Sloboda named Alberta Pandas head coach

EDMONTON - For the second straight year, the University of Alberta Pandas field hockey team will have a new Head Coach, as Stefanie Sloboda takes over the whistle on an interim basis.

Sloboda becomes the seventh Head Coach in Pandas’ field hockey history, but just the fourth since the 1981-82 season, with Dr. Dru Marshall and Carla Duncan (née Somerville) having respective 21-year and seven-year tenures. The new interim head coach will be replacing former interim Head Coach AJ Facendi, who shifts her full focus back to her teaching and coaching duties at Jasper Place High School.

In her one season at the helm, Facendi coached the Pandas to a third-place finish in the Canada West field hockey standings and, more importantly, a silver medal at the CIS championships in Victoria. The Penticton, BC native had also been an assistant coach with the Pandas since the 2006 season after a successful five-year playing career. She is a two-time Canada West All-Star (2004 and 2005); a two-time CIS Second Team All-Canadian (2004 and 2005), a CIS championship tournament All-Star, and she captained the Pandas to their lone CIS title win in program history in 2005.

“We want to thank AJ for her excellent stewardship of the program,” praised Acting Director of Athletics Vang Ioannides. “Her accomplishments both on and off the field with Athletics are greatly appreciated and will be sorely missed. I wish her all the best in her future endeavours.”

Sloboda takes the reins having also been an assistant coach with the Pandas since the 2007-08 season, helping Alberta to two CIS silver medals. The Winnipeg, MB native spent five seasons with the Pandas as a field hockey athlete as well, winning a CIS bronze medal in 2000-01 and earning team MVP honours in her final year (2004-05) when she was co-captain.

“It’s an honour to have the opportunity of coaching a sport and program I’m very passionate about,” stated Sloboda. “I’m looking forward to continuing the team’s success, through the values and beliefs of our exceptional program. I’m really excited to get going with the team and excited for our returning athletes as well as the new recruits. I’m very fortunate to have the support staff and alumni we have involved in our program and I look forward to working with them as we embark on our next journey ahead.”

Sloboda graduated from the U of A with a degree from the Faculty of Physical Education and, before attaining her new position, was recently working full-time for Field Hockey Alberta as Junior Program Administrator.

“I’m pleased that Stefanie has committed to our program,” said Ioannides. “I’m confident that she will continue the Pandas field hockey tradition of excellence. As a former player, and more recently as an assistant coach, she has shown great leadership and commitment and I’m excited to see what she can do at the helm of the program.”

Source:

Alberta Sports Info