In 2022 Katie was appointed as head coach of the Real Club de Polo de Barcelona in the Spanish Men’s League: The Division of Honour League.
Katie Allen is the walking, talking example of the reason South Australia’s Marjorie Jackson Nelson Centre for Women’s Sport was established.
The two-time Olympian was born in Adelaide but has travelled far.
Following her retirement from the Hockeyroos where she earned an Olympic Gold Medal when Australia defeated Argentina in the final of the Sydney Olympics, Katie Allen moved into coaching.
Her first appointment was at the Victorian Institute of Sport and then head coaching of the Camberwell Men’s Premier League team.
But next came the trailblazing move. In 2022 she was appointed as head coach of the Real Club de Polo de Barcelona in the Spanish Men’s League: The Division of Honour League.
But rather than emphasising the uniqueness of her circumstances, she would rather people see the natural progression and opportunity for women who have knowledge, skill, experience and ambition.
It’s relevant to note that at the Tokyo Olympics in women’s hockey (2024), there are only two female coaches of national teams including Hockeyroos’ Katrina Powell.
Her advice to women is this: “I think women are generally hesitant – and I’m saying generally, it’s not always the case – or maybe reluctant to put themselves forward in these situations. You do definitely feel a lot of doubt about, ‘Am I capable of doing that? Do I have the skills to do that?’
“You’ve got to open yourself up to feeling those doubts, feeling like maybe I’m not going to be up to it. I’ve felt like that in every role I’ve been in, but I think it’s about getting past that and just going, ‘Look, this is something I’m interested in’, so give it a go!
“Be bold, and don’t succumb to the worries and doubts about the things you don’t have.”
And what of her coaching philosophy? “All the coaches I had along the way were very much empowering me to get on and improve and take charge of my own development but also be part of a team and really know your role.”
In 2023 Katie Allen was inducted into Hockey Australia’s Hall of Fame acknowledging her two Olympic Games including the 2000 gold medal, and two World Cup victories; and in 2021 she was inducted into the SA Sports Hall of Fame.
