WA's elite coaches develop skills with FIH

A small collective of Western Australia’s elite hockey coaches had the extraordinary opportunity to develop their skills at an international level thanks to a series of workshops provided by the International Hockey Federation (FIH).

Hockey WA recently facilitated a FIH coaching course, marking the first time FIH Academy educators delivered a course in Western Australia and their first Australian visit since 2016.

Over the course of four days, 18 identified coaches participated in a series of workshops run by FIH Academy educator Michel Kinnen (Belgium), assisted by former Hockeyroo and South West Academy of Sport Hockey coach Nicole Arrold.

The participants comprised of State team coaches, WAIS coaches, WA Masters coaches, and members of the Hockey WA Performance team.

During those four days, 12 participants became accredited as FIH Level 2 coaches.

In addition, four coaches, a technical official coach and an umpiring coach completed an FIH Hockey Developer Course, enabling them to start mentoring members of the hockey workforce within any of the six branches of the FIH Academy - Athlete, Coach, Events, Executive, Official & Umpire.

Hockey WA Performance & Pathways manager, Trid Woodhouse, expressed his excitement over the collaboration with FIH Academy educators to deliver courses in Perth, labelling it a "massive win" for hockey in Western Australia.

Emphasizing Hockey WA's commitment to nurturing elite coaches, Woodhouse highlighted the significance of providing opportunities for them to enhance their coaching capabilities and effectively manage athletes.

"In line with our mission at Hockey WA, we are dedicated to ensuring that our elite coaches are equipped with the latest methodologies and techniques," Woodhouse said.

"This collaboration signifies the beginning of a fruitful partnership with the FIH, and we are enthusiastic about the prospect of hosting more FIH-level courses in 2025.

“These initiatives will not only benefit our elite coaching staff but will also extend an invitation to the wider coaching community, offering them a platform to participate and elevate their skills."

The FIH coaching course was made possible by our partners at Kimberley Marine Support Base, who provided funding for the invaluable development opportunity to ensure extra support for our state coaches.

The course was also made possible with support from WA Masters Hockey and Hockey Australia.