Hockey NSW: ’Towards 60’ project launched to boost off-field female coaches, officials

A groundbreaking initiative set to shift the landscape of hockey in NSW has been launched with the hope of addressing a gender imbalance in off-field leadership roles.

A groundbreaking initiative set to shift the landscape of hockey in NSW has been launched with the hope of addressing a gender imbalance in off-field leadership roles.

The sport currently has an impressive female participation rate, being every three of five players. However, the ratio isn’t mirrored in the sport’s coaches, officials and leaders.

Hockey NSW has responded with the launch of the ‘Towards 60’ project which has long term ambitions of attracting, developing and retaining more females in the coaching and officiating space.

Kate Jenner. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

Two Olympians, former Hockeyroo Casey Sablowski and current Hockeyroo Kate Jenner, will head up the coaching program and work to inspire the women to lead the next generation.

Jenner, who is also employed as Hockey NSW’s regional participation co-ordinator, said she was excited to be a leader in the initiative.

“This program will create a pool of female coaches that will form a network of not only coaches but future mentors within our sport,” she said.

“We will also be using this program as a fact-finding mission to uncover the barriers that female coaches face and what we can do to help overcome these barriers to allow the coaches to thrive.”

Casey Sablowski in 2016.

Sablowski, who has been a Hockey NSW coaching consultant in recent years, said she would love to see the state sporting body lead the way for women in sport.

“This is an exciting time for females in sport and I look forward to playing my part in the development of highly skilled and respected coaches, leading the way in the female coaching space,” she said.

The initiative follows a recommendation in an independent report which found a poor culture had embroiled the under-18 girls state team for a number of years.

The ‘Towards 60’ project follows on from a ‘Young and Female Coaching Development Pilot Program’ which was run earlier this year.

Report reveals intimidation, bullying in NSW hockey

The shocking behaviour inside the NSW women’s under-18 hockey team has been revealed, with Hockey NSW vowing to “draw a line in the sand” and shake-up the pathways system and representative coaching contingent.

An independent investigation by Suiko Consulting, commissioned by the Hockey NSW board, found a poor culture had embroiled the under-18 women’s squad for a number of years with frequent incidents of “low-level” intimidation, bullying and exclusion. The report found this behaviour had largely gone unchecked, with “little or no consequences”.

The independent investigation centred on the NSW under-18 women’s hockey team.

Bullying allegations surfaced in The Sunday Telegraph in June with reports of players being reduced to tears and being forced to move from their hotel rooms during this year’s Australian Championships in Tasmania. It was understood at least two girls had threatened to walk away from the game as a result.

Backlash by angry parents followed the response of former Hockey NSW CEO David Thompson who said in response to the allegations “I think it’s girls being girls, kids being kids”, which led to the board calling for an independent review.

Thompson unexpectedly quit his post with immediate effect last month. There is no suggestion he is accused of any wrongdoing in relation to the bullying allegations.

David Thompson.

In recent weeks the board endorsed the implementation of 19 recommendations made following the independent investigation, which includes a “full review” of the current pathways program.

Hockey NSW will weigh up abolishing gender splits for state-age squads and will consider an overhaul of the current selection policy to remove any perceptions of bias.

A shake-up of junior representative coaches is also recommended, with the state sporting body asked to consider revamping the recruitment process by having an increased focus on female mentors and increased emphasis on coaches with “contemporary thinking on athlete wellbeing”.

Hockey NSW has already engaged an Athlete Wellbeing expert to support junior representatives at future championships and will boost awareness and education of the resources available to raise concerns and complaints.

Adriana Care.

Hockey NSW chairwoman Adriana Care confirmed the heart of the issues centred on the under-18 women’s state team, with a copy of the independent report to be provided to Hockey Australia.

“On behalf of the board, I apologise to anyone who felt their concerns were not heard, and to those who did not have enough trust in the system to raise their concerns,” she said.

“The board takes this very seriously and undertakes to improve our processes to ensure that we build trust with our members and systems, so they feel protected and able to raise their concerns.

“It is the board’s view that the review and its findings and recommendations are an opportunity for Hockey NSW to draw a line in the sand and effect change.

“We are committed to ensuring an overall culture reset and development of a clean and simple pathway strategy. We have a responsibility to provide the right leadership and structures to embed respect between participants and a safe, inclusive and supportive environment for all members.

“Good culture supports good outcomes, and that means zero tolerance towards poor behaviour. This will be enacted moving forward.”

A committee has been formed to implement the recommendations across the next six months, or until completed.