Hager leaves Black Sticks for England
AUCKLAND: The New Zealand women’s hockey coach Mark Hager has resigned, and will take over as coach of the Great Britain and England women’s teams.
Hager has been at the centre of a review into the environment within the national women’s team.
Black Sticks assistant coach Sean Dancer will take over as acting head coach and prepare the side for the Pro League in two weeks.
Hager, who has led the Black Sticks through their most successful period during his 10 years at the helm, will start his new role immediately.
With the team environment the subject of an independent review, Hockey NZ acting board chairman Shane Collins emphasised that Hager was leaving on his own terms.
‘‘We are extremely disappointed to lose one of the world’s top coaches. Mark and his coaching staff have continued to have the support of the board and management and we wish him well in his next endeavour. His legacy will take some matching,’’ says Collins.
Hager, a former Australian international, says it is sad to leave a team that he regards as his whanau.
‘‘I’ve been fortunate to coach the Black Sticks for a decade and even more fortunate to have two worldclass players in Kayla Sharland and Stacey Michelsen as my captains to help us achieve goals that were firsts for this team.’’
He had been especially looking forward to leading the group through to the Tokyo Olympics.
‘‘The team has the potential to succeed in Tokyo and I wish them well. I have been torn over the last six months, firstly whether to apply for the England/Great Britain role and then whether to accept it. But given its profile as one of the pinnacle coaching roles in world hockey, I have come to realise it is in my best interests and those of the Black Sticks to accept this opportunity and for someone else to lead this talented group of athletes through to Tokyo,’’ said Hager.
‘‘Ultimately, the opportunity to coach England/Great Britain is one that excites me with the quality of the teams, the wealth of competition on their doorstep in Europe and the resources available.’’
Hager says he has taken on board some feedback during the review period about his coaching style, but will retain the essence of what has worked so successfully over the last decade in taking and keeping the team in the world’s top five.
Black Sticks captain Stacey Michelsen says Hager has a huge passion for the team.
‘‘Mark has been an integral part of allowing this team to grow to our highest ranking of third in the world. Personally he has provided me with the environment and the guidance to develop into the player I am today, and I am very grateful for that‘‘, says Michelsen.
‘‘I am very sad to see Mark go, but I do understand his decision and wish him all the best in his new role.’’
The Hockey NZ Board this week received a copy of the independent review of the Blacks Sticks Women’s team environment undertaken by employment lawyer Maria Dew. Collins says the board is now working through the review’s recommendations, and is accordingly developing key actions which will be shared with management and the NZ Hockey Players’ Association.
Once finalised, Hockey NZ will release a summary of the review and the corresponding action plan. This is expected to occur later this month. — RNZ