A leading hockey coach has been banned for life from coaching children and teenagers after he was found guilty by his sport’s governing body of years of emotionally abusing and bullying young players.
Duncan Parnis, 41, former head of hockey at prestigious Ipswich School, had coached for two decades across England.
Previously a Sports Coach UK Young Coach of the Year, he had an enviable record of producing hockey stars at his clubs.
But Parnis was investigated by England Hockey, which governs the sport, for serious safeguarding offences, after parents, ex-players and coaches reported him last year.
They accused him of emotionally and verbally abusing young people – particularly girls – bullying them and undermining them to the extent that many were left broken.
One former player said: ‘It wasn’t simply ‘tough coaching’. It was an atmosphere where approval could be given and withdrawn, where a child could be singled out, then pulled back in – creating a cycle of dependence on the coach’s validation.’
One parent added: ‘These weren’t fragile kids. They were serious young athletes training multiple times a week and competing at a high level. Resilience wasn’t the issue.’
It was the third time Parnis, who denied the offences, had been investigated over similar allegations.
Duncan Parnis, 41, was investigated by England Hockey, which governs the sport, for serious safeguarding offences after parents, ex-players and coaches reported him last year
England Hockey, headquartered at Bisham Abbey, has confirmed Mr Parnis’ permanent ban from all hockey-related activities involving minors across all clubs. (Pictured is Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre)
In the wake of the second investigation, Parnis set up Knole Park Hockey Club in Sevenoaks, Kent, where further serious allegations were made against him.
Complainants said he ran the club ‘like a cult’. Some explained they became ‘desensitised’ to Parnis’s behaviour, because they were so blinded by his success; at one point six young women from Knole Park were playing for England U18 teams.
But at a final hearing on January 21, Parnis, who had been suspended since last June, was banned from coaching players under 18 and found guilty of ‘harming the safety and welfare of young people’.
The disciplinary panel, which he did not attend, heard harrowing first-hand evidence of his behaviour including how he controlled players through psychological and verbal abuse.
England Hockey confirmed he had been ‘permanently excluded’ from ‘all hockey and hockey-related activity within any club’ involving under-18s and banned from holding ‘any official position within any [U18] club’ too.
England Hockey and Knole Park Hockey Club declined to comment. Duncan Parnis has not responded to our approach for comment.
