Hockey Canada has announced the coaching staff for Canada鈥檚 national women鈥檚 team for a pair of upcoming events: the 2011 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) 8 Nations Women's Tournament and the 2011 4 Nations Cup.
Dan Church (right), the head coach of the 91亚色 Lions women鈥檚 hockey team, will serve as head coach for the national team for the two events.聽Doug Derraugh of Cornell University聽and Danielle Goyette of the University of Calgary will join Church behind the bench as assistant coaches.
鈥淲e are extremely pleased with the coaching staff that we have assembled," said Kalli Quinn, director of female national teams for Hockey Canada. "Dan, Doug and Danielle bring a variety of experience at the international level, and we feel this is the right group to continue Canada's proud tradition on the international stage.鈥
Church is entering his eighth season as head coach of the Lions following eight years as an assistant coach with the University of Toronto. He has served as president of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Women鈥檚 Hockey Coaches Association since 2007.
He has plenty of previous international coaching experience with Canadian national teams, most recently winning a silver medal as an assistant coach with the senior women鈥檚 team at the 2011 IIHF World Women's Championship. He also earned a gold medal as head coach of the women鈥檚 under-22 team at the 2008 Air Canada Cup and a gold medal as head coach of the women鈥檚 under-18 team at the 2010 IIHF World Women's Under-18 Championship.
Church also served as the head coach for the first ever women鈥檚 hockey participation at the International University Sports Federation (FISU) Games in 2009, returning home with a gold medal.
Derraugh is entering his seventh season as head coach of Cornell University鈥檚 women鈥檚 hockey team.聽Goyette is entering her fifth season as head coach of the University of Calgary鈥檚 women鈥檚 hockey team.