Nick Govia
Following in his father’s footsteps, who coached both the Trinidad Women’s and Men’s Senior National teams, Nicholas began his coaching career as the founder and player/coach of a field hockey team in his high school in Trinidad. He coached several girls’ high school teams as well as his men’s club team before migrating to Winnipeg, Canada in 1990.
Nicholas was the player/coach for the Manitoba Men’s Senior Provincial team from 1991-1999. In 1997, he became the Technical Director and Head Provincial Coach of Field Hockey Manitoba. At the 1997 Canada Summer Games, he coached the Manitoba Women’s U21 Provincial team to a bronze medal win, their first medal in 16 years and only the second medal in the province’s field hockey history. That year, Nicholas was given the “3M Coach of the Year Elite Category” award from Field Hockey Canada.
In 1999, Nicholas led the Manitoba Women’s U19 Provincial team to a bronze medal at the Western Canada Summer Games. That same year, he worked as the Apprentice Coach for the Canadian National Women’s team at the Pan American Games. During this time, Nicholas held the position of Director/Coach for the University of Manitoba Women’s Field Hockey Programme. He was also on the Field Hockey Canada (FHC) Coaching Committee and the FHC Men’s High Performance Committee.
Returning to Trinidad for family reasons, Nicholas spent most of the years between 1999 and 2009 successfully coaching his men’s club team and the Trinidad Men’s Senior National team which competed at the Caribbean and Central American (CAC) Games 2002 (gold medal winners), the Pan American Games 2003, and the World Cup Qualifier 2009. In 2003, he attended the International Hockey Federation’s Indoor Hockey World Cup Coaching Course in Germany.
Back again in Canada, this time in Waterloo, Ontario, Nicholas assisted the KW Dragons Girls U18 team in their Indoor and Outdoor tournaments in 2009. In early 2011, Nicholas coached the Regional training squad in preparation for potential selection to the Provincial U18 Girls team. In July 2011, he coached the Ontario Senior Women’s team which won the bronze medal at the National Championships in Victoria.
In a playing career of over 35 years, Nicholas has won many awards. He made the Trinidad National team at age 15 and has represented his country at the international level at various tournaments including the CAC Games, Pan American Games, and World Cup qualifiers.
Nicholas holds the National Coaching Certification Programme (N.C.C.P.) Level 3 Coaching certification for field hockey and Level 3 Theory & Technical Coaching certification for soccer. He is also an N.C.C.P. Course Conductor for Levels 1 and 2 Technical Field Hockey courses.
