Cross roads for Field Hockey – An Opportunity to pause and reflect

September 25, 2009

As you may or may not be aware, Field Hockey Canada recently conducted an organizational review – the Board, athlete reprepresentatives, our provincial associations and others were interviewed by an external consultant and a number of recommendations were presented to the Board. 

The next 6-9 months will serve as a transition period whereby we will not immediately hire an Executive Director to replace Suzzanne Nicholson, but will reallocate some of these funds to several individual contractors who will provide support to us in targeted priority areas.  As soon as the details are confirmed over the next few weeks, we will share them with you.  In the interim period, please feel free to contact me directly if you have questions.

From a preliminary review of our current strategy and commitments, there are many activities requiring our attention and resources.  I believe that for our future success, we will need to focus our efforts on the areas which that deliver the maximum impact for our athletes and our sport overall.

 For example this includes ensuring that:

I know that change can be unsettling, but as many of us know, it can also provide an opportunity to look at how we can operate more effectively together.  During this transition period, we will all need to work together to accomplish our desired results.  Our ultimate success will not be based upon any one individual, but rather how we can all work collectively to provide the most effective environment for all our members to participate, compete and contribute.

I believe a strong foundation has been built and it is time to take our sport and community to the next level.  As I write this, I’m getting ready to meet with a working group looking at our national women’s program and pathways needed to support our athletes’ journey to the top.  I look forward to working with each and every one of your over the upcoming transition period.

Respectfully submitted,