From Injury to Victory: Dave Goodfield's Journey to Winning Fitness His Way
When Surbiton Hockey’s Dave Goodfield faced a serious injury that led to surgery, the road ahead seemed daunting. For many athletes, such a setback can feel like the end of the journey. But for Dave, it became the beginning of a new chapter, one defined by resilience, determination, and the belief that fitness is deeply personal.
Dave’s comeback wasn’t about rushing back or following a one-size-fits-all plan. Instead, he embraced “Your Fitness, Your Way” tailoring his recovery and training to what his body needed, when it needed it. This mindset helped him not only return stronger but also lead Surbiton Hockey Club to an incredible Premiership League victory.
His story teaches us that fitness isn’t just about physical strength, it’s about listening to yourself, adapting, and owning your journey. No matter your starting point or setback, your path to being the fittest version of yourself is uniquely yours. And sometimes, the greatest wins come from the toughest comebacks.
What was the cause of your back injury that led to surgery?
My back injury happened over some time, spanning back to 2018. After having my appendix out and returning to a heavy training block both in the gym and on the hockey pitch, I felt a small twinge in my back, which caused a disk to bulge pressing on the sciatic nerve.
After a couple of months of rehab, it settled down, but then in November 2023, it came back with a vengeance, causing me to have a mild foot drop and lose the power to lift my foot. This again happened after a hard couple of months of training and was the result of playing with another injury for a period of time, causing my back to take too much load.
Over the next 8 months, I had several injections to settle the symptoms down and get back on the pitch in the build-up to the Paris Olympic Games, knowing that I would have the surgery afterwards to give myself a chance at a long-term fix.
How did it feel mentally and physically to know you had to step away from hockey?
Incredibly tough, especially because it was the biggest year for my hockey building up to Paris. Having the foot drop was one of the hardest challenges I faced because we had no idea how long it would take for me to get the strength back, and until that happened, I couldn’t push on with my rehab.
What did the recovery process look like?
Post surgery, I had a complication which caused a CSF leak in my back, resulting in two more surgeries to fix the issues and delaying the rehab process.
After 13 weeks following the first operation, I was finally able to start my rehab over at Bisham Abbey alongside the use of Colets. Having Colets on my doorstep was a huge help with sessions in both the gym and the pool.
After another 14 weeks of reformer pilates and gym work (approx. 4 pilates and 8 gym sessions), I managed to get back on the pitch and return to hockey with a gradual build-up back to playing.
How do you stay resilient, especially during moments that feel slow or uncertain?
I have a great support network around me who helped me to talk through some of the tough moments and setbacks and keep me looking forward to what I can do next. I always found looking forward and trying not to focus on things I can't control helped.
There were moments when this was more difficult than others, and that's where speaking to friends and family is important. I also saw my rehab as a challenge and an opportunity to come back fitter and stronger than before.
Returning to the end of the club season with Surbiton was always my aim, and I knew it was always going to be a huge challenge, but this was one of the motivating factors for truly committing to my rehab and giving it everything I had.
Helping to play a part in winning the league this season and lifting the trophy felt incredibly special. It has been 4 years since we won the league, and it made all the tough moments throughout rehab feel worthwhile.
My advice for anyone going through injuries or setbacks would be to utilise your network, friends, and family, and speak out about the troubles you are having. I have personally found that looking ahead to what I can do next is extremely powerful and gives me a goal to work towards.
