Hockey Player and Coach of the Year: 3 Red Lions and Coach Shane McLeod are nominated

Three of the Red Lions and coach Shane McLeod are among the nominees for the 2020-21 FIH Hockey Stars Awards honoring the coach of the season.

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) announced on Monday his selection in the various categories. Two Belgian players are on the Player of the Year list: Alexandre Hendricks, top scorer at the Tokyo Olympics, and Arthur van Doren (already winner in 2017 and 2018). They compete with three Australians (Tim Brand, Jake Wheaton and Aran Zalosky) and the latest winner, India’s Manpreet Singh (in 2019).

Vincent Vanach could be named the best goalkeeper for the fourth time in a row. Australian Andrew Charter and Indian Paratu Ravindran Srigesh are his contenders for this title. The Coach of the Year award will go to Shane McLeod, New Zealand coach for the Red Lions who left the team after the games, Australian Graham Reed, who won bronze in Tokyo with India and the Australian. Colin Patch (former Red Lions coach) who finished second with Australia in the Olympics.

The three players selected for the Rising Star title reserved for players aged 21 or younger as of December 31) are Mustafa Kassem (AfS), Shaun Findlay (New Zealand), Vivek Prasad (India). The Player of the Year title will go to Agustina Albertarrio (Arg), Eva de Goede (PB), Agustina Gorzelany (Arg), Gurjit Kaur (Ind), Frédérique Matla (PB) or Maria Verschoor (PB) being the best. Goalkeeper: Maddie Hinch (GB/Ang), Savita (Ind) or Belén Succi (Arg). Hope of the Year will be chosen between Fiona Crackles (GB/Ang), Sharmila Devi (India), Valentina Raposo (Argentina). Voting is open until September 15th. Winners will be announced at the end of September/beginning of October, FIH to determine. To determine the winners we add the votes of the national associations (captains and coaches i.e. 50%), fans and players (25%) and the media (25%).