Jonah Johanssen joins the Mavericks
The Mavericks are excited to welcome Jonah Johanssen to New Zealand, to join the Mavericks coaching group for the 2026 season.
Jonah brings an impressive coaching background from Germany, with experience spanning Bundesliga hockey, elite junior development, state representative teams and the German national age-group programme.
Since 2020, Jonah has been coaching with Großflottbeker THGC (GTHGC) in Hamburg, working across the club’s junior pathway from U12 through to U18 before taking on coaching responsibilities with the club’s 1st XI in the 1st and 2nd Bundesliga men. He has also worked with the club’s 1st XI Bundesliga women’s programme. He was fortunate enough to coach several of our Black Sticks Men during their time in Germany, which sparked his connection with New Zealand and ultimately led him to the Mavericks.
From 2021 to 2024, he worked with the German Hockey Federation, coaching across the U16 girls, U16 boys and U18 boys programmes. During this period, the U16 boys won European Championship gold, while the U18 boys claimed European Championship silver.
Jonah has also contributed to the German men's national team environment, working in an analytical capacity and bringing his expertise in tactical and video analysis to the performance environment.
Developing people and performance
Alongside his coaching experience, Jonah has completed a three-year Diploma Coach programme through the Trainer Academy Cologne, accredited by the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), and holds an A-License in field hockey.
His coaching philosophy places a strong emphasis on developing players both individually and collectively, with clear communication, tactical understanding and a strong team environment at the centre of his approach.
A new perspective for Mavericks
Jonah's arrival adds valuable international experience to the Mavericks coaching environment and provides an opportunity for players and coaches across the franchise to learn from a coach who has worked within some of Germany's leading high-performance hockey structures.
Mavericks are thrilled to have Jonah joining the coaching group and look forward to seeing the impact of his experience and knowledge across the franchise.
