Role Purpose
The Senior 1st Team Head Coach is the lead performance and development coach within Limerick Hockey Club (LHC). This role is responsible for high performance senior squad management, driving tactical excellence, and maximizing performance within the top Munster competitive divisions.
The primary objective is to cultivate an inspiring environment where player development and team success go hand-in-hand. The role ensures that the club's flagship team plays with high intensity, structural discipline, and a unified team spirit that models the very best of LHC culture to the rest of the club.
Key Responsibilities
1. Squad Management
- Proactively manage the transition of players (predominantly aged 17–20) coming up from youth structures into adult hockey, building a unified team culture across shifting age profiles. Ensure incoming youth players graduating from the U18 pathway are integrated safely and confidently into the high-intensity demands of first-team adult hockey.
- Establish a positive, high-performance team culture built on mutual respect, rigorous effort, and collaborative teamwork, completely aligning with the Limerick Hockey Club and Coaching Philosophy.
- Create a psychologically safe, engaging environment tailored to protect player retention.
- Work collaboratively with other LHC Senior Coaches to help develop players, support their player pathways, and help develop a common coaching language across the senior teams.
2. Coaching
- Schedule & Location: Plan & deliver between 1 and 2 x 75-90-minute mid-week evening training sessions. You may be required to deliver training sessions across our two club locations—Villiers and UL. Lead Competitive weekend matches throughout the season, including away locations across Munster.
- Session Delivery: Plan and run high-tempo, engaging practices focused on individual skill development, unit play and game based activities which maximizes touches on the ball. Share session plans with assistant coaches to create collaborative approach, and foster coach development within the club.
- Coach collaboration: Work with other coaches to ensure there is support across Senior squads as needed. Manage player movement up and down with support and empathy and in alignment with other senior coaches. Collaborate with Coaching Assistants in an effective and supportive manner, helping drive a consistent coaching language, and uplevel the coaching knowledge and experience throughout the club.
- Matches: Manage weekend team selections, match substitutions and pitch-side coaching balancing competitive performance with consideration for player development and retention.
3. Communication & Leadership
- Stakeholder Liaison: Act as a professional, empathetic point of contact for club officials, parents, and players. Communicate scheduling, development milestones, and selection criteria clearly, (typically with a Coaching Charter for each season) always protecting the club's core values. Set the highest example of respect for all players, members, and officials in the game.
- Professional Development: Remain open to learning, taking further coaching courses and stay updated on the latest coaching techniques, trends, and tactical best practices in field hockey.
Assistant Coach Collaboration & Development
- Role Clarity: Ensure coaching assistants have clear roles and duties and encourage areas of ownership
- Pre- and Post-Session Alignment: Lead brief huddles before and after training blocks to align on learning objectives and debrief what worked. Use these opportunities to reflect, learn and grow as a coaching team. Explain why specific structures were designed, to aid the development of other coaches' tactical literacy.
Experience & Qualifications
- Demonstrated success coaching competitive field hockey at a senior, high-level school, or inter-provincial level.
- Advanced technical and tactical understanding of modern hockey systems, pressing shapes, and set-piece strategies.
- Exceptional leadership, communication, and motivational skills, with the ability to manage performance pressures while protecting player welfare.
- Personnel / Team management skills and experience
- Communication skills (communication at multiple levels included players, parents, coaching teams and other club members as required)
- Team player that can collaborate with others
- Open-minded approach, willingness to continually learn and improve
- Preferred Qualifications: Hockey Ireland Level 2 Coaching Qualification (or equivalent certification) or working towards.
Required
- Active Garda Vetting clearance.
- Completed Safeguarding 1 Workshop certificate.
- Club membership (coach status) with Limerick HC.
- Adherence to the Hockey Ireland and LHC Codes of Conduct.
Signs of Success in this Role
- Development of a cohesive squad and mitigating drop outs as players move through school or college cycles and become established in adult sports.
- Consistent tactical progression and competitive performance outcomes within the top Munster divisions.
- Successful assimilation of transitioning Senior 2nds and U18 players into the first-team framework.
- The 1st team environment serves as an inspirational benchmark for youth players, embodying the club's dedication to high effort, teamwork, and enjoyment.
Compensation
To be discussed with applicant.
How to Apply
Please submit your expression of interest with a resume/CV along with a short cover letter outlining your competitive coaching experience, tactical qualifications, and why you are interested in leading the top senior tier at Limerick Hockey Club.
Applications should be sent to secretary@limerickhockeyclub.ie with the subject line: "Application: Senior 1st Team Coach Position".
