Dublin, Tues Oct 8: Hockey Ireland are delighted to announce the appointment of Gareth Grundie as its new Head Coach of the Ireland Senior Women’s Hockey team.
Starting November 1, Grundie will lead the team into a busy 2025 competitive calendar which includes the FIH Nations Cup in Chile in February, and the EuroHockey Championships in August in Germany where the team are drawn in Pool A alongside 2023 Champions and World #1 The Netherlands, World #3 Germany, and Olympic hosts and World #19 France.
Silver medallists at the 2018 World Cup, the IRL Senior Women’s Hockey team have led the way in showcasing Irish women’s performance in sport and their ability to compete at the highest level. The IRL Women are currently World Rank #12.
Belfast born Grundie, 46, replaces Sean Dancer who stepped-away from the Senior Women’s Hockey programme in March this year after the team narrowly failed to qualify for Paris 2024, losing to GB in Valencia at the Olympic Qualifiers in January.
Gareth brings over 25 years of coaching experience and a proven track record of delivering world-class results at the highest levels of the sport.
Most recently, Gareth served as Head Coach of the Czech Republic Senior Women’s team, leading them to success, including a silver medal at the 2023 European Championships II and a bronze medal at the Indoor World Cup in South Africa, elevating the team to No. 2 in the indoor world rankings. His leadership also secured the Czech team’s place at the Olympic Qualifiers for Paris 2024, demonstrating his ability to build and execute long-term performance goals.
Previously, Gareth was involved in Hockey Ireland’s Junior Age Group programme and was instrumental in the rise of the Ireland Senior Women’s team, guiding them to that historic silver medal at the 2018 World Cup and helping the team achieve their highest-ever world ranking of 8th.
His role as Interim Head Coach in 2019 saw Ireland navigate through critical qualifiers for the Tokyo Olympics, a first in the team’s history.
Known for his athlete-centered approach, Gareth is committed to fostering a high-performance culture and developing elite talent, while also supporting the wider community.
For further information and to schedule interviews, please contact marketing@hockey.ie
