The England Hockey Awards returned to the Athena in Leicester on Saturday 6 June 2026, celebrating another year of outstanding contribution across the English hockey community.
For the first time, Areas selected their own winners across most categories, with each invited to the evening before national winners were announced on the night.
England Hockey recognised the remarkable achievements of all those nominated and shortlisted, extending a massive congratulations to the winners.
Leading the performance awards, Tom Sorsby was awarded Men’s Senior Performance Player of the Year for his relentless work ethic and growing influence as a leader on the world stage. The Women’s Senior Performance Player of the Year award went to Lily Walker, honoured for her technical brilliance and role as an inspirational leader on the international stage.
Among the junior players, Michael Royden-Turner secured Men’s Junior Performance Player of the Year, having helped GB U21 win bronze at the Sultan of Johor Cup and been voted England’s Player of the Tournament at the Junior World Cup in India. Mia Moore was honoured with Women’s Junior Performance Player of the Year for her standout performances at the Junior World Cup in Chile and her role in Loughborough’s BUCS gold. Both players have earned call-ups to train with the senior squad.
The Outstanding Elite Performance of the Year was awarded to East Grinstead Women’s 1s, who became the first English club to win a European medal for 27 years at the EuroHockey Indoor Club Cup, with 17-year-old Biba Mills scoring five goals in a 6-2 bronze medal victory over Mannheimer HC.
John McCartney was named Hockey Maker of the Year, sponsored by Bisham Abbey and Lilleshall National Sports Centres. The Coach of the Year title went to Heather Macdonald of City of York HC, who led the club’s first team to National League promotion for the first time in the club’s history.
Eric Dickinson earned Official of the Year, becoming the first umpire from the North West and only the 13th ever to reach 300 Outdoor and 100 Indoor National League games. The Rising Star award, sponsored by Marsh, went to Zak Moledina, recognised for his extraordinary contribution to Old Merchant Tailors HC and the London Hockey talent pathway while studying at university full time.
Talk Stick, a mental health initiative founded by members of Spalding HC, was named Diversity & Inclusion Champion, sponsored by Live Team. Niamh Goddard was named Area/County Volunteer of the Year for her transformative work creating new pathways for Isle of Man hockey, and the Unsung Club Hero award went to Sarah Sykes of Slazenger HC, whose more than 20 years of dedicated service has shaped the club’s junior section into what it is today.
Trojans HC Open/Men’s 1st Team were celebrated as Open/Men’s Team of the Year after an unbeaten season secured their return to the National League. West Derby HC Ladies 1s took Women’s Team of the Year, having gone from near-relegation three seasons ago to reaching the 2025/26 EH Tier 4 Bowl final.
Wyre Forest HC earned Emerging Club of the Year, sponsored by Ogilvie Fleet, and Clitheroe Blackburn Northern HC was named Club of the Year, sponsored by Notts Sport, for more than tripling their membership and opening hockey up to diverse communities across East Lancashire.
Sarah Rendell took the Outstanding School Engagement of the Year award, in association with Youth Sport Trust, for making hockey accessible to children around Newquay with no hockey pitch within 10 miles. The Lifetime Achievement award was presented to Bill Ball, recognised for more than 70 years of service to hockey at Bowdon HC and across Cheshire and the North.
A huge congratulations to all of this year’s Area and national winners, and to everyone who was nominated. The awards are a reminder of just how much incredible work is happening across the hockey community every single season.
Find out more about our winners’ stories here.
