Belgium Performance Director
I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with Ali Rahman across a number of years and in different contexts within the game.
I was first introduced to Ali in Perth, Australia, where he stood out as a player competing at a high level. What struck me early on was not just his performance, but his curiosity and intent — he made the effort to seek me out afterwards, initiating a mentoring relationship focused on his development as a coach. That initiative is something I value highly, and it’s a quality that has been consistent in Ali ever since.
As part of his development journey, Ali later invited me to deliver a “coach the coaches” session in London in the lead-up to the London Olympic Games. His ability to organise, engage coaches, and create an environment focused on learning and progression was impressive, particularly given the level of detail and professionalism he brought to the process.
During his time working in Belgium’s Honour Division, we remained in regular contact. Our conversations often centred around coaching philosophy, athlete development, and building structured programmes — and it was clear to me that Ali was not only applying ideas, but thinking deeply about how to improve environments for athletes under his care.
Ali combines strong technical understanding with a genuine commitment to people — both players and parents. He has a natural ability to connect, communicate, and manage expectations, while maintaining a clear focus on development pathways and performance outcomes.
What differentiates Ali is his drive to keep learning and to take ownership of his growth. He doesn’t wait for opportunities — he creates them, and then follows through with intent and professionalism.
I would have no hesitation in recommending Ali for any role or initiative within the field hockey or broader sporting environment, particularly those that require leadership, programme development, and a strong athlete-first mindset.
Parents of Hannah Wyllie — NCAA Field Hockey Scholarship Athlete, Pace University
We had the pleasure of having Ali coach all three of our children, and we can confidently say his impact has been exceptional — both on and off the pitch.
In particular, Ali played a pivotal role in our younger daughter Hannah’s development during her time in the U14 girls programme at Guildford Hockey Club.
Under his guidance, Hannah progressed from the B team to becoming a key player in the A team, earning selection for the county squad and progressing to regional trials. She ultimately went on to secure a field hockey scholarship to Pace University in New York.
That journey speaks volumes about Ali’s ability to identify potential, nurture confidence and develop young players holistically. Hannah wasn’t simply an established A-team player handed to him — we watched her develop through the pathway and grow enormously in both her hockey and her belief in herself.
What truly sets Ali apart is not just his technical coaching, but his genuine care for each athlete’s journey. Managing an age-group programme of more than 70 girls is no small task, yet Ali worked hard to ensure that every player felt seen, valued and supported in their individual pathway, regardless of where they happened to be in their development at the time.
He also brings a rare balance to his relationships with parents. Ali was always approachable, personable and clear in his communication, while maintaining high standards and managing expectations effectively. As parents, we always felt informed, respected and confident in the environment he was creating for our children.
Ali is not only an outstanding coach, but a mentor who leaves a lasting impact on the young people he works with.
Having trusted him to coach all three of our children and having seen first-hand the impact he had on Hannah’s journey in particular, we would wholeheartedly recommend him to any young player, parent, programme or organisation.
Parent & Former Guildford HC U14 Team Manager
I worked very closely with Ali when he coached my daughter Hannah at Guildford Hockey Club. Hannah captained the U14 team and I was the team manager, so I had the unusual opportunity to see Ali’s coaching both as a parent and from behind the scenes.
Ali came into the age group at a particularly challenging time. We had lost six of our strongest players to other clubs and it would have been very easy for the remaining group to lose confidence or for the programme to fall apart. Instead, Ali kept the group together and created a real sense of belief about what we could build.
What impressed me most was that his focus wasn’t limited to the strongest players.
There were around 70 girls across the age group, and Ali worked incredibly hard with the other coaches and managers to make sure players throughout the programme felt valued and had opportunities to develop.
The improvement we saw was remarkable. Girls who had previously been B-team players developed into county-level players, and one progressed as far as regional trials, all within a season of working with Ali. He had an ability to see potential in players that wasn’t always immediately obvious and, importantly, make those players believe in that potential themselves.
The transformation of Hannah’s team was equally special. One of the highlights was our tour to Barcelona. Having finished seventh the previous year, they returned the following season and reached the final against extremely strong competition. Watching how much that group had developed — both individually and collectively — was incredibly rewarding.
But results only tell part of the story.
The girls wanted to play for Ali. They worked hard for him, but they also knew that he genuinely cared about them. He created an environment where young players could enjoy their hockey, grow in confidence and feel part of something.
As a parent, that mattered enormously to me. As his team manager, I also saw how well Ali communicated and worked with parents, coaches and volunteers. We developed a wonderful community around that team.
Perhaps the greatest testament to Ali’s influence is what happened afterwards. Hannah continued to be coached by him at Tormead, went on to university, eventually became Chairman of her university hockey club and has since begun her own entrepreneurial journey. Years later, Ali and Hannah still speak regularly about hockey, life, business and her ambitions, and our families have remained in contact.
When a coach is still part of a young person’s life many years after the final whistle, I think that tells you everything you need to know.
I would have no hesitation recommending Ali to any parent. He will care about developing your child’s hockey, but just as importantly, he will care about their confidence, their opportunities and the person they are becoming.
Former Guildford HC U14 Captain
Former University of Bath Hockey Club Chairman
Ali coached me for several years during an important period of my life, both at Guildford Hockey Club at U14 level and at Tormead School.
He was obviously my hockey coach, but looking back, his influence went much further than hockey. He always encouraged me to be confident, take responsibility and believe that I was capable of more. As captain of our U14 team, he trusted me to lead and gave me the space to develop as a person as well as a player.
One of my favourite memories was our tour to Barcelona. In our first year we finished seventh, but we came back the following season and reached the final against some really strong opposition. That progression summed up that team under Ali. We developed enormously, became incredibly close as a group and started believing that we could compete with anyone.
Those experiences and the environment Ali created stayed with me. I went on to study at the University of Bath, where hockey remained a huge part of my life and I eventually became Chairman of the hockey club.
More recently, I’ve started my own journey into entrepreneurship, and Ali was actually one of the people I was excited to tell about it. We’ve stayed in touch throughout the years, and I’ve realised that many of the qualities he encouraged in me when I was younger — leadership, ambition, confidence and being willing to take a chance on yourself — have followed me well beyond hockey.
That’s probably the biggest impact Ali had on me. He cared about who we were becoming as people, not simply how good we could become as hockey players.
Years later, we still speak regularly. He’s still interested in what I’m doing, still encouraging me and still someone I can share the next chapter of my life with.
I’m incredibly grateful to have had him as a coach and mentor at such an important age.
Wales International & Premier League Field Hockey Player
I first worked with Ali when I was 13 years old at Guildford Hockey Club, where he coached me for two years during a really important stage of my development as a junior player.
Ali had a huge impact on my game. He gave me so much confidence in my ability and my skills, and there are things he taught me then that I still use in my game today.
I still remember one particular 1-to-1 session where he taught me how to use a shave tackle. It stuck with me, and even now it’s something I regularly use when I play. That’s one of the things that stands out about Ali’s coaching — he didn’t just coach us for the team we were playing in at the time; he gave us skills and confidence that stayed with us as we progressed.
I’ve been fortunate to have a number of very good coaches throughout my career who have made a huge difference to my game, and Ali is definitely one of them.
I now play Premier League hockey and have gone on to represent Wales internationally, but Ali’s coaching during those early years had a real impact on the player I became.
I’d recommend him to any young player looking for a coach who will develop their skills, believe in their ability and give them the confidence to see how far they can take their hockey.
Argentina International Goalkeeper
Olympic Gold Medallist & International Hockey Player
I first got to know Ali when he recruited me from Argentina to play for Joondalup Hockey Club in Perth, Australia. At that stage of my career, the opportunity to play internationally and experience a completely different hockey environment was incredibly valuable.
We had a fantastic season together, winning the league and coming very close to earning promotion to the Premier League. For me personally, it gave me another opportunity to develop, compete and gain international experience before establishing myself fully within the Argentina senior national team.
What stands out about Ali, though, is that his interest in players goes well beyond what happens on the hockey pitch.
He genuinely cares about helping people progress and finding opportunities that can benefit their careers. He has continued to support me over the years and has also helped create opportunities for other players I know to play hockey internationally, including in the UK and Canada.
Ali has always had a strong network within hockey, but more importantly, he is willing to use that network to help his players. He understands that player development isn’t only about improving someone’s technical ability — sometimes it’s about putting them in the right environment, opening a door and helping them take the next step.
I’m grateful that he played a part in my journey and helped give me an important international experience at that stage of my career.
Premier League Field Hockey Player
I first worked with Ali when I was a young player attending his coaching camps, and then again when I was 18 and making the step into senior hockey.
That transition was a massive point in my development. Ali believed I was capable of becoming a 1st XI forward and gave me the opportunity, confidence and coaching to make that step. He worked with me on the details of playing as a forward - my movement, positioning, decision-making and how to become more effective in front of goal.
Within a season, I had gone from a young player breaking into senior hockey to becoming one of the team’s top goalscorers.
What I always appreciated about Ali’s coaching was that he demanded a lot from me, but he also gave me the confidence to express myself and play without fear. He saw potential in me early and knew how to challenge me at the right time.
I now play Premier League hockey, and the foundations Ali helped me build during those years played an important part in my development as a player.
I would highly recommend Ali to any young player who is serious about improving their game and wants a coach who will both believe in them and push them to reach the next level.
Master in Charge of 1st XI hockey
I worked closely with Ali during his four years coaching at Eton College, where he was Head Coach of the 1st XI, and he made a significant contribution to what became a very successful period for the school's hockey programme.
Ali brought real energy, ambition and a strong performance mentality to the group. He was particularly good at connecting with the boys, earning their trust and then challenging them to raise their standards both individually and collectively.
The results reflected that development. During Ali's time with us, Eton won the county championship for the first time in the school's history. Having previously finished towards the bottom of the independent schools league, the 1st XI progressed into the top three and then, in 2013, produced what was at the time our best-ever season — finishing second in the league and reaching the Regional Finals. We followed that with another second-place league finish in 2014.
What I appreciated about Ali was that he wasn't simply interested in results. He wanted to develop intelligent hockey players. He spent considerable time on individual skills, tactical understanding and helping players recognise what was required to perform at a higher level.
One of the memorable experiences during that period was our pre-season tour to San Sebastián. Trips like that are about far more than the hockey itself — they help establish standards, relationships and a team culture before the season begins — and Ali was excellent at building those relationships with the players.
He also understood the wider responsibility that comes with coaching young people at a school like Eton. He could demand high standards while still making hockey an environment the boys wanted to be part of.
Ali was a valued member of our coaching team and someone who genuinely cared about the development of the players he worked with. I have followed his coaching journey since and have no hesitation recommending him to young athletes and families looking for a passionate, knowledgeable and committed coach.
Andy Copsey
Master in Charge, 1st XI Hockey
Eton College
Master in Charge of Hockey Development
I worked alongside Ali throughout his four years coaching hockey at Eton College, and what stood out to me was that his contribution extended well beyond his responsibility for the 1st XI.
Ali was passionate about player development, but he also understood that a strong hockey programme depends on the quality of coaching players receive throughout the school. He therefore invested considerable time not only in developing players, but also in supporting and developing the teachers and coaches responsible for our other teams.
He would share ideas, help with session planning, discuss technical and tactical concepts and work alongside colleagues on the pitch. Rather than keeping his knowledge within the 1st XI environment, Ali wanted to raise the standard of coaching throughout the programme. In many ways, he became a coach of the coaches as well as a coach of the players.
That was particularly valuable in a school environment, where teams are often led by teachers with very different levels of hockey experience. Ali was able to communicate his knowledge in an accessible way, giving colleagues greater confidence and helping them provide better hockey experiences for their players.
The same approach was evident in the way he worked with the boys. Ali wanted to understand what an individual player needed rather than simply delivering the same coaching to everybody. Technical development was important to him, but so were confidence, decision-making and helping players develop a deeper understanding of the game.
We saw considerable progress during his time at Eton. The 1st XI went from competing towards the lower end of the league to consistently challenging near the top, including consecutive second-place finishes, a Regional Finals appearance and the school's first county championship.
But Ali's contribution shouldn't only be measured by the results of the 1st XI. He actively supported teams and coaches further down the school because he understood that sustainable success comes from building a pathway rather than concentrating solely on the strongest group of players.
Our pre-season tour to San Sebastián was another example of his approach. Experiences like that allowed us to develop players technically and tactically while also building the relationships, independence and team culture that are such an important part of school sport.
Ali brought energy, knowledge and ambition to Eton's hockey programme. He was comfortable coaching high-performing players, developing younger athletes and helping other coaches improve their own practice. Most importantly, he genuinely cared about leaving the programme stronger than he found it.
I have no hesitation recommending Ali to any school, club or organisation looking for someone who can develop not only individual athletes, but the coaches, culture and pathway around them.
Phill Walsh
Master in Charge of Hockey Development
Eton College
Performance Hockey | 2012–2015
Ali spent three years leading performance hockey at Tormead School, one of Guildford's leading independent girls' schools, with responsibility extending far beyond coaching a single team.
He oversaw the school's hockey programme, took charge of the Girls' 1st XI and worked to create a clearer performance and development pathway throughout the programme. His role combined high-performance coaching with individual player development, programme leadership and the mentoring and development of other coaches.
Ali made an immediate impact in an environment where Tormead was competing against larger and traditionally strong hockey schools. In 2013, the 1st XI won the County Plate and progressed to the Regional Plate Final, demonstrating the progress being made within the programme.
A central part of Ali's philosophy was that performance hockey should not focus solely on the strongest players. He worked with athletes across different stages of development, helping players build their technical ability, tactical understanding, confidence and belief that they could progress to higher levels of the game.
His work at Tormead also complemented his coaching within Guildford Hockey Club's junior programme, creating continuity between school and club hockey for a number of young athletes. Players he worked with during this period would go on to progress through county and regional pathways, university hockey and, in some cases, international and elite-level competition.
Just as importantly, Ali invested in the people delivering the programme. He supported and mentored teachers and coaches, sharing technical and tactical knowledge and helping them develop greater confidence in their own coaching. His objective was not simply to produce a successful 1st XI, but to leave behind a stronger coaching environment and a more sustainable player-development pathway.
That period also produced relationships that have lasted well beyond school hockey. Former players have remained in contact with Ali into adulthood, with relationships evolving from coach and athlete into long-term mentorship around hockey, leadership, careers and entrepreneurship.
For Ali, Tormead reinforced a philosophy that continues to underpin his coaching today: develop the player, develop the person, develop the coaches around them, and create an environment in which everyone has a pathway to progress.
Former Belgian International
Belgian Honour Division Champion
Braxgata & Mechelse Captain
I worked with Ali during my time at Braxgata, where he was part of the coaching staff with the Dames 1 team.
At that stage of my career, I had already played at a high level, so what I appreciated about Ali was his ability to look at the smaller details of my game and find areas where he could still help me improve.
We spent time working individually on aspects of my attacking game, particularly my first touch and finishing. Ali was very attentive to detail and was always looking for small adjustments that could make me more effective in and around the circle.
As an assistant coach, he was also incredibly supportive of the wider team. He understood his role within the coaching group, built good relationships with the players and was always willing to put in additional time with anyone who wanted to work on their game.
What stood out to me was his enthusiasm for developing players. Whether it was during a team session or working individually on a particular skill, he genuinely enjoyed helping players find ways to improve.
Having experienced hockey at international level and in Belgium's Honour Division, I know the importance of coaches who can work with players as individuals rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach. Ali brought that personal attention to his coaching and was always invested in helping us become better players.
I really enjoyed working with him and would happily recommend him to players who are serious about developing their game.
Two-Time Olympian — Team Canada
Two-Time German Bundesliga Champion
210+ International Caps
I've known Ali for a number of years through hockey, both as a teammate at Toronto Titans and as a friend, and later had the opportunity to work alongside him professionally at the Canadian Olympic Committee.
Having played alongside Ali, I also saw first-hand what he brought as a player. He was a highly competitive, intelligent and technically strong hockey player who understood the game and demanded high standards from himself and those around him. What stood out most was his leadership on the field — he communicated constantly, took responsibility in important moments and had a natural ability to organise and bring people together. He wasn't someone who simply played his own game; he was always thinking about the team and how he could help the players around him perform better. I think that experience as a player and leader is a big part of why he connects so naturally with athletes as a coach today.
Having experienced hockey at the international level, competed at two Olympic Games and played professionally in Europe, I've worked with and been around many different coaches and high-performance environments. What has always stood out to me about Ali is how genuinely invested he is in the development of people.
His knowledge of hockey comes from years of experience across different environments and countries, but it's his ability to connect with players that I think is particularly valuable. He understands that every athlete develops differently and that good coaching isn't simply about teaching technical skills — it's about building confidence, challenging players appropriately and helping them understand what it takes to progress.
I've also seen another side of Ali through working together at the Canadian Olympic Committee through his work in fundraising. The same qualities he brings to hockey — his energy, ambition, ability to build relationships and willingness to help others — carries into his professional life.
Ali has built relationships throughout the hockey world across Canada, the UK, Europe and beyond, and he genuinely enjoys using his experience and network to help young people find opportunities.
As a teammate, colleague and friend, I've seen his passion for the sport from several different perspectives. I know how much he cares about creating an environment where young athletes can develop, enjoy their hockey and see how far the game might take them.
I'm excited to see him bring that experience to the next generation of players through Finch State Field Hockey.
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