SMITH Austin Charles

General
PLAYING ABROAD
He has had stints playing in England, India and the Netherlands throughout his career. "When I was 22 and I'd just made my way into the national team, the coach said I wasn't going to be good enough to keep my place and made the recommendation that I went and played overseas. I first decided to go to England because everyone spoke English and my dad was from there originally. I went over there for four years, and after that I'd just been announced as captain of the national team so I thought, 'now would be a good moment to go and play in the Netherlands'." (Austin Smith YouTube channel, 01 Feb 2017)

LIFE AFTER HOCKEY
He studied to be a teacher at university and sees that as a potential career path once he retires from hockey. "I studied to become a teacher. I did that full-time in South Africa for two years then after that I did it through a correspondence university. I finished my last internship at the International School of Eindhoven. I'm really passionate about teaching, that's something I'd like to do in the future." (Austin Smith YouTube channel, 01 Feb 2017)

COACHING
Alongside his playing commitments, he has worked as a coach for HC Den Bosch's youth men's and women's teams. "Coaching is really rewarding. When you look at a player at the beginning of a season and how you're able to transform them, help them, encourage them and see them grow through the season is fantastic." (Austin Smith YouTube channel, 01 Feb 2017)