After back-to-back bronze medal performances with the Perth Thundersticks women’s team, our head coach is set to go another round.
Hockey WA and the Perth Thundersticks are pleased to announce that Phil Hulbert will be spending another season at the helm of the Perth Thundersticks Women’s program for a third year running.
A former Thundersticks player in the former Australian Hockey League, Hulbert first stepped into the Head Coach role in 2022 off the back of coaching Victoria Park Xavier Hockey Club’s women’s side to back-to-back premierships in the Premier League.
Since then, Hulbert has led the Perth Thundersticks Women’s team to back-to-back bronze medals in 2022 and 2023.
Hulbert said he is deeply honoured to take the reins as head coach once again, excited at the opportunity to continue guiding WA’s elite athletes.
“Remaining connected to WA hockey, especially with the top-tier women’s side, is incredibly rewarding,” he said.
“I love being able to contribute to the growth of the sport and witness the dedication and progress of our players firsthand.
“Achieving back-to-back bronze medals is a commendable task and I’m immensely proud of the team’s performance.
“However, as with any competitive endeavour, there’s always that lingering thought of ‘what could have been’.”
Along with the ultimate objective of winning the premiership this year, Hulbert said his focus going into the new season is assembling a well-balanced side.
“Selecting the right combination of talent, experience and teamwork is crucial for success,” he said.
“I have a great off-field team that I believe can continue to help develop our WA players.”
“We’re very happy to announce that Phil will remain as Head Coach of our Perth Thundersticks Women’s team for a third year running,” Hockey WA CEO Fabian Ross said.
“After leading the squad to back-to-back bronze medals in the past two seasons, we are confident that Phil will continue to provide outstanding leadership to our women’s team and push them towards fulfilling their potential.”