Hockey: St Albans add Olympian to coach staff

St Albans Hockey Club has added another England player to its set up.

After Andy Halliday, the national team’s coach, took over the men’s first team halfway through last season, the Tangerines have announced that Olympian Hannah Macleod has agreed to become the ladies’ head coach.

Macleod recently achieved the coveted 100 combined caps for England and GB and has played at Olympic Games, World Cups, Champions’ Trophies, Europeans and Commonwealth Games. She has been named in England’s World Cup squad to compete in Holland later this month and will look to be part of the Commonwealth Games’ team for Glasgow this summer and other major international tournaments beyond.

She said: “St Albans really impressed me with their desire and commitment to progress and develop both its elite squads and the club in its totality.

“I’m very much looking forward to working with the players and staff during such a key time in the club’s development.”

Macleod will take responsibility for coaching the ladies’ elite squad, whose ambition is to improve on their third place in last season’s EHL Conference East, whilst the second XI will want immediate promotion back to the East Premier League.

A club spokesman added: “Recruiting new talent for the club is vital as we move forward and Hannah’s appointment will hopefully encourage a number of players to join and help achieve those aims.”