Passmore gets performance role

Ireland men’s coach Dave Passmore has been appointed high performance director for the Irish Hockey Association.

Passmore, who been acting performance director, will have full responsibility for the identification and development of both men’s and women’s elite hockey talent while continuing to serve as men’s coach until at least after their 2008 Beijing Olympics campaign.

“I am delighted to be offered this chance to commit in the longer term to a forward-thinking organisation,” he said.

“We have made significant progress in shifting the culture and attitudes within the high performance arena of Irish Hockey.

“My major challenge of the next couple of weeks is to produce a high performance plan that is dynamic, robust and will produce the athletes that can really compete at major world events in the longer term.”