Hockey Australia Appoint Reid as Kookaburras Head Coach

Graham Reid has been appointed as the new National Coach of the Australian men’s hockey team, the Kookaburras, it was announced today by Hockey Australia Chief Executive Cam Vale.

Brisbane-born Reid, 50, has been Senior Assistant Coach with the Kookaburras since January 2009 and most recently took joint-charge of the team at the Commonwealth Games, alongside Paul Gaudoin, following Ric Charlesworth’s decision to step-down early as National Coach.

Cam Vale said: “Graham Reid was the unanimous choice of the coaching panel in what was a very difficult decision.

“Graham’s ability to lead the program now through to Rio as evidenced by his past experience in leading the national team at the 2012 Champions Trophy, 2013 Oceania Cup and, with Paul Gaudoin, to 2014 Commonwealth Games success, were key factors. Overall, we believe that Graham has the experience, maturity and leadership to continue to build on the success he has been part of with the Kookaburras since 2009.

“In regards to Paul Gaudoin, this process confirms he is a world class coach and someone we hold in high regard, who has also had a significant impact on our program.

“The Board’s brief to find the best coach made it a difficult decision with these two quality internal candidates balanced against a very strong field of other domestic and international applicants.

“I want to compliment and thank the panel assembled to oversee and assist me in the process of selecting the National Coach; Hockey Australia Directors David Hatt and Clare Prideaux, High Performance Director Trish Heberle and independent panel members Matt Favier, the AIS High Performance Director, and Don Argus.”

Graham Reid said: “I’m very excited and honoured to be appointed as the coach of the Kookaburras. It will be a great challenge to be the custodian of one of Australia’s most successful sports teams and a challenge to follow in the footsteps of Ric Charlesworth, who has transcended our sport and built up a huge list of accomplishments. I am relishing it.”

“I see the appointment by Hockey Australia of a coach from within our program as a tremendous vote of confidence in the players and staff that have helped us to such success over the last six years. I’m looking forward to putting my own spin on the lessons learnt and using them to push towards success in Rio.”

A former Kookaburra, two-time Olympian Reid made 130 appearances for Australia between 1984 and 1992, concluding his international career with a silver medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. With 30 international goals to his name, he also won a World Cup bronze medal and four Champions Trophy gold medals in a distinguished playing career. He represented both his home state of Queensland and his adopted home of Western Australia in the Australian Hockey League and, during an extensive playing career in Europe, won the Dutch league title with Amsterdam.

As a coach with the Kookaburras, Reid has helped steer Australia to an Olympic bronze medal, two consecutive World Cup titles, two Commonwealth Games gold medals and four Champion Trophy crowns.

As National Coach, he will be responsible for leading all aspects of the senior men’s team with the goal of achieving success for Australia at the 2016 Olympic Games. That campaign begins in 2015 with two Olympic qualification events, the World League tournament and the Oceania Cup.

Reid began his coaching career in 1988, going on to experience league title success with Victoria Park in Western Australia and Redcliffe Hockey Club in Queensland. He was appointed as coach of the WA Thundersticks in the Australian Hockey League shortly before teaming-up with former Kookaburras teammate Charlesworth in 2009.

Away from hockey, Reid spent 21 years working in the IT industry, nine of which he devoted to running a start-up learning and development company with a colleague, servicing multinationals such as Chevron, Shell and Woodside.

December’s Champions Trophy in Bhubaneswar, India, will provide Reid with his first major international competition as the new National Coach.

-HockeyAustralia