Our Staff

Shiaz Virjee
Shiaz Virjee Head Coach, Technical Director

Coaching Expertise: With the enviable record of most wins and highly successful Canadian Men’s Team coach over 7 years, Shiaz was Head Coach at Olympic & World Cup, achieving the best ever finish for Canadian men at World Cup in 8th place. During his success laden years as national coach, Shiaz coached at many international events including Pan Am Games (Gold & Silver medal), Commonwealth Games, Gold Cup Australia – 1st Place, World XI Coach. Shiaz resigned as coach of University of British Columbia Men’s Team after 13 years in 2015, having won league and playoff titles for several years and then coached the Vancouver Hawks women’s Premier and Division 1 teams for two years. Shiaz has conducted coaching courses in over dozen countries around the world on behalf of FIH. He is the only Canadian coach to have coached another national team in international competition in Champions Challenge and European Cup Championships. Shiaz also coached the Canadian Women’s U21 & U23 Teams in international competition.

Qualifications Held: World Academy of Sport Certified Trainer, FIH High Performance Coach, NCCP Level 4 Certified

Playing Experience: Played at National Level in Kenya and more recently enjoying recreational hockey when possible.

Get to Know the Coach: When not coaching hockey, Shiaz loves to travel and play golf or at least follow the ball on the golf course!

Andrew Schouten
Andrew Schouten Head Coach, Tour Director

Coaching Expertise: Polar Bears Head Coach since 2012 and Polar Bears Assistant Coach and Academy Coach since 2006. Andrew managed the Men’s National Team for 3 years. The events included the World Cup (Delhi, India – 2010), Commonwealth Games (Delhi, India – 2011) Pan-American Games (Guadalajara, Mexico – 2011) Champions Challenge (South Africa) and numerous other training and competition tours. Current coaches at Crofton House High School and has led the Senior Team to 4 AA Provincial Championships. Andrew is a former Provincial BC Coach and Vancouver Hawks Club Coach.

Qualifications Held: NCCP Level 3

Playing Experience: Andrew is a former Provincial BC Senior Athlete and also played at the University of British Columbia while earning his bachelor’s degree.

Get to Know the Coach: When Andrew is not on the field coaching or planning training or tours, he enjoys racing triathlons, playing ice hockey, boating and fishing. Andrew spends his free time working on new business ideas or relaxing on the ocean during the summer months.

Arif Virjee
Arif VirjeeCoach

Coaching experience:

  • Polar Bears Field Hockey (2014-present)
  • Won the U15 club championships and U16 junior league
  • Roskill Eden Div. 1 women in Auckland, New Zealand when I was playing club hockey there (2014-2016) – undefeated regular season in 2016
  • coached the Crofton House Senior 2 team for 3 years (2017-2019)
  • Coached the U18, U12 girls and U14 boys at Club Egara (Barcelona, Spain) while playing for Egara (2016-2017)
  • FIH Level 1 coach

Qualifications: Bachelor of Arts from UBC

Playing experience:

  • UBC Thunderbirds
  • Canadian U21 and Senior National Team
  • Club Egara (Spain)
  • Roskill-Eden (Auckland)
  • WASPS (Perth)

Get to Know the Coach: Keen sports fan and enjoys playing golf.

Paul (Bubli) Chohan
Paul (Bubli) ChohanCoach

Coaching experience:

  • Polar Bears Field Hockey (2021-present)
  • NextGen Women’s coach (2024-present)
  • FHBC Coach for over 20 years
  • Assistant Junior Women’s National Team for 2 years
  • Assistant to Canadian Men’s Team Sydney 2000 Olympic Games

Qualifications: NCCP Level 3 Coach

Playing experience:

  • 3 Olympic Games
  • Most capped players in Canada
  • 3 World Cups
  • 6 Pan Am Games

Get to Know the Coach: Continues to play at field hockey and spectator for his 2 boys activities

Sara Goodman
Sara GoodmanCoach
Qualifications: National Team – World Cup and Commonwealth Games 2022
Madison Thompson
Madison ThompsonCoach
Qualifications: National Team – World Cup and Commonwealth Games 2022
Birkley Anderson
Birkley AndersonCoach
Qualifications: NCCP Level 1 Certified
Zac Coombs
Zac CoombsCoach
Qualifications: Men’s National Team goalie
Olivia Uliana
Olivia UlianaCoach
Olivia is a Personal Trainer, NCCP-recognized Club Coach, and a UBC Kinesiology undergrad. Olivia has spent the past seven years working alongside various groups of athletes to improve speed, agility, and strength on and off-season, along with sport-specific injury prevention and return-to-sport rehabilitation
Audrey Sawers
Audrey SawersCoach
Qualifications: NCAA Div 1 Lafayette University Team Captain. Canadian National Team player representing Canada at World Cup and Commonwealth Games in 2022, Pan Am Games in 2023 and nations Cup in 2024.
Dani Husar
Dani HusarCoach
Qualifications: NCAA Div 1 University of Virgina. Canadian National Junior Team player representing Canada at Junior World Cup in South Africa in 2022. Member of Senior National Team at Nations Cup in 2024.
Nic Syross
Nic SyrossCoach
Qualifications: Canadian National Junior Team player representing Canada at Junior Pan Am Championships 2024.
Making quality players

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