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Who we are

Built by hockey people, for hockey clubs.

LEAD started with a simple idea: the knowledge and experience found at the highest level of hockey should not stay there.

Thomas Briels on the ball for Belgium's Red Lions

Where it started

From the highest level of hockey to every club.

Thomas Briels spent more than a decade at the highest level of international hockey as a four-time Olympian, Olympic champion, World Champion and European Champion. He saw how much structure, detail and shared knowledge goes into developing players at that level.

Outside those environments, that structure is much harder to access.

At club level, coaches change from season to season, training plans are recreated over and over, and a player's development can depend on the coach they happen to get. LEAD was created to help change that.

From knowledge to a system

More content doesn't create better development.

Sharing exercises and coaching knowledge was only the beginning. We realised clubs also need structure, and that became the foundation of LEAD: a development platform that connects season planning, coaching, matchday and feedback around one club-wide development direction.

  • A clear development direction

  • Age-appropriate, progressive season plans

  • Coaches working from the same weekly focus

  • Tools that connect training, matchday and feedback

Why we built LEAD

Great coaching shouldn't depend on luck.

Every player should have the opportunity to develop in a structured environment, regardless of their team, age group or coach. That is what we want LEAD to make possible.

  1. For clubs

    A development structure that survives changing coaches and seasons.

  2. For coaches

    Clear weekly direction, practical tools and expert hockey knowledge.

  3. For players

    More consistent development as they move through the club.

Built with experience from the game

Knowledge from people who've played at the top.

The goal is not to tell every club to coach the same way. It is to give clubs the knowledge, structure and tools to build their own way, with international players and coaches who have contributed their experience alongside Thomas.

Meet all experts

  • Thomas Briels

    Olympic champion · 4× Olympian · World & European champion

  • Arthur Van Doren

    Olympic champion · 2× World Player of the Year

  • Pirmin Blaak

    Olympic champion

The founders

Thomas and Jim Briels.

  • Thomas Briels

    Co-founder · Olympic gold medallist · World Champion · European Champion

    Thomas brings elite-level hockey experience into LEAD's development framework, content and coaching approach.

  • Jim Briels

    Co-founder

    Jim leads product and business, turning that hockey knowledge into a platform clubs and coaches can use every week.

Together, Thomas and Jim are building LEAD around one question:
How can we help every club create a better environment for coaches and players to develop?

Where we're going

Development built into the club.

LEAD is already used across multiple countries. The ambition is bigger than better hockey software: to make structured player development part of the club itself.

  • A structure that survives changing coaches.

  • A structure that improves season after season.

  • A structure that helps every team benefit from the club's knowledge.

Built into the club, not left to chance.

Great development should be part of the club itself. See how LEAD helps you build it.

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