IHA: Irish women's coach Riet Kuper has resigned after the team missed out on qualification for the Samsung Hockey World Cup despite several strong performances against higher ranked opposition.
Kuper was national coach of the women's senior team for eight years, from 1998-2006.
ÔÇ£They were fantastic years,ÔÇØ Kuper said.
ÔÇ£Coaching the committed and responsible players of the Irish squad has been a real pleasure. Together and with the support of the IHA, we achieved the position that
ÔÇ£However after all these years I know it's the right decision to retire. The early timeframe of my announcement will give the IHA ample time to appoint a new coach. If all the plans for improving support to the Irish internationals can be realised then the team will grow even further and a realistic goal can be the qualification for the 2008 Olympics.ÔÇØ
ÔÇ£I would like to extend the sincere thanks of the Irish Hockey Association to Riet for the enormous effort that she has put into Irish hockey over a long period of time,ÔÇØ IHA Chief Executive, Paul Varian, said.
ÔÇ£It is a credit to how far she has taken this team that we are now able to aim our targets for the women's team at the highest levels of international hockey. The success that the team has enjoyed recently, which includes qualification for the 2002 World Cup, an Olympic Qualifying Tournament in 2004 and a best-ever European Nations Championship finish of 5th in Dublin last year, is down to Riet and the standards she has engendered in the team.ÔÇØ
Kuper took over as national coach in 1998 for the European Nations Cup Qualifier in
The Irish Hockey Association will announce shortly its plans with regard to the sourcing of a new national coach for the senior women's team.
