Hockey WA and the Perth Thundersticks are delighted to announce the head coaches who will lead the Women’s and Men’s teams in 2026.

WAIS Hockey head coach Anthony Potter has been appointed head coach of the two-time champion Perth Thundersticks Women’s team, while four-time WA Under-21 Championship head coach Tim Geers will take the reins of the Perth Thundersticks Men’s team.

These appointments further strengthen the alignment between the Perth Thundersticks and the WA Institute of Sport (WAIS) hockey program, with both Potter and Geers currently serving as WAIS coaches and working closely with WA’s top talent.

Potter is no stranger to the Perth Thundersticks environment, returning to the program as Women’s head coach after serving as a WAIS support coach of the Men’s team during the 2025 ONE Active Hockey One season.

Affectionately known as ‘Potts’, Potter began his coaching journey in Europe, coaching both youth and elite teams across the Netherlands and Belgium before returning to Australia.

Since coming home, Potter has served as an assistant coach with the Kookaburras across both the Tokyo and Paris Olympic cycles, before joining WAIS as a hockey coach.

“I’m incredibly honoured to be appointed as Head Coach of the Perth Thundersticks Women’s program,” Potter said.

“This is a proud program with a strong history, and I’m excited to work with a talented group of athletes and staff to build an environment that drives high performance, connection, and sustained success.”

A former Thunderstick himself, Geers steps into the Men’s head coach role for the first time within the Thundersticks program, having previously served as WAIS support coach of the Women’s team during the season. That campaign culminated in a historic back-to-back championship triumph.

Affectionately known as ‘Geersy’, he most notably guided the WA Under-21 State team to an unprecedented four consecutive National Championship titles.

“The Perth Thundersticks has been a huge part of my hockey journey, so I am very grateful for the opportunity to lead the Men’s program in 2026,” Geers said.

“I’m very familiar with what this group of athletes are capable of and I’m looking forward to building on both the success we have achieved in recent years at junior level, and the foundation that Stephen Davies has set with this group in the past two seasons.

“With such a passionate hockey community in WA behind us, I strongly believe we can achieve great things and get back to the pinnacle of hockey in Australia.”

Hockey WA chief executive officer Graham Reid said the appointments mark an exciting step forward for the Perth Thundersticks program.

“Hockey WA is extremely proud to confirm Anthony Potter and Tim Geers as the Perth Thundersticks head coaches for 2026,” he said.

“These appointments reflect the strength of our coaching pathways in Western Australia and the ongoing alignment between the Thundersticks and the WA Institute of Sport.

“We would also like to acknowledge and thank the coaches who have contributed to the Thundersticks program in recent seasons.

“Their work has helped shape the foundations on which we continue to build.

“Both Anthony and Tim bring proven leadership, a deep understanding of high‑performance environments, and a genuine commitment to developing WA athletes.

“We are confident they are the right people to lead our programs into the next phase.”