Eddie Van Hoof announced as Head National Team Coach for Men’s Artistic Gymnastics
“The opportunity to recruit Eddie to the program is significant in respect to not only the quality of technical knowledge that he possesses, but also his proven track record of success at the highest levels of World Championship and Olympic performance,” said Ian Moss, Interim CEO and High Performance Director for Gymnastics Canada. “There is no question that Eddie will be a strong mentor for our high performance athletes and coaches and, I believe, will give us the vision and drive to achieve our goals of team qualification for the 2020 Olympic Games and beyond.”
“I am honoured and feel quite privileged to have this opportunity to be involved with the Canadian National Team,” said Van Hoof. “I hope to bring my many years of experience in high performance gymnastics on the world stage, to assist Canada to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Recent international results show that this important step for the program is within their reach. I am eager to begin working with the many talented gymnasts, coaches, and judges as a complete team to make this happen.”
As the British Men’s Artistic Gymnastics Technical Director/Head National Coach, Van Hoof was the architect for the program’s phenomenal rise from 23rd in the world to a World and Olympic medal-winning nation. An Olympic gymnast himself (Los Angeles 1984), as well as an Olympic Coach, and a former International Brevet Judge, Van Hoof received his MBE in May 2017 from His Royal Highness Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace. He was also awarded the 2017 UK Sport High Performance Coach of the Year Award and the 2017 UK Sport Overall Coach of the Year Award. He graduated with distinction from the UK Sport Elite Programme for High Performance Coaches, and was invited to become a Fellow in 2016 as part of UK Sport’s prestigious Coaching Fellowship.
In his role, Van hoof will lead the high performance strategy for the men’s program – the short term objective being team qualification for the 2020 Olympic Games. Longer term, the objective is to strengthen the athlete talent pool and high performance coach knowledge base such that Canada can achieve a greater level of sustainable success at the highest level of international performance in men’s artistic gymnastics well into the future.
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First established in 1969, Gymnastics Canada is the national governing body for the sport of gymnastics in Canada. Gymnastics Canada works closely with the twelve Provincial Federations and 700 local clubs to provide a broad range of programs and services to meet the needs of our over 325,000 participants. From athlete development, to coaching and judging education, Gymnastics Canada sets the operating standards and practices for the sport in Canada. Our mandate is to promote and provide positive and diverse gymnastics experience through the delivery of quality and safe gymnastics programming. Visit www.gymcan.org for more information, or follow us @CDNgymnastics.
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