Gibson joins Field Hockey Canada as NextGen Director
Field Hockey Canada is pleased to announce the appointment of Andrea Gibson as NextGen Director for the organization. Gibson grew up playing hockey in Belfast, Northern Ireland. She moved to Canada in 2009 and has worked as a specialist community and regional trainer in British Columbia since then.
Andrea Gibson wins the 2020 Coach of the Year award
Upon moving to Canada, she did not initially intend to become a full-time hockey coach and manager, but her professional background in education and athletic experience led her to a path well suited to coaching. After a decade working in hockey at the grassroots level, in club, academies, and regional environments, she has moved into a national leadership role at NextGen. For her, it is the perfect next step for her to contribute to the development of hockey across the country.
“I strongly believe in the need for a strong NextGen program in order to grow the sport and achieve international success,” Gibson said. “It’s a great time to be involved in this program. We have a great structure and we have great people in place. I’m excited to be part of Canada’s field hockey team. I believe the way to grow our player base and achieve success on the international stage comes from a strong, connected NextGen pipeline.”
Gibson’s experience is the perfect fit to join the role of NextGen Director, said Susan Ahrens, CEO of Field Hockey Canada. Her work in the community has already made an impact at the provincial and community levels, and the timing of her shift is excellent for Hockey Canada.
“Andrea has a decade of experience as a head coach and has worked in the county and youth track fields,” Ahrens said. “She is a system builder and collaborator who will work with our amazing local communities from coast to coast to coast to build a system that serves our athletes and makes pathway accessible and inclusive.”
Gibson has coached primarily in British Columbia, with experience as head coach of the Sea to Sky Field Hockey Club and head coach of the West Vancouver Field Hockey Club. It intends to leverage its regional and community relationships to build a thriving NextGen system that benefits athletes and the entire Canadian hockey community.
“Through the NextGen program, there is an unparalleled level of connectivity across all of Field Hockey Canada’s high-performance programs. “We are integrating internal sessions and technical, tactical and mental performance sessions,” she said. “We will see the most success when we collaborate with regional organizations and clubs across the board.” across the country to create a strong NextGen program.”
Field Hockey Canada is pleased to have such a qualified and dedicated member of the hockey community in the role of NextGen Director.
