The Hockey New Zealand Annual Awards were held on Friday, April 30th in Auckland. The evening celebrated individuals from our hockey community who have made a significant contribution to our sport in 2020.
As part of the Awards evening, Hockey New Zealand selects and recognises one or more individuals for the Contribution to Coaching Award.
Hockey New Zealand defines coaching as the development of people, and the Contribution to Coaching award recognises and celebrates individuals who demonstrate this at the highest level. Hockey New Zealand would like to congratulate all individuals who were nominated, and thank them for their support of coaching in their local community.
This year three individuals were selected from the outstanding nominees as recipients for the award. All recipients are passionate learners and welcome the opportunity to share their knowledge and experience to develop others. They are leaders in their community and have had a significant impact on individuals and teams in our game.
Chris Leslie, Canterbury Hockey
Chris Leslie has a wealth of coaching experience. Typically known for his involvement in the High Performance space, you cannot overlook Chris’s significant support of coaching locally. Involved in coaching club, school and association teams in Canterbury, Chris is also involved in supporting the wider development of coaches in Canterbury, taking on the role of a mentor and leading coaching workshops.
Colette Mackenzie, Wellington Hockey
Colette Mackenzie is a passionate coach from Wellington. Coaching both school and association teams, Colette is always open to sharing her knowledge to support fellow coaches and continues to find opportunities to grow her own coaching. Colette has a strong understanding of holistic development and uses hockey as her vehicle to develop our young people.
Verity Sharland, Hockey Manawatu
Verity Sharland has been involved in the Hockey NZ U21 Programme, Women in Coaching Programme, and Premier Hockey League as well as coaching locally for school, club and association. In addition to her coaching, Verity supports the development of fellow coaches and has been innovative in creating playing opportunities for the Lower North Island area.
Congratulations to our 2020 Contribution to Coaching recipients.
