Over that time the sport has provided him with many enriching experiences and taken him around the world.

"I will always owe hockey more than it will ever owe me," he said.

Still actively playing, Davy is also a familiar face in the dugout, and was for his contribution to hockey, as well as McCarthy sport, acknowledged as the January Sportsmans Warehouse Community Sports Award recipient.

Since returning to Tamworth in 2008, he has volunteered his time to coach representative and club hockey sides, and manage and supervise school cricket, oztag, waterpolo and basketball teams.

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"Honestly I have no expertise in any of those (aside from hockey)," he said.

"But I enjoy it. Waterpolo in particular I enjoyed as it was a sport that was foreign to me and the school competition has a close knit, family type feel to it."

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Hockey though is his first sporting love.

"I started coaching when I was about 14. I had a little minkey team," he recalled.

"The majority of my coaching experiences have involved junior girls or women's teams due to the fact that this was the area that I coached in predominantly while teaching and coaching in Armidale."

Along with stints coaching first grade women's at Services and South United, including a maiden premiership with Souths last season, he has coached Tamworth junior and opens representative sides, was involved with the Northern Inland Academy of Sport program for three years and has for the last three years coached Kiwi Diggers' under-11 and opens primary girls teams.

"I have really enjoyed coaching in this age group, in particular their energy, enthusiasm and most of the time their willingness to listen, learn and try new things," he said.

They are what motivates him to continue coaching.

"You want to see kids coming through. They are keen and you want to see them get the same opportunities," he said.

Part of a golden era of Tamworth hockey, Davy recalled that when he was coming through Tamworth probably had eight players in the open men's NSW side, he reflected on how the likes of his father, Tony Ball, John Ball, Ross Jobson, John Jennison, John Fittler, Don Davis, Trevor Hannaford and Barrie Pritchard inspired him and developed his passion for the game.

"I've been really lucky to have some exceptional people who encouraged me and brought me through," he said.

"Hopefully I have been able to put back into the game of hockey something in return for what hockey has given me."

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