Hockey: Hager pledge adds buoyant mood

Black Sticks coach Mark Hager has signed on for another term with the Black Sticks women. Photo / Natalie Slade

Hockey New Zealand, already buoyed by the success of last week's Owen G Glenn FIH Champions Trophy, had more to celebrate yesterday with Mark Hager's decision to extend his contract to coach the Black Sticks women until the end of 2014.

And he is not ruling out adding another couple of years to take the team through to the 2016 Olympics.

Hager has impressed everyone with his success in moulding the team into a super-power and sixth place on the FIH rankings but, as has been his theme all along, he will strive to do even better.

Asked why he was happy to extend his contract - which still has a year to run - Hager, one of the top Australian players in his day, said it was a challenge but one he wanted to stay part of.

"This team is young and there is plenty of untapped potential," he said.

"I'm really keen to be on that journey. My time here has been beyond any expectations. The people, from inside the group to hockey people in general, have been so friendly.

"I still feel privileged to have been given the chance and feel lucky that Hockey New Zealand had confidence in me. We have had some success. Probably I came in at the right time and was lucky enough to work with some very talented hockey players.

"We have become more of an all-round team. When I started out, there was a concentration on the attacking side of the game and the need to score goals. Now we are definitely a better defensive team as well."

Of the group he has worked with since his arrival three years ago, only nine players have fallen by the wayside. He is working with a squad of 25 and admits the hardest call will be reducing that to 18 or, in the case of Olympic or Commonwealth Games, 16.

"That definitely is the worst aspect of the job," said Hager.

Senior players such as Kayla Sharland, Emily Naylor, Krystal Forgesson and, before she retired, Beth Jurgeleit have played a key role and, no doubt, a part in Hager's decision to stay.

The 25 players are back in Auckland for another training camp and making the most of working out on the "blue" turf at Westlake GHS - the same surface to be used in London.

They will break for a few days from the middle of next week before returning on January 4 to prepare for next month's Champions Trophy in Argentina where they will try to bring home bronze again.

IN ACTION

- January 25-February 5: Champions Trophy, Rosario, Argentina.
- March (dates to be confirmed): NZ v Argentina, four tests, likely WGHS.
- April 12-22: Four-nation series involving Australia, New Zealand, United States, India, likely WGHS.
- Late May-early June: International series in NZ, opposition to be confirmed, likely Korea.
- July 9: Head to Europe, four-nation series (involving NZ, Germany, South Africa and another) in Germany.
- July: v France, in France (one-off friendly).
- July 27-August 12: Olympic Games, London.