ST. IGNATIUS FIELD HOCKEY ANNOUNCEMENT
For Immediate Release
Friday, May 6, 2022
The St. Ignatius Athletic Department is excited to announce Michelle Van De Braak as the new head varsity coach for the St. Ignatius Field Hockey Program.
Michelle will foster a Wildcat team culture based on Fun, Family, Growth, Hard Work, and Competition. She looks forward to developing a year-round field hockey performance plan with each athlete that will allow them to grow and develop both individually and as a team.
Michelle’s field hockey background is extensive at all levels. While earning a Business Administration degree at the University of Michigan, she played field hockey for the Wolverines, earning Top Scorer in 1995 and 1996, Team Captain in 1996, and she was named All-American in 1996. Van De Braak also played 5 years International Club, USA-21, and in the 2000 Olympic Trials.
In 2016, Michelle founded the San Francisco Youth Field Hockey Club, an inclusive club with year round programming for ages 6-19. Its mission is to build confidence in young athletes through a new sport. The SFYFHC is a proud partner of the Summer Together Program for the last 2 years.
Michelle is also West Region Coach Manager for the United States Field Hockey Association where she is responsible for all aspects of the coaching staff, sorting and selecting players for the Regional Championship, and collaborating with Coach and Admin managers across the country to share best practices on program delivery.
Michelle has a Level II USA Field Hockey Coach Certification, she earned her M.B.A. in Business Strategy and Marketing from UCLA, and she was assistant varsity coach at University High School the last 2 years.
She is an excellent communicator who is looking forward to building trusted relationships with the players, parents, SI coaching staff and administration.
Sincerely,
John Mulkerrins
Athletic Director