Northland's double coach bonus

Hockey Northland is delighted to see both the women's and men's coaches of the Northland National Hockey League teams return for their second season at the helm.
Mike Delaney has been appointed head coach for the 2011 Rosvall ITM Northland Men's NHL side, while Alan Lints will take the 2011 Mark Cromie Holden Northland Women's NHL team.
Hockey Northland's Bevan Gibbs said the organisation tried to advertise for the coaching positions every year in December.
"We were a little early naming the coaches as they both re-applied straight away and we were glad to keep them on board."
The coaches will have their hands full preparing for the NHL, brought forward to July 30-31 and continuing on August 6-14.
These dates will enable the Black Sticks based overseas with foreign clubs to return to NZ and contest the tournament.
"They need to play in the NHL to be eligible to play at the 2012 London Olympics," Gibbs explained.
Both Lints and Delaney will be looking to improve on their first season in 2010 coaching the Northland teams - when the women placed fifth and the men eighth.