Australia: New head coach makes the switch from the dark side  x3
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| Australia |
July 15, 2005
The Canberra Times, Australia
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He may have played for New Zealand's national side for almost a decade, but Anthony Thornton's allegiance now lies with Australia.
The former Black Sticks player was appointed as the National Training Centre coach for the women's hockey program in place of the exiting Mark Rudder, who began work with the Queensland Academy of Sport's women's hockey program in June.
Coincidentally, Thornton had been interviewed for the position in Queensland, but was unsuccessful. He was notified of the opening in Canberra, which he applied for as an afterthought. Having only arrived in Canberra on Sunday night, he will be joined by his wife and two children in a few weeks.
Thornton, who was appointed by Hockey Australia and the ACT Academy of Sport and Hockey ACT, started work on Monday, and is contracted until December 2008. He will also succeed Rudder as the coach of the women's Australian Hockey League side, the Canberra Strikers, whose season begins in February next year.
With the Strikers finishing a respectable fifth last season Thornton said it would simply be a matter of continuing to develop the side.
"They've been pretty successful, so we want to see them continue that success while continuing the development of the players as individuals," Thornton said.
Thornton has extensive playing and coaching experience, having represented the Black Sticks from 1987 to 1996, including the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. He was head coach of the New Zealand under-21 men's team in 2004, and head coach of the New Zealand Senior Men's Academy from 2002 to 2003.
Meanwhile the ACT under-18 men's team's national championships campaign ended on Thursday with a 6-2 loss to Victoria in Wollongong. The ACT won its first game of the tournament on Tuesday, beating South Australia 3-2, but failed record another victory.
The under-21 women's team has made a slightly more promising start to its national championships campaign in the Northern Territory, beating the home side 1-0 on Thursday. The ACT is tied with Tasmania for fifth spot after three games, with one win and two losses.
The side meets undefeated Queensland tonight. - Victor Violante
ACT FIRST GRADE
TODAY
Men: St Pats v Wests, Carter, 12.15pm; Old Canberrans v Tuggeranong, Watt, 2pm; ANU v Valleys, Carter, 3.15pm; Central v United, Watt, 5pm.
TOMORROW
Women (all games at Kjar): St Pats v Wests, 12.15pm; ANU v Valleys, 1.45pm; UCHC v Tuggeranong, 3.15pm; Central v United, 4.45pm.
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