Big success for hockey’s award winners

It has been an excellent week for hockey with Susan McDowall, Sarah Wilson and Martin Madden winning prestigious awards. Susan McDowall was voted Scottish Women in Sport SSE People’s Champion; Sarah Wilson was awarded the Scottish Women in Sport Official of the Year; and Martin Madden won Sports Council for Glasgow Official of the Year.

Scottish Women in Sport (SWiS), in Association with SSE, held their third annual Gala Awards & Fundraising Dinner on Friday 11th November in the GoGlasgow Hotel, Glasgow. The event was staged to celebrate, recognise and reward the achievements of female athletes and the respective support staff/volunteers.

The SSE Peoples Champion Award was decided by a public vote and was won by Susan McDowell. Former hockey internationalist Susan’s passion for hockey is as strong now as it was in her playing days and in the three years she has held the post of team manager for Scotland’s U18 girls’ team, the team has enjoyed terrific success.

Susan is fantastically popular with players and staff alike and her recognition as People’s Champion is a great achievement, and it is one that’s well-deserved.

Susan said: “I had no idea that I had been nominated for the award by Nicola Robertson and Helen McNaught until I was contacted and told I was shortlisted as one of four nominees. To then actually win was overwhelming and an honour. It’s pretty special to receive an award for doing a voluntary job that I am so passionate about. I have had many fantastic years being involved in hockey and it’s great to give something back. To be involved in a pathway programme and see end results as part of that programme is very worthwhile and satisfying. I love being part of the hockey family in Scotland. So many fantastic memories – I could write a book!”

Susan McDowall AwardAlso successful at the SWiS awards was umpire Sarah Wilson who won the Official of the Year award. Sarah has had a very successful 2015 and 2016. A former international age group player, she became an umpire after sustaining an injury, and has since moved on to be one of the world’s leading umpires.

In 2015 she umpired the finals of the Women’s EuroHockey Nations Championship in London and later that year received her appointment to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

Sarah is one of the youngest umpires to be appointed to the Olympics and was the only female umpire to represent Great Britain in Rio. Sarah’s Olympics culminated in her umpiring the Bronze Medal Match – the highest level that she could reach as Great Britain were competing in the Gold Medal Match.

Sarah’s success is testament to the time and dedication she has shown the sport and her award-winning success is well-earned.

Martin Madden and Sarah Wilson

Finally, umpire Martin Madden won the Sports Council for Glasgow Official of the Year award. The ceremony was held at the City Chambers in Glasgow on 14 November. Martin has had a phenomenally successful year during which he became the 39th man to receive a FIH Golden Whistle for umpiring 100 senior international matches. Martin reached the milestone while umpiring at the Rio Olympic Games, with Netherlands v India as his 100th match umpiring senior internationals.

Martin became an international umpire in 2000, and reached grade 1 two years later. He umpired the Hockey Champions Trophy in 2012, became a World Panel umpire in 2014, umpired at the 2014 World Cup in the Hague, and was one of the 17 men in the umpiring team for the men’s Olympic event in Rio. Martin’s Rio experience came to a climax with him umpiring the bronze medal match between Netherlands and Germany. Martin said, “It’s a huge honour to be awarded Official of the Year. It’s been a fantastic year and to be honoured with an award at the end of it is brilliant. I’m delighted.”

Scottish Hockey would like to congratulate Susan, Sarah and Martin on their tremendous success and achievements.

 

Recent posts:

Back to all news
Back to top