Restructuring in Danish wheelchair rugby

Assistant coach Torben Nygaard to take over as head coach from Thor Johansson who now moves into a more specialist role. 05 Dec 2014
Imagen
Two wheelchair rugby players fight for the ball on the field of play

Leon Jorgensen will play at the 2014 IWRF Wheelchair Rugby World Championships in Odense, Denmark

ⒸLars Moller
By Danish Paralympic Committee

The Danish national wheelchair rugby team had undergone a restructure which means Thor Johansson, the team’s successful head coach for several years, will in future focus more on the development of talent and tactics in the team.

Torben Nygaard, the team’s assistant coach, will now take over as head coach and will be supported by a handful of specialists.

The purpose of the restructure in the short term is to qualify the team for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games and create a simple set-up with clear roles and responsibilities.

In his new role Nygaard will have overall responsibility for the team and its direction, while Johansson, in his new specialist role, will be responsible for developing talent and the team's long-term tactics.

According to the outgoing head coach, it is a natural evolution that Nygaard now becomes head coach: “It is planned that Torben now takes over as head coach as he is a great leader, and now also has the necessary tactical insight and experience.

“At the same time, I freed some resources which means that I can focus more on being player and coach specifically on developing individual players and the long-term tactics.”

DHIF's elite consultant Gregers Lehrmann Bruun said: “Upon taking office, Thor developed an ambitious four-year plan which is now completed with a European silver and a sixth place in the world rankings.

“Thor has, as player coach, lifted the team enormously and leaves the responsibility for a world-class team to Torben. All of the new set-up will be really good, and it will hopefully help to lift the team the last percent, which we need to match the US, Canada and Australia.”

The new team setup is:

Head Coach: Torben Nygaard

Coach of the individual and tactical development: Thor Johansson

Mental Coach: Thomas Larsen

Physical trainer: Jesper Hedeager

Team Manager: William Bond