Sean Easton has been appointed as assistant coach of the new Great Britain Under-16s.
The 28-year-old has spent much of his career as a player and coach with the Chelmsford organisation – and has just stepped up from his role as assistant to be head coach of the Chieftains’ NIHL side this season.
Easton has coached England Under-15s and Under-16s and has also worked on the GB prospects’ program.
He said: “Working now with GB Under-16s is a huge honour and a job I will take with great pride and passion.
“Rob Wilkinson (GB U16s head coach) and myself work really well together after our two years with England, both adopting the same ethos in our coaching standards and style of play.
“It’s a great idea to get these younger players ready for the GB men’s program earlier in their career, as it’s a different mindset to adopt and live by.
“If they can buy in to this mindset and style of play required, GB can only benefit greatly from these prepared athletes at an earlier stage of their playing career, with years of development and hard work to follow.”
Wilkinson added: “I’ve been around the sport a long time and I think Sean is one of the best coaches I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with.
“He’s a young coach who sees and reads the game very well and one I also believe will progress to under-18s and under-20s and who knows after that?”