Nick Hignell - Technical Director
Originally from Waterloo, Ontario, my father, Phil Hignell, founded KW Olympic Hockey and got me started in the game from a young age. Growing up in Ontario, I played a heavy dose of indoor hockey as well as outdoors, and I believe that has greatly influenced my interpretation of the game as it pertains to tactics and small space technical skills.
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From ages 19 to 23, I was a member of both the indoor and outdoor Canadian Men's National Team. I remain one of only a handful of athletes to have international caps in both. Also at this time, I was the assistant coach at the University of Western Ontario, where I did my undergraduate degree. I later moved to Vancouver and played for UBC while doing my Master’s degree and training with the outdoor men's national team.
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Since 2016 I have been working with the Field Hockey Alberta High Performance program and coaching the U15 and U18, boys and girls teams in Alberta. Currently, I am serving as the Lead for Field Hockey Canada's NextGen Hub in Alberta as well as Assistant Coach for Women's Indoor National Team. I am also completing my Competition Development portfolio through FHC.
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Legacy Academy has long been a passion project of mine. I believe that we in Calgary have only scratched the surface of our potential in this sport. and that in the very near future we can expect Alberta athletes in the NCAA and on the National Team with regularity. I remain dedicated to giving athletes in Calgary the highest level coaching as they realize and pursue their field hockey dreams.
Ashpal Atwal - Coach
I started playing field hockey at a young age with my grandpa in his backyard, and the sport quickly became a lifelong passion. I have now been playing for over 20 years and had the opportunity to compete for Alberta’s provincial teams while growing up. I continue to stay active in the sport by playing for the Maroons Field Hockey Club in Calgary. Since joining Legacy Academy as a coach in 2023, I have loved supporting athletes as they develop their skills and pursue their field hockey goals. One of my goals as a coach is to help athletes build confidence on the field while also developing a strong understanding of the tactical side of the game. I am continually inspired by our athletes and the positive culture that Legacy Academy provides.
Tanvir "Smiley" Kang - Coach
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I began playing field hockey at age 13 and developed into a versatile midfielder and forward. Throughout my career, I have represented Team Alberta at the U-16, U-18, and U-23 National Championships, competing against the top players in Canada, and was recognized with a Tournament Best XI selection during my time with Team Alberta. From 2017 to 2021, I was a member of the Canada Junior Development Squad, where I trained and competed with some of the country’s top junior athletes. Over the course of my career, I have had the opportunity to play alongside and against world-class players while competing in major tournaments across North America. In 2018, I toured the Netherlands with the U-21 squad, competing in Amsterdam and The Hague, where our team won the HDM JIPHT tournament. I also toured London, England in 2019 with the U-21 program. My junior international career culminated with selection to represent Canada at the 2021 Men’s FIH Hockey Junior World Cup, competing on the global stage.