MENTORING and guiding young women hockey players is a goal of former Hockeyroo Ashleigh Nelson as the new assistant coach at the Nedlands-based Suburban Lions.
“My area will also be about improving the players’ skills base, especially goal-scoring and mid-field passing,” Nelson said
Her appointment follows the Lions’ promotion to Premier League for 2018.
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READ NOWAn occupational therapist at Osborne Park Hospital, Nelson played 205 games with the Hockeyroos from 2007 to 2017.
Her career highlights included a Commonwealth Games gold medal, World Cup and Champions Trophy medals and the 2012 London Olympics.
Next year, she will be a commentator at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.
However, one of her new tasks at the Lions will be teaching the 17-to 21-year-old players how to juggle all aspects of their young lives.
“I’ll be mentoring for when the girls get to the next levels of competition and team selection, and how to balance training, work and studies,” she said.
Lions coaching director Dean Evans said Nelson’s influence, with women’s head coach Lindsey Wright, would further develop the club’s success, demonstrated by its recent promotion.
“As soon as we saw her unfortunate and premature retirement from international hockey due to injury, we identified her as someone who can add to the focus and leadership to build a club that can compete for premierships well into the future.”
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