Field Hockey Canada > Women’s National Team adds Steph Andrews as assistant coach

The Canadian Women’s National Field Hockey Program has added Steph Andrews as the new assistant coach for the Women’s National Team.

Andrews, is a product of the Australian playing and coaching system and joins Field Hockey Canada after three years as head coach of Hockey Australia’s National Training Centre in Canberra, where she led the Australian Capital Territory’s Academy of Sport men’s and women’s programs.

“I feel very honored to join an exciting, emerging, and proud National program,” says Andrews, who will head directly to New Zealand in late January to begin her post with the Canadian Women’s National Team as they train for World League 2.

“The team has huge potential to progress moving forward into the future. I look forward to working with a program that is youthful and seeking success.”

Andrews represented Australia as a player at the Under-21 level before moving into coaching.

She has since coached in the Australian Hockey League, where she served as current Canadian Women’s National Team head coach Ian Rutledge’s assistant in 2012, and most recently as a head coach in 2014, when she coached Canadian captain Kate Gillis.

“Steph is an enthusiastic coach who can bring a lot to our program and who can bring a lot of current knowledge from a pretty renowned program,” says Rutledge. “It’s such a huge benefit to our program as it’s such a busy year. For the senior program it’s pretty much our make or break year with Olympic qualification coming up.” 

In addition to her role as assistant coach of the Senior Women’s National Team, Andrews will assume future head coaching responsibilities for the Canadian Junior Women’s National Team as they prepare for the 2016 Junior World Cup. 

Andrews has guided current Australian Women’s National Team members Anna Flanagan and Edwina Bone, and has also played and coached in Belgium.

She is currently completing her Masters of Coaching degree and was previously mentored by current Australian Men’s National Team head coach Graham Reid.

“Her enthusiasm, her ability, and her desire to make a difference will definitely add value to our program,” adds Rutledge. “To have the extra pair of hands – and a competent pair of hands at that – will not only aid the Senior team, but also to have that single point of accountability and that single driver for the Junior program will be pretty important for our future.”

After she finishes with the Senior women in New Zealand, to prepare for her future role with the Junior National Team, Andrews will join the Junior women in Lancaster, Pennsylvania as an observer at the Under-20 CanAm series at Spooky Nook.