Field Hockey Canada (HGC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Susan Ahrens as Director of Hockey Development for the organization. Ahrens has extensive experience in the global field hockey community and has been successful as an educator, both at the club level and at the provincial and international level. She joined HGC after four years at the helm of the High Performance and Coaching Programs at the British Columbia Field Hockey Association. For Ahrens, this shift from high-performance systems to national development programs is a new challenge and she is eager to begin overseeing the development of hockey across the country.
«There are a lot of things going on while there are many great people and collaborators already in place, and I hope to be able to support them well and build on those foundations. It’s already starting to move quickly and I’m delighted to be on board and able to contribute, «she said.
«For example, I think the next generation program (NextGEN) will really help fill the gap between the provincial and national levels for our athletes, and then there are some excellent coaching programs from the NCCP as well as referees and officials in place, which will boost the quality and long-term growth of our sport. At the end of the day, our main concern is athletes of all ages and all levels, when we want to give them the best opportunities. We will achieve this by putting in place a high
quality environment . «
Ahrens has a strong track record in the field of education, having first taught physical education in Scotland, followed by a master’s degree in science in coaching and a PhD in philosophy on social value. Sport.
She has an equally impressive track record as a player. She had 170 caps with the home team of her home country of Scotland, while competing in a Junior World Cup and two Senior World Cups, as well as two editions of the Commonwealth Games. In order to be at the top, she spent a good part of her career abroad, while she played in professional leagues in Germany (Rot-Weiss Cologne), the Netherlands (HGC) and in Australia (VIS). In addition to helping her country finish in the Top 10 at the World Cup, Ahrens believes that the highlight of her career has been to win the European Cup.
According to Jeff Sauvé, CEO of HGC, Ahrens has a good balance of knowledge in education, high performance and development.
«Susan has expertise in sport development,» said Sauvé. She also has a long history in the field of field hockey from different points of view. I am confident that she will be successful in these important roles. We are privileged to have Susan with us. «
Sauvé said that the growth and development of coaches, officials and athletes is a crucial part of the strategic plan put in place by HGC. He said that Ahrens will have a tremendous impact in his new role.
According to Ahrens, her experience as a trained player, coach and educator makes her the right candidate for this role, and the fact that she has worked in the field of field hockey in Canada during the last five years ensures that it can have a positive influence in the immediate future.
Overrides ad space 2
