ANSW Centre of Excellence and Hockey Australia Launch NSW Performance Pathway Partnership

Hockey Australia and the Centre of Excellence (CoE), powered by Athletics NSW, are proud to announce a new performance training partnership supporting the Hockey Australia NSW Performance Pathway Program. This initiative will see up to 15 identified male and female players from across New South Wales train out of the CoE throughout 2025.

At the heart of this program is a dedicated strength and conditioning (S&C) service designed to support the physical development of emerging talent and help them progress toward the highest levels of the game. In addition to structured S&C sessions, athletes will benefit from access to CoE’s BLACKROLL Recovery Room and Off-Peak gym access, allowing for targeted recovery and regeneration following training and individual access for top up sessions.

“I am very pleased that we have been able to provide this support to Hockey Australia,” said Nils Hestermann, GM Performance & Pathways at Athletics NSW. “The players have integrated well into the environment, training consistently with our S&C coach Jackson Williams throughout the week. The collaboration between stakeholders, the coaching staff, and our performance team has been outstanding – it is a great example of how aligned support can create a high-performance daily training environment.”

Throughout 2025, the athletes will train regularly at the CoE, with all sessions carefully tailored to align with their tournament schedules, travel demands, and other sporting commitments. The program is designed to be flexible and athlete-centred, ensuring that each player receives the support they need to perform and develop at their best.

This partnership marks a significant step in aligning pathway development with high-performance standards, giving Hockey Australia’s NSW athletes a strong foundation to reach the top of their sport.