PR Sreejesh and Harmanpreet Singh in the fray for 2016 Hockey Stars Awards
India’s hockey captain and goalkeeper PR Sreejesh has been shortlisted for the 2016 “Goalkeeper of the Year” award that is given by the International Hockey Federation (FIH). Meanwhile, young defender Harmanpreet Singh, winner of the Ponty Chadha award for the most promising player in HIL 2015 has earned a nomination in the “Rising Star of the Year” category.
The Hockey Stars Awards is an annual programme which recognises and felicitates the best players, goalkeepers, rising stars, coaches and umpires in a given calendar year.
The announcement came forth from the sidelines of the Hockey Revolution Part 2 Conference which is currently underway in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
While five male and female nominees have been selected for each of the five award categories, no Indian made the cut in the 2016 “Player of the Year” (both men and women) as well as “Coach of the Year” nominations.
How were the nominated players selected?
An esteemed panel comprising of FIH Athletes' Committee, Continental Federations, Coaches and media shortlisted the athletes for the Player, Rising Star and Goalkeeper of the Year awards. The criteria for selection is the players’ individual performance during the 2016 calendar year and their overall contribution to the sport of hockey.
How will the winners be selected? A comprehensive online voting system which will combine the votes of the public and peers from the international circuit alike has been established to fetch the resultant winners of the player awards.
The Coach of the Year nominations was selected by the FIH High Performance and Coaching Panel, with winners decided by a peer vote. The 2016 Umpire Award winners, one male and one female, will be selected by the FIH Umpiring Committee.
2016 Player of the Year nominations
Women: Carla Rebecchi (ARG); Kate Richardson-Walsh (GBR); Stacey Michelsen (NZL); Alex Danson (GBR); Naomi van As (NED)
Men: Gonzalo Peillat (ARG); John-John Dohmen (BEL); Moritz Fürste (GER); Tobias Hauke (GER); Pedro Ibarra (ARG)
2016 Goalkeeper of the Year nominations
Women: Maddie Hinch (GBR); Joyce Sombroek (NED); Kristina Reynolds (GER); Jackie Briggs (USA); Belen Succi (ARG).
Men: Juan Vivaldi (ARG); Jaap Stockmann (NED); Vincent Vanasch (BEL); David Harte (IRL); Parattu Raveendran Sreejesh (IND)
2016 Rising Star of the Year nominations (Players under 23)
Women: Maria Granato (ARG); Lily Owsley (GBR); Nike Lorenz (GER); Kathryn Slattery (AUS); Florencia Habif (ARG)
Men: Arthur van Doren (BEL); Christopher Rühr (GER); Jorrit Croon (NED); Harmanpreet Singh (IND); Timm Herzbruch (GER)
2016 Coach of the Year nominations
Women: Alyson Annan (AUS); Karen Brown (GBR); Janneke Schopman (USA).
Men: Carlos Retegui (ARG); Danny Kerry (GBR); Shane McLeod (BEL).