Premier Hockey League announces Coaching Staff

Hockey New Zealand (HNZ) is gearing up to launch the inaugural Premier Hockey League (PHL), Aotearoa’s new elite domestic hockey competition.  Starting on the 2nd November running through December 7th, this elite-level competition will showcase top-tier talent across both men’s and women’s teams across four franchises over seven weekends.

We are now excited to unveil the coaches for the four PHL franchises: Falcons, Mavericks, Tridents, and Alpiners.  These coaches have been selected for their extensive experience, exceptional skills, and their ability to inspire and lead their teams to success.   Their appointment is a crucial step in shaping the league’s inaugural season and ensuring a high standard of competition.   They will play a crucial role in shaping the teams and the league. 

"The Premier Hockey League will be a crucial component in our high-performance environment, particularly for coaching development. We've always had a wealth of coaching talent across New Zealand, but the PHL provides the challenging environment needed to push our coaches to new heights. Just as players need tough competition to grow, our coaches benefit from the intense, elite level contests the PHL will offer. This league fills a vital gap in our system, giving our top coaches, alongside players and officials, a sustained period of high performance competition. Watching our coaches match wits, adapt their tactics, and bring out the best in their teams under pressure is not just exciting it will elevate the standard of hockey coaching across the country. We are also very pleased to see female head coaches appointed to these roles from within the New Zealand coaching system”.  Darren Smith - High Performance Director

Franchises and Coaches:

Tridents

Men - Bryce Collins

Bryce Collins, known as ‘Bruizer,’ is named the Tridents Head Coach. With a successful background leading the Junior Black Sticks Men and as an long serving Assistant to the Vantage Black Sticks Men, Collins brings extensive experience. Highlights include Rio and Tokyo Olympic, along with World Cup and Commonwealth coaching experiences. Collins is excited to lead the Tridents, a franchise with deep personal meaning, and aims to nurture a talented group of young players while establishing a dynamic style of play.

Women - Emily Hurtz

Emily ‘Em’ Hurtz, who led Hawthorn HC WPL to four consecutive premierships in Melbourne, is the new Head Coach for the Tridents Women’s team. Hurtz is focused on building a competitive team and showcasing their talent in the PHL. Coaching now at North Harbour, she emphasizes the importance of teamwork and intelligence, and her goal is to excel against top competition. “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.” - Michael Jordan.

Mavericks

Men - Brent Livermore (AUS)

Brent Livermore, an Australian Olympic Gold Medalist and vastly experienced coach, is appointed as the Mavericks Men’s Head Coach for 2024. Livermore’s held such roles as Director of Hockey and Performance at HNSW and NAPP Coach at Hockey Australia. His coaching philosophy focuses on a holistic, collaborative approach to maximize athlete potential through resilience and continual improvement. Livermore looks forward to leading a team of coaches and players who are the future of Hockey in NZ, hoping to bring his commitment to coaching “The success will be shown by the development of the athletes to have strong knowledge, character, and behaviors that motivate them to become the best they can through the preparation to succeed.”

Women - Danielle Cranston

Danielle Cranston is named Head Coach for the Mavericks Women’s team. With achievements including roles with the Vantage Blacksticks and National U21s programme, Cranston is excited to lead an all-female coaching team and build a strong team brand. She aims to foster a positive and dynamic environment while showcasing top-quality hockey in the PHL. “I am excited to lead the Mavericks women's team this year. The opportunity to bring a positive and dynamic brand of hockey to the local community is important to me.” 

Falcons

Men Co- Coaches, James Birkefield and Graeme Findlay

Co-coach for the Falcons Men’s team, looks forward to the opportunity to watch top players compete and inspire future talent. His enthusiasm for the PHL is clear, as he prepares to support players aiming for the highest levels of performance. Birkefeld’s quote reflects his excitement: “Awesome, my wife is going to kill me.”

Women- Verity Sharland

 Verity Sharland, the new Head Coach for the Falcons Women’s team, is honored to continue the franchise’s success. Verity emphasizes her pride and commitment: “I am honoured to be able to continue the great work the Central Falcons started in 2020.” With a focus on developing local talent and representing the Central Region, Sharland is dedicated to building on the team’s achievements and inspiring the community through the PHL.

Alpiners

Men - Aaron Ford

Aaron Ford is appointed as the Head Coach for the Alpiners Men’s team. Ford enjoys witnessing players grow, and experiencing the thrill of seeing them pull on the black shirt for the first time. A significant moment in his career was being part of the VBSM team at the 2023 World Cup, where they defeated India at Rourkela stadium in front of 20,000 spectators. Ford is excited about the opportunity to lead the Alpiners, “I’m very grateful for the opportunity and see it a real privilege to lead the Alpiners men.” Ford looks forward to contributing to the PHL from its inception, aiming to enhance the brand, build a strong fan base, and connect Mainland communities through exciting hockey.

Women - Chris Leslie

Chris Leslie is appointed as the Head Coach for the Alpiners Women’s team. With extensive experience including roles in multiple Olympic Games and national titles, Leslie is eager to lead the all-Mainland team. He looks forward to shaping the franchise and preparing players for national and international success. Leslie expresses his enthusiasm: “I am incredibly honoured to be appointed as head coach of the Alpines’ women’s team. Leading and taking on a hands-on coaching role with an all-Mainland regional team is both exciting and a massive challenge.” 

Anthony Crummy CEO “We are thrilled to introduce the coaches of the new league, which not only celebrates the pinnacle of domestic hockey but also aims to unite our communities and build a legacy for the sport in New Zealand.  Introducing these coaches is the first step in creating an electrifying environment that will resonate with fans across the country.”

Stay tuned for more updates as we approach the start of the league.

·      Team announcements:     2nd October

·      Tickets Sales:                       Available from 7th October