Hockey WA and the Perth Thundersticks are delighted to announce the top coaches who will lead the Ladies’s and Males’s groups in 2026.
WAIS Hockey head coach Anthony Potter has been appointed head coach of the two-time champion Perth Thundersticks Ladies’s crew, whereas four-time WA Underneath-21 Championship head coach Tim Geers will take the reins of the Perth Thundersticks Males’s crew.
These appointments additional strengthen the alignment between the Perth Thundersticks and the WA Institute of Sport (WAIS) hockey program, with each Potter and Geers at the moment serving as WAIS coaches and dealing intently with WA’s high expertise.
Potter is not any stranger to the Perth Thundersticks atmosphere, returning to this system as Ladies’s head coach after serving as a WAIS assist coach of the Males’s crew throughout the 2025 ONE Energetic Hockey One season.
Affectionately often known as ‘Potts’, Potter started his teaching journey in Europe, teaching each youth and elite groups throughout the Netherlands and Belgium earlier than returning to Australia.
Since coming residence, Potter has served as an assistant coach with the Kookaburras throughout each the Tokyo and Paris Olympic cycles, earlier than becoming a member of WAIS as a hockey coach.
“I’m extremely honoured to be appointed as Head Coach of the Perth Thundersticks Ladies’s program,” Potter mentioned.
“This can be a proud program with a robust historical past, and I’m excited to work with a proficient group of athletes and workers to construct an atmosphere that drives excessive efficiency, connection, and sustained success.”
A former Thunderstick himself, Geers steps into the Males’s head coach function for the primary time inside the Thundersticks program, having beforehand served as WAIS assist coach of the Ladies’s crew throughout the season. That marketing campaign culminated in a historic back-to-back championship triumph.
Affectionately often known as ‘Geersy’, he most notably guided the WA Underneath-21 State crew to an unprecedented 4 consecutive Nationwide Championship titles.
“The Perth Thundersticks has been an enormous a part of my hockey journey, so I’m very grateful for the chance to steer the Males’s program in 2026,” Geers mentioned.
“I’m very conversant in what this group of athletes are able to and I’m trying ahead to constructing on each the success we’ve got achieved lately at junior stage, and the muse that Stephen Davies has set with this group previously two seasons.
“With such a passionate hockey neighborhood in WA behind us, I strongly consider we will obtain nice issues and get again to the top of hockey in Australia.”
Hockey WA chief government officer Graham Reid mentioned the appointments mark an thrilling step ahead for the Perth Thundersticks program.
“Hockey WA is extraordinarily proud to verify Anthony Potter and Tim Geers because the Perth Thundersticks head coaches for 2026,” he mentioned.
“These appointments replicate the energy of our teaching pathways in Western Australia and the continuing alignment between the Thundersticks and the WA Institute of Sport.
“We’d additionally prefer to acknowledge and thank the coaches who’ve contributed to the Thundersticks program in latest seasons.
“Their work has helped form the foundations on which we proceed to construct.
“Each Anthony and Tim convey confirmed management, a deep understanding of excessive‑efficiency environments, and a real dedication to creating WA athletes.
“We’re assured they’re the fitting folks to steer our applications into the subsequent section.”
