Coach Azam Sanaei wants to keep developing the up-and-coming Iranian women's national hockey team with support from the IIHF's HER Coaching Network.
Earlier this month, Azam Sanaei gathered with her family in Tehran to enjoy Sabzi Polo ba Mahi, a traditional dish of herb rice with fish. What sets this 35-year-old apart from the millions of others celebrating the Persian New Year is her appetite for ice hockey. Since 2024, Sanaei has served as the head coach of the Iranian women’s national ice hockey team.
Ice hockey is not usually what springs to mind first when Iran is mentioned. However, this Middle Eastern nation of 92 million, which gained IIHF membership in 2019, is making good early progress in women’s hockey. Sanaei – an in-line hockey forward since age 14 who made the jump to ice hockey with her national team in 2019 – hopes to accelerate the momentum by participating in the IIHF’s new HER Coaching Network.
The network, hosted on the Signal platform, brings together hundreds of female hockey coaches around the world for mutual support, growth, and mentorship. It’s set to officially launch during the 2025 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship in Czechia (9 to 20 April). Coaches are welcome to register for the HER Coaching Network right now.
Ice hockey is not usually what springs to mind first when Iran is mentioned. However, this Middle Eastern nation of 92 million, which gained IIHF membership in 2019, is making good early progress in women’s hockey. Sanaei – an in-line hockey forward since age 14 who made the jump to ice hockey with her national team in 2019 – hopes to accelerate the momentum by participating in the IIHF’s new HER Coaching Network.
The network, hosted on the Signal platform, brings together hundreds of female hockey coaches around the world for mutual support, growth, and mentorship. It’s set to officially launch during the 2025 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship in Czechia (9 to 20 April). Coaches are welcome to register for the HER Coaching Network right now.
“What excites me the most is being part of a community,” Sanaei told IIHF.com. “It’s all about women, connecting with other coaches and athletes who have the same passion and seeing how we can learn from one another. Building the HER Coaching Network together will be so special.”
Sanaei holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Tehran, and the former national team captain needs all her management skills to get through her busy sports-centric daily routine.
Besides guiding her fledgling national team, she has club coaching to do at the IceBox rink in the Tehran-area IranMall. It’s one of just six indoor rinks in this country. The IceBox club plays in the seven-team Iranian women’s hockey league. Sanaei is also a longtime certified personal trainer. And naturally, she likes to practice and keep her hockey skills sharp.
This is only scraping the surface when you consider her additional work in hockey education and IIHF camps. Fortunately, Sanaei isn’t completely isolated coaching-wise. More than 10 other Iranian female coaches – including her former teammates and current trainees – work with her.
Sanaei holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Tehran, and the former national team captain needs all her management skills to get through her busy sports-centric daily routine.
Besides guiding her fledgling national team, she has club coaching to do at the IceBox rink in the Tehran-area IranMall. It’s one of just six indoor rinks in this country. The IceBox club plays in the seven-team Iranian women’s hockey league. Sanaei is also a longtime certified personal trainer. And naturally, she likes to practice and keep her hockey skills sharp.
This is only scraping the surface when you consider her additional work in hockey education and IIHF camps. Fortunately, Sanaei isn’t completely isolated coaching-wise. More than 10 other Iranian female coaches – including her former teammates and current trainees – work with her.
Still, there are social pressures, financial challenges, and gaps in equipment availability, high-performance training, and ice time to confront. Being an ambassador for the HER Coaching Network will enable Sanaei to learn about how her peers everywhere from Finland to South Africa have overcome obstacles.
“I hope these connections help to put Iran on the map in the global hockey community,” Sanaei said. “We have a lot of talented girls here, and I really want the world to see what we’re capable of.”
Her efforts have earned her respect from players, fellow coaches, and administrators alike. The 166-cm, 55-kg attacker wrapped up her playing career in 2024 by captaining Iran to the IIHF Women’s Asia and Oceania Cup with a perfect 4-0 record against the Philippines, United Arab Emirates, India, and Kyrgyzstan. She recently became the first female inductee into Iran’s Ice Hockey Hall of Fame. As a coach, she sets the bar equally high.
“Azam is a highly respected leader in the Iranian women’s hockey community,” said Kaveh Sedghi, the President of the Iranian Ice Hockey Association. “Her dedication and passion for hockey have been very effective in spurring the rapid growth and development of women’s hockey in comparison with men’s hockey in Iran. Under her leadership, hockey has gained significant visibility.”
Surprisingly, according to the latest IIHF statistics, there are indeed more women’s hockey players (396) than men’s hockey players (98) in Iran. Hockey in all forms remains a cult sport here, but the women’s game got a boost with the 2020 release of No Place for Angels. This award-winning documentary spotlighted the women’s national in-line team and their valiant struggles leading up to a tournament in Korea. Sanaei calls it “a game-changer.”
“Women’s hockey has become a symbol of empowerment in Iran, and the success that our national team gained during this past year has inspired so many girls to take up this sport,” Sanaei said. “The support from families, coaches, and organizations has been incredible.”
“I hope these connections help to put Iran on the map in the global hockey community,” Sanaei said. “We have a lot of talented girls here, and I really want the world to see what we’re capable of.”
Her efforts have earned her respect from players, fellow coaches, and administrators alike. The 166-cm, 55-kg attacker wrapped up her playing career in 2024 by captaining Iran to the IIHF Women’s Asia and Oceania Cup with a perfect 4-0 record against the Philippines, United Arab Emirates, India, and Kyrgyzstan. She recently became the first female inductee into Iran’s Ice Hockey Hall of Fame. As a coach, she sets the bar equally high.
“Azam is a highly respected leader in the Iranian women’s hockey community,” said Kaveh Sedghi, the President of the Iranian Ice Hockey Association. “Her dedication and passion for hockey have been very effective in spurring the rapid growth and development of women’s hockey in comparison with men’s hockey in Iran. Under her leadership, hockey has gained significant visibility.”
Surprisingly, according to the latest IIHF statistics, there are indeed more women’s hockey players (396) than men’s hockey players (98) in Iran. Hockey in all forms remains a cult sport here, but the women’s game got a boost with the 2020 release of No Place for Angels. This award-winning documentary spotlighted the women’s national in-line team and their valiant struggles leading up to a tournament in Korea. Sanaei calls it “a game-changer.”
“Women’s hockey has become a symbol of empowerment in Iran, and the success that our national team gained during this past year has inspired so many girls to take up this sport,” Sanaei said. “The support from families, coaches, and organizations has been incredible.”
She gladly credits her male mentors like Sedghi, who originally invited Sanaei to take up hockey, and Farzad Houshidari, the men’s national team captain who coached Iran at last year’s IIHF Women’s Asia and Oceania Cup.
Yet via the HER Coaching Network, she also looks forward to learning from a current female NHL assistant coach in Jessica Campbell. The gifted forward represented Canada in U18 and Women’s Worlds play before making history by standing behind the bench with the German men’s World Championship team in 2022 and the Seattle Kraken this season.
“I really admire her,” Sanaei said. “She is such a trailblazer and has done a lot of incredible things as one of the first female coaches in professional men’s hockey.”
For Sanaei, building up women’s hockey in Iran is not only a professional goal. It is also a source of great joy and fulfillment. It is a chance to bring together people from all walks of life.
“I feel so much happiness when I’m at the ice rink,” Sanaei said. “I really hope that a lot of girls in Iran can experience this sport, and that they understand that they can break the stereotypes. They need to know that sport, especially ice hockey, is not just for men, and we can do anything we want.”
Yet via the HER Coaching Network, she also looks forward to learning from a current female NHL assistant coach in Jessica Campbell. The gifted forward represented Canada in U18 and Women’s Worlds play before making history by standing behind the bench with the German men’s World Championship team in 2022 and the Seattle Kraken this season.
“I really admire her,” Sanaei said. “She is such a trailblazer and has done a lot of incredible things as one of the first female coaches in professional men’s hockey.”
For Sanaei, building up women’s hockey in Iran is not only a professional goal. It is also a source of great joy and fulfillment. It is a chance to bring together people from all walks of life.
“I feel so much happiness when I’m at the ice rink,” Sanaei said. “I really hope that a lot of girls in Iran can experience this sport, and that they understand that they can break the stereotypes. They need to know that sport, especially ice hockey, is not just for men, and we can do anything we want.”