Coaching at National Masters Tournament

February 16, 2021
Leah Murphy shares her coaching journey alongside some great tips for coaches heading to National Masters Tournament this year.

Nearly 20 years ago Leah Murphy was asked to coach a junior club team, and before she knew it, she had the coaching bug, working with teams across multiple age groups and both genders.


Born and raised in Wellington, Leah is the mother of two, a Legal Executive, and a passionate hockey player and coach. Juggling work, family, and hockey, is the norm for Leah. 

Alongside coaching club hockey, Leah has been involved in Coaching Masters Hockey domestically. She has led the Wellington 35 Women’s team to two national titles and coached a New Zealand National Masters Age Group Team. In addition to her coaching roles, Leah is also a member of her local Wellington Masters Council, and on the National Master’s Advisory Group, who support the growth and development of Masters Hockey.


In 2020, Leah was selected for the Hockey NZ Women in Coaching Programme, attending the Sentinel Homes Premier Hockey League to be immersed in a performance coaching environment to grow and develop her coaching. Leah has a strong interest in personal and professional development and future aspirations to coach in high performance.


Recently Hockey NZ caught up with Leah to learn from her experiences of coaching master’s hockey and to get some tips for coaches getting involved in this year’s National Masters Hockey Tournament.


Tips for Coaches involved in the National Masters Hockey Tournament


  • Arrive fit – Summer masters tournaments can be tough, so it helps to work on fitness in the lead up. You are working with adults, so get them involved in how this can be fun and effective


  • Get some game time – Arrange some practice games before tournament, this is ideal to work through your structures and set plays. Also, handy to build some match fitness


  • Get good people around you – Having a strong leadership team and management team to brainstorm ideas and share the load. Your team will be filled with great capable people who want to help, so let them help


  • Have a plan – plan, plan, plan and then have a contingency plan. A plan will give you guidance and clarity, and then the exciting part comes in your ability and the team’s ability to adapt as the variables get thrown your way


  • Allow some down time – it can be a mentally and physically challenging week. Allow your players, team management, and you (coach) some time to switch off and enjoy being in the beautiful Bay of Plenty


  • Soak it all in - Enjoy the time to get to know your team, chat to other coaches, watch other games, and enjoy the festivities. Masters can be an exciting experience leading to some great friendships and memories


And if you’re coaching at your first Masters Tournament, believe in yourself – you know more than you think you do, and make sure you build the right team management, leadership team and culture


Hockey NZ would like to acknowledge and thank all of our Coaches and their management teams getting involved in the National Masters Hockey Tournament and wish them all the best for what will be a great week of hockey!


Want to share this post?

New podcast - Canterbury Coaches Box is launched

By Kirsten Stuckey • May 15, 2025
🎙️ Introducing Canterbury Coaches Box – a brand-new podcast from Canterbury Hockey. Hosted by Sunjay Ganda, Canterbury Hockey’s Hockey Development Manager, this series dives deep into the stories, strategies, and successes of coaches that help shape our game.

Collaboration and Coaching Innovation: A Cross-Code Success Story

By Ben Owens • May 9, 2025
A recent cross-code collaboration between Canterbury Hockey and Canterbury Cricket has delivered a positive impact on coach development, community engagement, and youth sport environments.

Verity Sharland - Coach Profile

By Kirsten Stuckey • April 7, 2025
The Coaches Kōrero, created by 'Te Korowai - Sports Performance Coaches NZ,' recognizes and celebrates Verity Sharland.

National Developer Residential Workshop 2025

By Ben Owens • March 14, 2025
Hockey NZ hosted its annual National Developer Residential Workshop in Mount Maunganui, with the support of Tauranga Hockey. The three-day event brought together 14 new Developers from 7 Associations, and focused on enhancing their skills in coach development.

FIH Level 1 & 2 Coaching Courses at JWCQ

By Ben Owens • January 7, 2025
Hockey New Zealand is excited to announce that FIH Academy Level 1 and 2 Coaching Courses will be offered alongside the Oceania Junior World Cup Qualifier in Auckland at Lloyd Elsmore Park, on Saturday February 1 and 2.

FIH Level 3 Coaches Spotlight

By Kirsten Stuckey • July 25, 2024
Coaches from around the country attended an FIH Level 3 Coaching Course in Auckland.
More Posts