Paul van Ass is the new national coach of the Dutch women’s hockey. The 61-year-old trainer will succeed interim national coach Jamilon Mülders at the beginning of September, after the upcoming world championship.
Van Ass, who will sign a contract up to and including the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, will succeed Alyson Annan. At the beginning of this year, the KNHB hockey association said goodbye to her. Evaluation interviews with the internationals showed that not all those involved had a good feeling about the team climate in which they performed. The strong hierarchy in particular was experienced as inhibiting the “openness and individuality”. Negative experiences with the national coach were also mentioned. Under Annan’s leadership, the Dutch women won Olympic gold at the Tokyo Games last year.
Van Ass was the national coach of the Dutch hockey men from 2010 to 2014. From September to November, he combines national coaching with his current role as trainer of the men of HGC. Van Ass was close to gold at the London Games in 2012 with the Dutch men. Germany proved too strong in the final. In the semi-final battle, the Orange squad made a big impression against Great Britain (9-2).
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To be fair, when the KNHB asked me for this position I had to think about it
“To be honest, when the KNHB asked me for this position, I had to think about it for a while,” says Van Ass. “I really enjoy it at HGC. But it’s a huge honor to be asked to represent your country, including as a national coach. With the Dutch women’s hockey, a team that has had success after success and is currently in a more difficult phase, I find a great challenge. With my experience I would like to contribute to the process that this team is going through. And of course I want to remain the number 1 in the world with them.”
The hockey association quickly came to Van Ass, says board member Renske van Geel. ,,Paul has a strong personality and at the same time is very approachable to the athletes he works with. Although he has mainly coached men’s teams over the past twenty years, he will be able to start working in women’s hockey in September with an open and fresh view. We are pleased that now, a month before the start of the World Cup, there is clarity about the national coaching in the longer term. At the same time, it is important for now that the players can first focus on the upcoming World Cup, together with Jamilon.”
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