Recognising New Zealand’s coaching leaders and their contribution to the New Zealand and International Federation of Hockey coaching system.
International Coaches Day, led by the International Council for Coaching Excellence (ICCE), is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate and acknowledge the strength and growth of New Zealand’s coaching network within the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Global Coaching System.
Since piloting Hockey New Zealand’s first-ever Developer Programme in 2021, the country now boasts a network of internationally recognised FIH Trainers and Educators. These individuals are delivering courses globally and supporting the development of Educators, Developers, Coaches, and Officials. This progress is a testament to the quality, commitment, and passion of our people.
Image: Hockey NZ Coaching Layers. The FIH Academy have an additional layer of FIH Educator. FIH Educators are experienced Developers accredited to deliver FIH Coaching and Officiating Courses.
Image: FIH Educator Emma Phelps delivering a local FIH Course
Reflecting on the past year
Nearly 100 coaches have participated in local, face-to-face FIH coaching courses delivered by FIH-accredited Educators based in New Zealand. Six regionally led courses—supported by Hockey New Zealand—were delivered, evenly split between the North and South Islands, providing valuable opportunities for coaches to connect, learn, and enhance their skills. As part of the FIH courses, coaches are assessed against specific criteria to earn internationally recognised coaching qualifications.
Hockey New Zealand would like to thank the FIH Educators and Developers who have contributed to the delivery and success of these courses:
- FIH Educators and Developers: Jamie Carroll, Sam Bartholomew, Sunjay Ganda, Chris Leslie, Joe Piggott, Bevan Nichol, Kelly Hudson, Emma Phelps, Ben Owers
- Developers Supporting Delivery and Learning: Tracy Edmond, Chris Arthur, Mark Page, Taylah Carter, Juliet Dunlop-Fraser, Hamish Carr, James Birkefeld, Jack Paton
Image: FIH Educator Jamie Carroll delivering a local FIH Course
Internationally, New Zealand’s Educators continue to be appointed to FIH face-to-face and online courses. A recent highlight was Jamie Carroll (Bay of Plenty) leading an FIH Level 2 Coaching Course alongside the 2025 Oceania Cup in Darwin, Australia—supporting local coaches and contributing to the development of Hockey Australia’s coaching workforce.
The growth of FIH’s online education has enabled coaches from community to performance levels, and from different countries, to come together, share diverse experiences, and learn. New Zealand Trainers and Educators continue to play a strong role in the FIH workforce for online delivery, supporting FIH Developer, Coaching, and Officiating courses this year.
Looking Ahead
In October 2025, New Zealand will send a team of Trainers and Developers to Melbourne, Australia. Ben Owers (Hockey NZ) will co-lead a course to train 18 new Educators from Australia, alongside James Birkefeld (Wellington), Bruce Brownsey (Auckland), and four trainee Trainers from Hockey Australia. This initiative will strengthen connections with Hockey Australia and expand the FIH Academy workforce across Oceania.
Hockey New Zealand would like to thank the FIH and Oceania Hockey Federation for their continued support in growing the coaching network and strengthening the coaching system.
We look forward to continuing to support opportunities for New Zealand Coaches, Developers, and Trainers to access FIH courses and contribute to the global coaching system.
Image: FIH Educator Sunjay Ganda delivering a local FIH Course in Christchurch
This article originally appeared on https://hockeynz.brackenlearning.com/ and is re-shared here with permission.