The countdown to Season 3 of Hockey One League is well and truly on with the schedule locked in and franchise memberships on sale.
While the playing squads for each franchise are yet to be finalised, the head coaches that will lead each of the respective women’s and men’s teams are locked and loaded.
In 2023 the makeup of the coaches taking charge have a varying amount of experience, whether it’s at national or international level.
There are plenty of new faces, with nine coaches set to test themselves in the top job on the Hockey One League stage for the first time. Here is a rundown on who will be coaching each of the teams in Season 3.
NSW Pride
Women’s Coach
The defending Hockey One League Women’s Champions will have a new coach at the helm with the highly credentialed Scott Barker taking charge for the 2023 season. Barker’s previous experience includes having coached the Russian Men’s national team as well as an assistant coach for the NSW Men’s team in the old Australian Hockey League.
Men’s Coach
It’s no surprise, or perhaps it is, that Brent Livermore will continue as NSW Pride Men’s head coach. The former Kookaburra led the Pride to back-to-back titles in the first two seasons. With a formidable record, Livermore could be excused for going out on a highly successful note, however his eagerness to nurture and develop local talent plus his love of the game and the contest meant he was always going to go around again as the Pride go in search of a three-peat.
Adelaide Fire
Women’s Coach
After coaching Adelaide Fire’s Men’s Team in 2022, South Australian local Hugh Purvis will take charge of the Fire’s Women’s outfit in Season 3. Purvis was an assistant to Hockeyroos coach Katrina Powell for the series against India earlier in the year, before coaching Australia A in the ensuing two matches against India. With some strong off season recruiting, Purvis will be looking to reignite the Adelaide Fire back into the finals.
Men’s Coach
The only way is up for Adelaide Fire’s Mens Team with Roel van Maastrigt being promoted from assistant coach last year to the head coaching role in 2023. Van Maastrigt has a strong hockey CV, having held numerous coaching and director positions of field hockey teams in Canada.
HC Melbourne
Women’s Coach
After narrowly missing out on the title in Season 1 and following another finals appearance last year, the appointment of HC Melbourne’s Women’s Head Coach was always going to have a strong hockey pedigree and carry high expectations. That person is Dan Mitchell, who has been promoted from being an assistant coach with the team in 2022.
Men’s Coach
There is also a new face in the HC Melbourne Men’s Team for Season 3. Despite being his first Hockey One League coaching position, Andrew Smith is no stranger to Victoria’s high-performance program with three years as an assistant coach to Jay Stacy for the Victoria Vikings in the Australian Hockey League. Smith will be determined to improve a HC Melbourne side that showed glimpses in 2022 but finished sixth.
Perth Thundersticks
Women’s Coach
The Thundersticks have retained their 2022 Head Coach, Phil Hulbert who had a promising first season, losing out to NSW Pride 1-0 in the semi final before claiming the third place play-off with a convincing win over HC Melbourne. Hulbert will be aiming for his team to again be featuring at the business end of the season.
Men’s Coach
Craig Wilson is a prominent name in Western Australia hockey having led Melville City Hockey Club to back-to-back premierships in 2021 and 2022. He takes over as Head Coach of the Thundersticks Men’s side who were narrowly defeated in last year’s grand final.
Brisbane Blaze
Women’s Coach
Nikki Taylor returns as the Blaze Women’s Coach for her third straight season in charge. Champions in 2019 and runners up last year, Taylor will have high expectations again in 2023.
Men’s Coach
The final appointment for season 2023 came from Brisbane Blaze who announced Kookaburras great Matt Wells as its new Men’s Head Coach. Wells won it all in his playing days and his previous national league head coach experience saw him guide the Queensland Blades to a silver medal in the 2019 AHL. He has also been an assistant for the Burras (Australia’s U21 Men’s Team) and coached underage Queensland teams at national championships.
Canberra Chill
Women’s Coach
Another fresh face among this year’s Hockey One League coaching contingent, Matt Cook will take charge of Canberra Chill’s Women’s Team. Cook is already well known in the nation’s capital, having held the National Athlete Pathway Program Head Coach position for 11 months. He takes over a Chill side that just missed out on finals last year but showed they could match it with anyone on their day.
Men’s Coach
One of only three coaches preparing for a third straight Hockey One League season in charge, Seyi Onitiri will be looking to build on an exciting 2022 where the Canberra Chill Men finished second before bowing out in the semi finals. Expectations will be high for Onitiri and the Chill again, particularly after three players – Davis Atkin, Ben Staines and Anand Gupte – made their Kookaburras debuts this year.
Tassie Tigers
Women’s Coach
After a year as the Tigers Women’s Assistant Coach, Tim Strapp has stepped into the main role in 2023. Strapp, who is currently the head of the Tasmanian Institute of Sport’s Hockey Program, has an impressive CV, having led the Victoria Vipers to an AHL title in 2017 and Hockey Club Melbourne’s Women’s team to a runners up finish in 2019.
Men’s Coach
Stephen McMullen will go around again as Tassie Tigers Men’s Coach after he coached the team last year. The Tasmanian local’s coaching resume includes a successful stint as head coach of the North West Graduates Premier League Men’s team which resulted in the 2020 title, several Southern Hockey Association Coach of the Year awards, and as head coach of the Tasmanian U15 Boys team that won the silver medal at the 2021 National Championships.