WAIS Great Named as Kookaburras Assistant

Published On: 25 September 2009

Paul Gaudoin during his playing days for the Kookaburras

Former Kookaburras captain and Western Australian Institute of Sport great Paul Gaudoin has this week been announced as an assistant coach of the Kookaburras under the leadership of coach Ric Charlesworth.

Gaudoin will join Graham Reid as Charlesworth’s second assistant coach for the next three years ahead of the 2012 London Olympics.

The former two time Olympic bronze medallist burst onto the scene as an 18 year old in the Kookaburras winning 1994 World Cup team.

At 34 years of age, Gaudoin has played alongside current players including Jamie Dwyer and Brent Livermore, with Charlesworth indicating this will complement the current coaching structure.

“He is a thoughtful hockey brain, he is contemporary and offers a different set of skills which compliments us (himself and Reid) and is someone with his own mind and who will speak out which is important,” Charlesworth said.

Gaudoin, who withdrew from the 2004 Athens Olympics gold medal side on the eve of the Games due to injury, has coached the SmokeFree WA Thundersticks to back to back Australian Hockey League championships from 2008-2009.

Although the Kookaburras will compete in the ABN AMRO Hockey Champions Trophy in Melbourne from November 28 – December 6, Gaudoin will not join the coaching staff until January 2010.

– Hockey Australia