S. Korea names new head coach for women's nat'l hockey team

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean women's national hockey team got a new head coach on Tuesday.

The Korea Ice Hockey Association (KIHA) announced that Kim Sang-joon, currently head coach for the under-18 women's national team, will be doing double duty as the senior team bench boss. Kim replaces Sarah Murray, a Canadian coach who wasn't renewed after the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in February this year.

The KIHA said Kim's success in developing young prospects and establishing systematic training programs for the fledgling U-18 team makes him a great fit for the women's squad.

The 50-year-old has been in the coaching ranks since 1996.

Under the new coach, South Korea will try to qualify for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. South Korea made its Olympic debut in PyeongChang but only got its spot as the host nation.

The women's tournament in Beijing will feature 10 nations, two more than in PyeongChang. Host China has already secured its spot.

There was also a coaching change for the men's national team. Former National Hockey League forward Richard Park will not return as an assistant to Jim Paek. Lee Chang-young, one-time assistant on the South Korean club Anyang Halla, will join Paek behind the men's bench.

jeeho@yna.co.kr
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