Tokyo Olympics 2021: Hockeyroos appoint Katrina Powell as first female head coach in 43 years

Just weeks after Paul Gaudoin quit amid claims of a ‘dysfunctional’ atmosphere, the Hockeyroos have gone back to the future with their new coaching appointment.

True to their word, Hockey Australia have started delivering on their promise to fix the toxic culture inside the national women’s high-performance program.

It’s taken almost half a century but finally the Hockeyroos have a female head coach.

Katrina Powell, a legendary player who won two Olympic gold medals when the Hockeyroos were Australia’s most bankable Olympic team, has been given the job of rebuilding the squad in time for the Tokyo Olympics, now less than four months away.

“It’s obviously a very quick turnaround but I’m pumped,” Powell told News Corp.

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New Hockeyroos coach Katrina Powell with fellow Olympian Nova Peris-Kneebone at Sydney Games.

“I’ve been wanting to coach my country for such a long time so I’ve been preparing for this and I’m ready to do it.”

Now 48 and one of the most respected figures in Australian hockey, Powell’s been waiting patiently for her chance to coach the Hockeyroos.

She played 252 games for her country between 1994 and 2004, winning gold medals at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics, and turned her hand to coaching in 2005, overseeing the national junior team and assisting the senior team.

Powell (left) becomes first woman to be appointed coach of the Hockeyroos in almost five decades.

Finally promoted to the job top, Powell is the first woman to be appointed head of the Hockeyroos coach since Colleen Quinn, 43 years ago.

“It is sad that there hasn’t been a female coach since 1978 but I’m a coach first and whether I’m male or female, that doesn’t have any bearing on how I’m going to lead these players.

“Coaching the Hockeyroos has always been a dream of mine and if they’ll have me, I’ll stay forever because there’s no reason females can’t succeed in coaching too.”

Powell takes over from Paul Gaudoin, who stood down last month, just before the release of the independent report into how the women’s high-performance program was run.

Following months of shocking revelations, the report findings were scathing, describing the elite national program as “dysfunctional” and making 29 recommended changes, prompting Hockey Australia executives to promise a complete overhaul.

“The past months have been a challenging period for everyone associated with the Hockeyroos,” Hockey Australia president Mel Woosnam said. “But we feel Katrina is the right person to get the best out of this group and continue in its Olympic preparations.”

She’ll need to be because Hockey Australia still has some work to do to regain everyone’s trust but for all the team’s problems and the court case around selection still pending, Hockey Australia has at least taken steps other sports are still dragging their heels around.

And the Hockeyroos certainly aren’t a lost cause for winning a medal in Tokyo.

They are currently ranked fourth in the world and Powell believes they have a shot at getting on the dais if she can reunite them in time.

“There’s an amazing amount of talent in this group so the task for me is to provide an environment to help them realise that potential,” she said.

“They have been through a lot of adversity but I think that’s the same for every athlete going to Tokyo so we need to use that to drive resilience so that we have a stronger and better group of athletes.

“I know every player is completely committed to getting on the podium at Tokyo so it’s about uniting them under that single purpose.”

HOCKEYROOS’ RADICAL MOVE TO ERADICATE TOXIC CULTURE

Hockey Australia have appointed their first female head coach in almost half a century — announcing double gold medallist Katrina Powell as the new boss of the Hockeyroos.

As first reported by News Corp after the former head coach, Paul Gaudoin, stood down last month, Powell will lead the team through to the Tokyo Olympics, starting in four months.

Powell becomes the first female Hockeyroos Head Coach since Colleen Quinn in 1978.

Powell played in the 1996 and 2000 Olympics.

“It is a really quick turnaround to the Olympics and I am well aware of that, but I am so excited by the opportunity that is in front of me,” Powell said.

“My objective is not to overhaul the hard work that has already been done. I am keen to bring in a fresh set of eyes, ideas and approach that will help this team be successful.”

“My coaching style is one of athlete well-being but high expectation and discipline. We are going to work really hard with the athletes about building a purpose and having a strong way of play.”

“There is still a lot of work to do between now and the Olympics. I am eager to get straight into it and help these girls reach their potential because it is a highly talented squad that can finish on the dais in Tokyo.”

One of the most respected figures in Australian hockey, Powell played 252 games for the Hockeyroos, scoring 141 goals and winning gold medals at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics.

Powell has been making her name as head coach of the NSWIS Women’s Program.

She took up coaching in 2005 and is currently the Head Coach of the New South Wales Institute of Sport’s (NSWIS) Women’s Hockey Program.

“The past months have been a challenging period for everyone associated with the Hockeyroos, but we feel Katrina is the right person to get the best out of this group and continue in its Olympic preparations,” Hockey Australia President Mel Woosnam said.

“Katrina brings her own strengths, experience and knowledge to the role as well as knowing what it takes to achieve at the highest level.

“We are confident of the positive impact she will have on the development and improvement of the squad in this short time ahead of and during the Games.”

Powell will take over the new job next week, while Hockey Australia said it will announce a new assistant coach soon, to fill the position vacated by Steph Andrews.

Paul Gaudoin sensationally quit his position last month.

Gaudoin sensationally quit his job last month as Hockey Australia vowed to clean up the ‘toxic culture’ within the women’s national program after conceding it had failed in its promise to fix things after the disastrous 2016 Rio Olympics.

Gaudoin was the highest-profile casualty of a long list of senior staff who have exited Hockey Australia in the past three months following complaints about the way the program was being run.

These include the high performance director Toni Cumpston, Andrews and a handful of staff and directors.

Described as “dysfunctional” and “not conducive to athlete well-being or sustained on-field success,” Hockey Australia have promises to overhaul the entire program after an independent made 29 recommendations for change.