03 - Reflecting back & looking forward - Rhys Smith
Last week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Rhys Smith: Streatham born and raised, GB international hockey player, director of a community interest company and all-round colourful character. I have known Rhys for many years and interviewing a friend was destined to feel unnatural at first. We started by discussing his sport at an early age at school where Rhys showed talent across several. Sport becoming his life, however, is something that didn’t cross his mind. “At school sport was just something I loved, playing with my best mates and I didn’t see it as anything more than that.” Moving to East Grinstead hockey club in his final year of school changed that: having a taste of top-level hockey, surrounded by internationals, witnessing them doing it for a living. “I want to do this. In that year my love for the sport grew.”
School was a complete enabler for Rhys’ hockey, but also brought with it a share of issues. Having attended an independent school on a scholarship and bursary, I asked him if he ever felt out of place in such an environment. “That’s a mad question” Rhys responded at first before discussing how age was perhaps the bigger influence on his schoolboy experiences:
“In the moment I don’t think I felt I was an odd one out. I got past it quickly because I was so young. Maybe if I joined when I was older and more influenced by my surroundings, it might have been harder.”
He joined senior school at aged 10 among 60 boys in a sort of ‘pre-year’. “It wasn’t that serious because we were young, but I got mocked: I had a lisp, I was chubby, I spoke differently from others, I had my clarinet.” The diversity widened when a further 150 joined the next year. With the school situated in South Croydon, boys from inner-city areas, different ethnicities and varying financial backgrounds was simply a normality, and allowed them to form connections on shared interests. “I might have done Spanish with one, sport with another so you just learnt to get along with everybody.”
Although peers may have been more diverse, the peculiarities of schoolboy culture didn’t always click. “Why you using my man’s surname?” he says, still baffled as to why young boys felt the need to speak with such formality to each other. He also acknowledged that others’ experiences in such an environment may have left a more negative impression than his.
Despite this, being valued on merit is a theme of Rhys’ life to date. It was sport that helped him fit in and allowed him to be liked by peers for who he was. This naturally developed into sport becoming a means of communication; it allowed him to relate to others around him.
It was in the latter stages of school that Rhys’ hockey really started to accelerate. Alongside playing top level men’s hockey, he played at every junior international age group. Said like this, it sounds like any child’s dream but there were difficulties. Despite displaying clear talent, it was not always plain sailing:
“Just before uni, I went through quite a bad time. I was dropped from the England U18 squad so going to uni I was happy to get a degree and not pursue the international hockey set up; I wasn’t that fussed.”
Playing at the U21 European Championships changed all this. Winning player of the tournament and playing “in a team where everyone really got along” was perhaps career defining, and the moment Rhys realised he could make it.
Amid this was university, for almost everyone, a transitional phase in their life – and so for Rhys as well. Durham University’s reputation – good and bad – precedes itself. “At times I think I got lost at uni” he opened with. He is honest about having no expectations about what it should be, apart from getting a degree and having fun. “I took that literally.” 3 years of university hockey ensured he had the opportunity to play a pivotal role in a high performing team; the loser was his interest in studying; “at school I enjoyed academics when I could really research in depth on my subject but I never was motivated through myself or others to do that at uni.”. We discussed whether things could have been different but he concluded that “the decision was made for me” at this crossroad.
We move on to the present day. Our initial informalities are well in the past and the interview tone is formal. Rhys is well-known in his spheres, has a broad hockey following and a strong social media presence. Some might view it as a winning combination, others as a reason for an inflated ego:
“Different people follow me for different reasons whether that be hockey-lovers, friends, or young players who I coach and I hope that they follow me for the right reasons. I hope that youngers who I coach follow me because I’m inspirational to them. I also aim to post what I’m feeling in the moment so what I put out there is true to me.”
I pursue this further and ask if he feels people might judge him based on his ethnic/socio-economic background – be it consciously or sub-consciously. Rhys is not bothered by it…anymore. “If people make assumptions about me now but won’t say it to me, they clearly don’t know me well enough.” He talks about a misconception that being funny equates to him not taking sport seriously. There is more than enough evidence to prove otherwise. Yet, until recently the problem persisted. And this persistence led to insecurities.
In social circles, not street enough for some, not posh enough or ‘too black’ for others, he is caught between clear social boundaries rather than belonging firmly in one. Add this to playing a sport and attending a university both made up of a specific demographic. “If you were going to look for someone who looks or talks like me, you wouldn’t first go to a hockey pitch or my university.”
He talks of a time where he felt the most feasible way to survive was to change who he was based on his environment. Now, he views such a wide range of social dexterity as an asset; “all my different life experiences are part of me, and I shouldn’t shy away from them.” This is an addition to a reassuring focus on the self he now promotes, ensuring that he is happy first and foremost with what he’s doing.
It is well-known that hockey lacks diversity in the UK, with only 6% of those at clubs coming from ethnics minorities. Rhys is the living and breathing embodiment of this as the only non-white person in the current England and GB men’s squads. Such is the situation that he feels a responsibility to do something about it, and is in a position to do so given his background.
“I wouldn’t want certain people going through experiences I did without prior knowledge. If there was a younger me going to university, I could offer help on this. I couldn’t get that advice from people around me; Mum went to Liverpool in an age where racism was more explicit and her opportunities were fewer.”
It is clear he wants to buck the existing conveyor belt that exists within hockey and this led to the birth of his company – Hockey Inner City (HIC). ‘Making hockey accessible’ is the mission statement. The essence is to provide hockey opportunities to people who otherwise wouldn’t get exposure or the chance to play it. “I want to create a good atmosphere around hockey for the kids which enhances their love for the sport.” There are identifiable themes with the way he was introduced to and enjoyed hockey at a young age. “I’d love to build a community of inner-city hockey groups and bring them all together to play.” It was only 20 minutes ago that Rhys mentioned the “hockey family” he experienced at school.
But it’s not just about hockey for Rhys, it’s about opportunity access. Visits to local independent schools Epsom College and Whitgift have already taken place for HIC participants, and he is keen to take these into further areas of education,. “It’s important to help them understand what university is and help them see opportunities which are well within their grasp.” But once again, the focus is on diversity from all parts of the spectrum. “some [kids] are more comfortable, others from tough backgrounds, others suffer from mental health issues.” He is keen to ensure there is no misconception about Hockey Inner City areas all being rough – “we always want to have the mission in mind: making hockey more accessible.”
Rhys firmly believes grassroot change is where changing such statistics must start. “When you’ve got thousands of players going to England trials but only a fraction of these are ethnic minorities, you are rarely going to see them make it to the top.” Equally important is access to watching hockey, which currently is very poor in the UK, especially when compared with the European powerhouses of Germany, Netherlands and Belgium.
“If you combine the above two points, then if the international bodies and big clubs can invite primary school children to come and watch hockey, then initiatives can ensure there is a place for them to play it after that.” A simple formula to some – inspire, create opportunity to play, and a network to share. The practicalities are harder and deep pockets are integral to such a formula turning into fruition. There is no doubt that the work starts here with what people like Rhys are doing.
In response to his views on access, I ask Rhys about quotas in sport. He flags the conflict between such a system and meritocracy:
“It is hard for sport because you are always picking a team to win. I’ve spoken to South Africans who have the quota system in their sport and certain people know they’ve been picked just to make the quota. It is also difficult if those who were good enough missed out because of that.”
I then bring up a moment that I shared with him when we were walking down Streatham high street near Rhys’ home, and a boy from Hockey Inner City bounds up with a smile on his face, looking up to a local hero. To these children, Rhys is a role model and an aspiration.
“I just love it because that’s what shaped my sporting experiences… I think it’s even more special to be doing this in Streatham. That’s where I grew up; I went to the primary school which I coach at now. I think it’s only right that I start here with people who are going through the same things that I went through.”
We then turn to his role models: “Obviously you have to put mumsy in there. She leads by example, gets on my case and I’m similar to her in many ways, though she may not want to admit it. The number of jobs she worked to send me to school was mad. She was always tired. That work ethic has definitely rubbed off on me.”
Dad was not in the picture for Rhys growing up, meaning he latched onto other male role models in his life. Alongside some of his close friends’ dads, he cites a number of teachers, starting with Mr Kenrick, his primary school teacher, who encouraged him to go for Arsenal football trials as a youngster. I couldn’t help but feel echoes of a similar story from footballer Ian Wright, who similarly cited an early-stage teacher as a source of inspiration for his football career. Next up is Nigel D’Cruz (a previous school hockey coach): “He taught me how to first play hockey and the reason my game is how it is, is because of him, both good and bad.” Next up is Dr Stagno, Director of Hockey at Whitgift School and Wimbledon Hockey Club. “I look up to him as a coach and as a person, ask him for advice and he would always be honest with me.” The final person is also a hockey coach - Mr Ryan Ravenscroft, who he says is behind is understanding of work ethic and having pride in a team. He also attributes part of this to the “special group of friends I played with; many are my best friends today and our bond is still as special.”
Aside from role models, a lot of his own experiences he feels come from the hours he’s put in at home, particularly around losing weight. “I was picked on by my uncles and I used to come up with any excuse at school to avoid going swimming. I even remember times when I used to cover my body with my towel.” Being body conscious is something many children suffer from. For Rhys, it was a driving factor behind where he is today; “it was cool to me to have a good technical side and be in good shape and I think that is reflected in my hockey career.”
Moving on, we get onto the Black Lives Matter movement and there is a sense of belief that this time, things could change for good. “Obviously people can just do it for clout but I saw loads putting up fundraising pages and doing research. It genuinely seemed like people cared which I hadn’t seen before… It won’t be instant but it’s good to see.” Interestingly, Rhys felt it was just as important that people from ethnic minorities educate themselves and learn about their history.
Our penultimate topic is an interesting one - who he would compare himself to in the sporting world. Rhys admits this is difficult given he is still at the start of his career. He does not pin down one player but a collection from the NBA, notably a far more ethnically diverse league compared to many others:
“I do quite like Dennis Rodman though. He was such a free spirit. When he was on the court he gave it his all but how he went about things, he did what he was feeling. In the present game, Lebron James and Steph Curry use their hard-earned platforms to make social impact.
Finally he cites a quotation from LA Clippers star Lou Williams: ‘Tonight was especially tough, I wished I would have played better, but I go to sleep tonight happy with the shots I took.’
“I love this because irrespective of how you perform you can control how you feel after the game, and be satisfied for putting yourself out there.”
We finish by looking forward, and talking about where Rhys sees himself going. Hockey Inner City’s impact will continue to drive him and to be a role model to kids in different ways. He then mentions travelling, learning to DJ, and running music events. For him, the social element of music is the most important, how it can bring people together - including his own family he says.
He finishes with a statement: “I’m using hockey to change society and I think music, or anything creative, can do that too. As long as you have a clear understanding of what you want to achieve then it’s definitely possible.” Rhys’ journey is far from over but what he has achieved so far is remarkable. It was a pleasure to chat with him, and an honour for Soulstice to give him a platform. Watch this space; you’ll see him again.