USA Field Hockey News

USA Field Hockey News

USA Field Hockey Names Terry Walsh Technical Director of High Performance

Terry Walsh

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Field Hockey has named former Dutch and Australian Olympic coach Terry Walsh to the position of Technical Director of High Performance.

“We are delighted to welcome Terry Walsh to USA Field Hockey as the Technical Director of High Performance” said Executive Director Sheila Walker. “This appointment marks a new era of field hockey in the USA. With an unparalleled passion for hockey and a world reputation in the sport technology arena, Terry will provide the U.S. national teams with cutting edge skill and expertise. We have long needed a ‘coaching guru’ to help our coaches and players achieve their highest potential, and Terry can do just that.”

The hiring of Walsh is part of USA Field Hockey’s commitment to returning to the Olympic Games for the first time since 1996. In the newly-created position, Walsh will oversee all aspects of USA Field Hockey’s men’s and women’s coaching and coach development while creating a system of play for the U.S. teams at all levels of the program. He will be involved in the final selection process as USA Field Hockey appoints a new head coach of the women’s national team.

“The challenge to develop a national coaching methodology combining knowledge and technology is going to be exceptional, and one that will require input from everyone already in the program,” said Walsh. “The number of athletes playing hockey in the USA provides a solid platform to develop international performances at a very high level. Indeed, international field hockey needs a strong USA. I am very privileged and excited about being given an opportunity to provide input.”

Walsh will get his first opportunity to meet the U.S. coaching community with a scheduled appearance at the National Field Hockey Coaches Association’s annual convention, Jan. 7-9 in Providence, R.I. He will then work with the U.S. coaching staff during the women’s junior team selection A Camp and national residency team open trials, Jan. 13-17 at the USA Field Hockey National Training Center in Virginia Beach.

“I could not be more pleased about the hiring of Terry Walsh as Technical Director of High Performance for USA Field Hockey,” said USA Field Hockey President Sharon Taylor. “Terry’s qualifications and abilities are recognized and respected throughout the world. In bringing Terrry and his level of expertise to the U.S. program, we believe we will fulfill the commitment to success that we made at the end of the 2004 quadrennium.”

As head coach of the Netherlands men’s team, Walsh, 51, guided the Dutch to a silver medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. Classified as a Master Coach by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), Walsh previously served as head coach for the Australian men’s team from 1997-2000. He led Australia to a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. From 2001-03, Walsh served as an elite coaching consultant and software development manager for Sydney-based SportsTec, a leading provider of sports training technology. He also served as a consultant to the U.S. women’s team and former national team coach Pam Hixon at the 1996 Olympic Games. Hixon was instrumental in the technical director search process.

A three-time Olympian for Australia, Walsh earned a silver medal at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal and helped the team to a fourth place finish at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles. He also appeared in three World Cup tournaments for Australia including the gold medal winning team in 1986.

Currently a resident of Perth, Western Australia, Walsh will relocate to Virginia Beach and will be joined by his family in the United States as the scholastic year in Australia permits. Walsh and his wife Sharon are the parents of two boys, Jayme and Cayle.

“We set out to hire a coach for the women’s team, and we will complete that task in the near future with an individual who will take us to serious world-class competitiveness,” said USA Field Hockey’s Taylor. “But the opportunity that hiring Terry Walsh affords us is to build coaching in this country to a level which supports all of field hockey, and which will sustain our women’s and men’s teams and senior and junior teams from the developmental level up. This decision is a long-term commitment to field hockey excellence in the United States.”

USA Field Hockey is the National Governing Body for the sport of Field Hockey in the United States as recognized by the United States Olympic Committee, the International Hockey Federation and the International Olympic Committee. As such, USA Field Hockey is responsible for the training and selection of athletes for international competition as well as the promotion and development of the game of field hockey in the United States.