Hockey: Coach's unconventional style worked out brilliantly

He was known as "the coach who didn't coach", but Ivan Armstrong's unconventional leadership helped mould five Olympic champions.

Armstrong, who died in Auckland last week aged 86, was not only a highly successful hockey coach, but he represented New Zealand at the 1956 Olympics, and umpired in tennis at Wimbledon.

Growing up in Timaru and Christchurch, Armstrong stood out as a talented hockey forward at Christchurch Boys' High School.

During his international playing career, from 1950 to 1962, he was part of the first New Zealand hockey side to play at an Olympics, finishing sixth at the 1956 Melbourne games.

At the end of his playing days, Armstrong turned to coaching. He had an auspicious start - leading New Zealand at the 1968 Mexico Olympics, where they beat defending champions India, 2-1, in the opening game. New Zealand finished up seventh.

But it was with the Auckland hockey side that he made his biggest impression. During his 13-year tenure, beginning in 1971, he helped establish Auckland as the dominant province in New Zealand hockey, winning the Challenge Shield eight times.

Former Auckland and New Zealand player David Appleby recalls Armstrong's unorthodox coaching style. "He was the coach who didn't coach. Instead, he empowered us as players - he created an environment where we learned to think for ourselves, communicate and share ideas, and work as a team," he says.

Armstrong was "exceptionally proud" of the five Auckland players in the side that won Olympic gold at Montreal in 1976 - Jeff Archibald, Ramesh Patel, Mohan Patel, Greg Dayman and Arthur Parkin.

Off the playing field, Armstrong was a renowned educator. He was the founding principal of Mangere College when it opened in 1971, and over 17 years, built up the school's reputation of being at the forefront of multiculturalism. It was the first New Zealand school not to use corporal punishment.

Armstrong is survived by his wife Joan, three children and six grandchildren.