New Coaching Appointments
By Reading Hockey Club • Sep 21st, 2012 • Category: Home Page, NewsReading Hockey Club is delighted to announce the double appointment of Steve Hardy as men’s 2nd XI Coach and Mani Kochar as lead coach to the general men’s section.
Steve is the first permanent coach appointed to run the men’s 2nd XI. Steve has coached at Reading Hockey Club for 14 years at both junior and senior level, where he has been instrumental in the next generation raising the bar. His son, Jack currently plays for Reading 1st XI. Steve has been the lead coach to the general men’s section for the past two seasons and was the first choice for the Club. Part of the role Steve is delivering includes managing and facilitating the transition of talented colts into the adult section. Steve is an EHB Centrally Contracted Coach, a Level 3 tutor and assessor, assistant coach Senior Welsh Men, and has won 24 National indoor and outdoor schools titles at St Georges’s College Weybridge.
“Bringing Steve in will provide the structure and coaching leadership we need to go top three in the Higgins London League’s Premier Division. It will facilitate the development of the talented colts and integration with the 1st XI squad”. Ollie Randall, Men’s 2nd XI captain.
Mani Kochar is quite simply a Reading Hockey legend. We are delighted that he has accepted the role to coach the men’s section (3rd XI, Refills, Rascals, Rovers, Retros). Mani has been with Reading since 1996 (with short stints at Surbiton, Guildford and Teddington in between) winning European Gold in 2003, five European Silvers, seven Premiership titles, three Super Cups, seven HA cups and the Indoor Cup. Mani gained 24 caps with England and Great Britain between 1997 to 2004. In his last coaching role at Reading in 2007/8, he coached Reading Ladies 1st XI to an unbeaten EHL South championship.
Men’s Club Captain, Johnny Downer, said of the appointments, “the men’s section is looking forward and looking upwards. The appointment of two phenomenally talented coaches to support the vision of the Club is already showing benefits, as we are able to support the influx of new players we have had after the Olympics. We hope that their appointment will provide even more reason for new players to join.”
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