey?
BRADLEY: Yeah, I suppose, in no particular order really, um, but I was thinking about this on the way, Access Sport have been really supportive both in term of, er, I suppose, coming out, checking in on us, stuff like that.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley reflects on who has supported Flyerz Hockey since its creation.

Keywords: Access Sport; Captain; Emily Defroand; England; England Hockey (EH); European Hockey Federation (EHF); Flyerz Hockey; Forest Flyerz Hockey Club; Great Britain; Great Britain Hockey; Harborne Hockey Club; Helen Richardson-Walsh/Helen Richardson; International Hockey Federation (FIH); Kate Richardson-Walsh/Kate Walsh; Lockdown; Midland Mencap; Norman Hughes; Olympic Games--1992 Barcelona; Olympics/Olympic Games; Tunbridge Wells Hockey Club; Wakefield Hockey Club; Amsterdam--Netherlands

Subjects: Captaincy; Coaching & Management--Club; Disability; Inclusivity & Accessibility; Recollection of Others--Coach & Manager; Recollection of Others--Player; Teams--Mixed--Disability; Teams--Mixed--International; Tournaments--International; Olympic Games--1984 Los Angeles

Partial Transcript: ACKRELL: How did you manage during lockdown to try and keep the team together and keep it all going?
BRADLEY: Yeah, that was so, um, I think we, coaching was, was really tricky.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley describes the effect that the COVID-19 pandemic had on the Flyerz Hockey players and how he supported them through lockdown.

Keywords: Access Sport; Basil Brush; COVID-19; Hockey Stick; Lockdown; Mental health; Quiz; Tunbridge Wells Hockey Club

Subjects: Inclusivity & Accessibility; Teams--Mixed--Disability; Kit & Equipment

Partial Transcript: ACKRELL: You've mentioned about a few other clubs that have started their, um, own Flyerz Hockey, um, group. Has that, is that the impact you would have hoped for? That the Flyerz Hockey would have had on hockey generally?
BRADLEY: Um, I think the impact, yeah absolutely.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley highlights how the success of Flyerz Hockey has encouraged other clubs to create their own Flyerz team. Bradley also explains the importance of raising awareness around Flyerz Hockey and the benefits that this can have on increasing accessibility.

Keywords: Access; COVID-19; England; England Hockey (EH); Harborne Hockey Club; Hockey Festival; Hockey Shirt; Opportunity; Selection; Social Media; St Albans Hockey Club; Tunbridge Wells Hockey Club; Flyerz Hockey

Subjects: Disability; Inclusivity & Accessibility; Social Media; Teams--Mixed--Disability

Partial Transcript: ACKRELL: How does that selection process work, um, for Flyerz Hockey? And is it different to, I suppose the other field hockey?
BRADLEY: Um, we try to make it, I suppose, similar. We try to make it fair for people with a learning disability.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley describes the selection process when picking a Flyerz Hockey team.

Keywords: Anxiety; Selection; Selection criteria; Skill station; Training; Trials; Flyerz Hockey

Subjects: Disability; Inclusivity & Accessibility; International Travel; Teams--Mixed--Disability; Coaching & Management--Club

Partial Transcript: ACKRELL: If there's any other clubs that are considering setting up a Flyerz Hockey club, a group within their club, um, what advice would you give to them about setting it up? You know, if they are nervous about it, what would, what would you say to them?
BRADLEY: Um. so this isn't my thought, but this was someone from another club and I just always love it. He said, just give it a go.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley explains what advice he would give to other clubs thinking about setting up their own Flyerz Hockey team.

Keywords: Access Sport; England Hockey (EH); Disability

Subjects: Inclusivity & Accessibility; Teams--Mixed--Disability

Partial Transcript: ACKRELL: Do you know, the, these clubs that don't have their own, like, Flyerz Hockey, um, group at the moment. Do you know some of the barriers that they've got and why they've got them?
BRADLEY: Yeah, um, well obviously each club's individual but I think a huge one is the, the pitch.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley highlights some of the challenges that face clubs wanting to establish their own Flyerz Hockey team.

Keywords: Abroad; Access; Accessible toilet; Balance; Carpark; Changing bed; Co-ordination; Coach; DBS check; European Hockey Federation (EHF); Family; Hoist; Junior Match; Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre; Level access showers; Money; Pitch; Pitch hire; Volunteer; Flyerz Hockey

Subjects: Administration & Finances--Club; Champions Trophy--Men--1982 Amstelveen; Disability; Hockey Homes, Venues & Stadia; Inclusivity & Accessibility; International Travel; Kit & Equipment; Teams--Mixed--Disability; Teams--Mixed--International; Volunteering; Administration & Finances--Tournaments

Partial Transcript: ACKRELL: Can we talk a little about your most recent, um, tournament? Was it the Special Olympics World Games? Where you won the gold?
BRADLEY: We won the World Games and then we went to Monchengladbach as well.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley recounts his memories of the 2023 Berlin Special Olympics World Games and reception at Downing Street.

Keywords: Access; Berlin--Germany; Bulgaria; Coach; Downing Street; Egypt; Family; Germany; Gold Medal; Headphones; Monchengladbach--Germany; Nazi Germany; Netherlands; Olympiastadion Berlin; Olympic rings; Opening Ceremony; Opportunity; Pakistan; Paraguay; School; Spain; Special Olympics World Games; European Hockey Federation (EHF)

Subjects: Awards--Hockey Trophies; Awards--Recognition; Coaching & Management--International; Disability; History & Heritage; Hockey Homes, Venues & Stadia; Inclusivity & Accessibility; International Travel; Social & Friendships; Special Olympics World Games--2023 Berlin; Teams--Mixed--Disability; Teams--Mixed--International; Tournaments--International; Training & Conditioning--International; Kit & Equipment

Partial Transcript: ACKRELL: Other than geography, um, of the competing nations, what is the difference between the Hockey ID Euros and the Special Olympics?
BRADLEY: Um, there's slightly different eligibility criteria.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley highlights the differences between the Hockey ID Euros and the Special Olympics World Games.

Keywords: Adaptive behaviours; Belgium; Gender balance; Halfway line; Hockey ID; IQ; Netherlands; Rolling subsititution; Special Olympics World Games; Squad; Tournament; Umpire; EuroHockey ID Championship

Subjects: Disability; Inclusivity & Accessibility; Rules; Teams--Mixed--International; Tournaments--International; Umpiring--International; Teams--Mixed--Disability

Partial Transcript: ACKRELL: When someone does come to umpire a game then, because obviously I can imagine that it is different for a umpire umpiring a, um, Flyerz Hockey game than it is for a different field hockey game, do you tend to get umpires that have got experience of, of umpiring a Flyerz Hockey game, if possible?
BRADLEY: Yeah, I think now we, we had a, there's a pool of umpires, um, and there's an umpire's manager with it, and they talk with, I think the staff before the games about, I suppose, their expectations of it, what, er, what they would like to happen, and, and then they review things really quickly.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley explains the different approaches that umpires have to take when umpiring a Flyerz Hockey game.

Keywords: Access; EuroHockey ID Championship; Flyerz Hockey; Foul; Special Olympics World Games; Tournament; Umpire Coach; Volunteer; Umpire

Subjects: Disability; Inclusivity & Accessibility; Rules; Teams--Mixed--Disability; Teams--Mixed--International; Tournaments--International; Umpiring--International; Volunteering; European Nations ID Championship–Mixed–2023 Monchengladbach

Partial Transcript: ACKRELL: Um, going back to the differences between the different types of, um, international tournaments. Um, how does the Special Olympics compare to the Paralympics?
BRADLEY: Um, I've not, sort of, I suppose, seen the Paralympics in that close but, um, the Special Olympics have something called divisioning which happens and that happens when we get there.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley outlines some of the differences between the Special Olympics World Games and Paralympics.

Keywords: 15 per cent improvement rule; Fitness; Heat; Hitting; Mobility; Paralympics; Passing; Special Olympics World Games; Speed; Swimming; Tackling; Volunteer; Divisioning

Subjects: Disability; Fitness, Injury & Health; Inclusivity & Accessibility; Teams--Mixed--International; Tournaments--International; Volunteering; Teams--Mixed--Disability

Partial Transcript: ACKRELL: So once you've selected the, the players that you want, you've got this tournament coming up, how does the training process happen? Because, obviously they might be all over the country, the players that you've selected.
BRADLEY: Yeah so, I suppose we knew that that was going to be a, an issue but we, we contacted all the players families, carers or whoever it was who kind of looked after them, and the clubs as well, and let them know when the training sessions would be.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley outlines how he prepares for training sessions with his team.

Keywords: Family; Training

Subjects: Disability; Fitness, Injury & Health; Inclusivity & Accessibility; Teams--Mixed--Disability; Coaching & Management--Club

Partial Transcript: ACKRELL: Um, so going forward then, what are your hopes for, I suppose yours and England Hockey's, hopes for the future? So how would you like Flyerz Hockey to develop?
BRADLEY: I think when we do another selection event, I'd like more clubs to be there, I'd like more players to be there, I'd actually like more coaches to be there as well, more clubs doing sessions, I think just everything.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley outlines his hopes for the future of Flyerz Hockey and how England Hockey are working to encourage more players, clubs and coaches to get involved with Flyerz Hockey. Bradley also discusses upcoming Flyerz Hockey festivals and how to join in with these.

Keywords: Access; Access Sport; Australia; Bisham Abbey; Coach; Falcon Flyerz Hockey Club; Family; Flyerz Hockey; Hockey Festival; Home Nations; Jason Wiltshire; Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre; Old Georgians Hockey Club; Opportunity; Selection; Social Media; Special Olympics World Games; Training; Trials; Wakefield Hockey Club; England Hockey (EH)

Subjects: Special Olympics World Games--2023 Berlin; Teams--Mixed--Disability; Inclusivity & Accessibility

Partial Transcript: ACKRELL: Um, is there anything that we have missed off that you would like to discuss or mention? BRADLEY: No, I think one of the, you said about the memories earlier and I think, one of the, some of the lovely emails that I've had will stick with me about parents thinking their children couldn't take part.

Segment Synopsis: Bradley recounts his favourite memories that he has made while coaching Flyerz Hockey.

Keywords: Access; Autism; Autistic Spectrum; Bisham Abbey; Ellen Greenall; England; Goal; Hockey ID; Intellectual disability hockey; International Caps; International Hockey Federation (FIH); Opportunity; Plane; Selection; Special Olympics World Games; The Hockey Museum; Tournament; Training; Tunbridge Wells Hockey Club; Flyerz Hockey

Subjects: Awards--Recognition; Disability; Fame & Celebrity; Hockey Homes, Venues & Stadia; Inclusivity & Accessibility; Media; Recollection of Others--Player; Social & Friendships; Teams--Mixed--International; Tournaments--International; Teams--Mixed--Disability