Field Hockey
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- markatherton@unc.edu
Prior to joining the Tar Heel staff, Atherton spent four seasons as assistant coach and manager for the Surbiton HC Ladies 1st XI, has gone unbeaten the past two seasons, won the national championship three years in a row and qualified for three successive EuroHockey Club Champions Cup tournaments. He also serves as Squad Manager, overseeing day-to-day operations and player recruitment, and managing junior performance players.
In addition, he has coached the club’s Ladies Indoor 1st Team, winning a national Division One title in the 2014-15 season and gaining promotion to the National Indoor Premier League for the first time in the club’s history. He also has coached the club’s junior performance teams to numerous regional and national titles.
Before his role with Surbiton Ladies, Atherton spent three years (2009-12) as head coach at the University of Surrey, leading the men’s and ladies’ teams to three league titles and three runner-up finishes. He has also served as head coach at Downsend School, City of London Freemen’s School, Surrey Spartans Hockey Club, UCL Academicals Hockey Club and Cheam Hockey Club.
During his coaching career, Atherton has worked with players at all levels and also has coached internationally in Austria, Spain and the Netherlands. His teams have won 38 titles and achieved 28 runners’ up finishes, including seven national titles (junior and senior), eight junior regional club titles, one junior regional school title and six junior county titles.
Atherton played for the University of Birmingham, serving as club captain in his final year. He graduated in 2001 with a degree in German studies. After graduation he was elected to work for the University as Vice President (Sport) and Athletic Union Chair before returning to London as a coach/player for Cheam Hockey Club.
