Graduate Sports Development Coach - Hockey (Live In Position)

Dollar Academy is looking to recruit a Graduate Sport Development Coach for Hockey on a Fixed Term Contract (1 year) from August 2023. This position form a crucial part of our boarding community and during term time the successful candidates shall live in one of our boarding Houses.

The primary role of our Graduate Sport Development Coach is to improve and educate players within the Dollar Academy hockey programmes.

In addition, they will be expected to support and assist the work of the PE department and boarding community more generally.

The role would suit a new graduate considering a career in teaching, although no teaching experience or qualification is required. We are looking for someone who is passionate about hockey and wishes to share that passion with enthusiastic and energetic young people.

About the school

Dollar Academy is situated at the foot of the Ochil Hills in the picturesque country town of Dollar within easy reach of Scotland’s major cities: only 20 minutes by car from Stirling, 30 minutes from Perth and less than an hour from the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh.

One of Scotland’s largest and best-performing schools, Dollar Academy prides itself in providing an education that meets the highest standards. Dollar is a day and boarding school for boys and girls aged five to eighteen. The focus is very much on encouraging the talents, interests and ambitions of all pupils in a positive and supportive environment. Dollar has an excellent academic reputation, but activities out of class time are considered to be highly significant in the development of young people.

Hockey at Dollar

Whether pupils are picking up a hockey stick for the first time or they’re well on their way to becoming the next big thing internationally, hockey is an appealing co-curricular activity choice at Dollar.

Girls aged between 8 and 18 are welcome to come and make the most of our exceptional coaching team and facilities and we are here to help develop skills and team spirit at every level. We have two all-weather playing fields on campus for our 19 different teams to practice on. Our hockey season runs throughout the Winter and Spring terms.

From Junior 1, teams play fixtures against schools from across Scotland and the 1st XI squad go up against club sides and various teams from throughout the UK. Players in Forms I to III are also given the special opportunity to tour in England, whilst senior hockey tours take place every second year. Destinations to date include Africa, Malaysia and South Africa and always represent an exciting challenge for the participants.

In terms of coaching we have a dedicated Director of Hockey, Miss Lynsey Allan, who is a Level 2 coach with caps for Scotland at both U21 and senior level. The coaching team boasts no less than four ex-internationalists, and as a result enjoys close links with national bodies. As with many of our other sports, we are regularly joined by current national hockey players and a goalkeeping squad – a sure-fire way to keep the players motivated and help them perform at their very best.

We also have a strength and conditioning coach and physiotherapist who not only help reinforce our pupil’s physical resilience but promote healthy, positive habits in their approach to fitness too.

This setup seems to be working well: our 1st XI has been the Scottish Cup semi-final for the last 7 years consecutively, winning the Scottish Cup in 2018 and 2019. They are current Midland 1st XI tournament winners, Midland Knock out cup winners, Scottish Independent Boarding schools' champions. Our Form 3's won the Scottish Cup in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Since 2015 we have had 11 girls play for Scotland at U16 and U18 age groups. 6 of these players progressed into the Scotland U21 side and 1 player is now representing Scotland in the Senior Woman's Squad.