Oxford City Stars has appointed Simon Anderson as its new head coach.
Anderson will head coaching for the 2022/23 season at Oxpens for his fourth stint as head coach at the Stars.
He will work closely with head of hockey operations Shane Moore and has already created a player recruitment plan for the summer.
Anderson said: “I am delighted to be given the opportunity to return to the Stars as Head Coach.
“I have been away from coaching for three years and I needed that time have a break, recharge and take stock of where my coaching career could take me next. I had a couple of offers on the table from other teams, but when Greig, Jo and Shane approached me it just felt like the perfect opportunity for me to come back, right some wrongs and help move the club forward.
“There are a lot of things happening off of the ice which will benefit the on ice product in the coming months and years and this opportunity excited me, particularly being able to work closely with Darren Elliott and Shane Moore to develop and recruit the best players possible for all levels of the club.
“I'm grateful for the opportunity to be able to return to the club that I care about deeply and want to help bring back the good times.”
Stars’ director Greig Box Turnbull said: “Simon is a great coach who has the respect of everyone at the club. We know Simon well and believe he has the right attributes, experience and drive to help take the Stars forward.
“Simon understands and cares about the club and creates teams that play fast, attractive hockey via well-drilled systems. We now have the right foundations in place to push on and we hope to become stronger year on year.”
Stars’ director Jo Mundy said: “We took our time to recruit properly and having spoken to various people we agreed Simon is the right person to help take the club forward. He has a strong CV and is fully committed to the cause. He has worked at the Stars before and knows the club well and understands who we are and where we want to go. We’re looking forward to working together.”