Two time Olympian Tom Wickham holds hockey programs in the Red Centre

A Territory raised Kookaburra and two time Olympian felt a sense of responsibility to return home and give back to the town where his storeyed hockey career began.

Kookaburras player Tom Wickham held hockey clinics with the AOC in Alice Springs where his journey began. Picture: Hockey NT.

Tom Wickham didn’t hesitate when given the chance to return to where his hockey journey began.

The Kookaburra returned to Alice Springs this week as part of the Olympians Unleashed Program, alongside the Australian Olympic Committee, Hockey NT, the Territory Stingers and the Hockey Australia Foundation.

An initiative that brings Olympians into Australian schools to help motivate, inspire and encourage students to pursue their passions, Wickham spent time in local schools around Alice this week.

“When I was asked, I said yes straight away,” the Olympic silver medallist said.

“I had a feeling of a full circle moment where I could give back to where my dream started.”

Australian player Tom Wickham is tackled by Pakistan players during an international match in Darwin, 2017.

A self identifying ‘bitza’ (bit of everything) referencing having lived in the NT, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia, Wickham still holds a sense of belonging to the Red Centre.

“My first memories, my first hockey memories and some of my fondest memories in general are from Alice,” Wickham said.

“It’s where I went to primary school and some high school. Since I’ve been here I’ve already retraced my steps from where I used to roam around as a kid; checked if it’s still the same.

“I will say though, at the clinic when the kids asked where I was from I did say I’m an Alice boy.”

Now in his 30s, boasting more than 100 caps for his nation, an Olympic silver and two Commonwealth Games gold medals, the hockey tragic feels a sense of responsibility to give back to the world.

Australia's forward Tom Wickham (L) celebrates scoring his team's in the men's pool B field hockey match between New Zealand and Australia during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, August 1, 2024. Picture: Miguel MEDINA / AFP.

“Hockey is a quiet achiever in the Australian sporting landscape,” he said.

“For me, hockey has given me my life. It was my first true love.

“It was the thing that kept me out of trouble, especially in a place like Alice which can be a tough place at times. It was the only constant in my life when I was moving around all the time, it’s given me my lovely partner and my beautiful baby boy. It’s given me a house to live in, allowed me to travel the world and pays my wage.

“I’ve been very fortunate to have hockey in my life, and I really want to be a beacon for other young men and other people to aspire to.”

“From the perspective of Alice Springs, there’s not enough people that are maybe in a position to, or there are but choose not to, give back to the community.

“So for me, it is a sense of responsibility to give back to the world.”

Originally published as Two time Olympian Tom Wickham holds hockey programs in the Red Centre