Michael Boal - Field Hockey Coach - James Madison University Athletics

Michael Boal

Title:
Interim Head Coach

Michael Boal joined the JMU field hockey staff as an associate head coach in July 2013. He was named as interim head coach in October for the remainder of the 2013 season.

Boal had spent the previous two seasons as the associate head coach at Virginia. During his time with the Cavaliers, the team posted a 24-18 record and advanced to the second round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament.

Before his time in Charlottesville, he stood on the JMU sidelines as an assistant coach in 2010. He coached the goalkeepers and played a key role in recruiting efforts for the Dukes.

A native of Sunderland, England, Boal served as the assistant director of hockey at Durham University in the United Kingdom prior to his first stop in Harrisonburg. He was responsible for the coaching and development of both men’s and women’s performance groups, recruiting across Europe, match preparation, video analysis and conducting coaching and evaluation sessions for all 16 intramural college teams.

He assisted Gavin Featherstone, a renowned double Olympic and World Cup head coach for the USA and South Africa field hockey teams, in leading Durham University’s men’s and women’s teams to top-10 rankings amongst U.K. universities when they became National North Conference Champions and Northern Division One Champions in 2010.

Prior to his time at Durham, Boal coached at the Olton & West Warwick's Hockey Club for four years and was involved in all aspects of the management of the ladies first and second teams, including daily planning and conducting of practice and physical training. He coached the women's first team in the prominent English National Premier League at the age of 20, making Boal the youngest ever to coach a women's team in the English National Premier League.

At Olton & West Warwick's, Boal also coached players with National and International Representative Honors, including two 2008 Olympians for Great Britain. He developed three representatives for the Junior World Cup earlier this year and two under-18 Internationals.

Boal graduated with honors from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom in June 2009 with an impressive range of experience and accomplishments. He earned his bachelor's degree in sports management and was an ambassador for the university. Boal made four British University Finals Appearances as player and coach and was part of their 2006-07 National League winning side.