Coach's Corner

Hi, my name is Gurdial Randhawa and I'm the new coach of Coalville Town Hockey Club. In this section I'll be providing some hints and tips on improving your game, as well as some general comments on life coaching CTHC.

Let me begin this section by telling you a bit more about myself. I've previously worked as club coach and manager to clubs like Khalsa and Bournville. I've also managed Warwickshire men at senior and under 21 level, and the Midlands at under 21 level. Before becoming a coach, I played for Khalsa for 20 years and represented Warwickshire at under 21 and full level.

My biggest achievements include coaching Warwickshire to the final of the county championships on six occasions, winning it twice, and winning the Midlands under-21 county championships on three occasions.

At club level, I coached Khalsa to the Midlands Division One title in 2007/08 when we finished the season unbeaten. That led to us picking up 'Team of the Year' awards from Warwick District Council and in Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire. Last season I led Khalsa to third place in the Midlands Premier Division.

However, living in Ibstock meant a lot of commuting each week to Leamington Spa, where Khalsa are based. I want to help a local club get further up the hockey leagues, and I believe that Coalville Town have a good chance to do that.

My initial ambition is to get the club back into the East Midlands Premier Division, and hopefully help some of the younger players progress to a higher level. I have been surprised at the standard of players we have here and I'm confident we can get the 1st XI back to the East Midlands Premier Division quickly.

Besides hockey, I'm also a Level 1 Football Coach and I'm hoping to get involved with coaching a local team soon. In general, I'm a big sports fan, but I mainly enjoy football, rugby and cricket.

I hope that you will find me to be a sociable and approachable person who likes to meet new people. I'm not the sort of coach who rules with an iron fist - so if you have any comments or suggestions on training then please tell me and I'll take your comments on board.

Hockey is a sport I love, and I hope that I can share my experience and knowledge with the players and supporters of Coalville Town - helping to take the club to a higher level, which it deserves to be at.