Congratulations again to Irish Hockey’s David Harte and Craig Fulton named as Federation International Hockey (FIH) Goalkeeper of the Year and FIH Coach of the Year 2015!
Harte was nominated for the prestigious award alongside Jaap Stockmann, David Carter, Andrew Charter and Nicolas Jacobi, some of the top Goalkeepers in the world. Harte, who is currently playing for Dabang Mumbai in the Hockey India League, won Goalkeeper of the Tournament for every international competition he competed in with the Green Machine (World League 2, World League 3 and Eurohockey Championships) and was chosen as ‘Sporter of the Year’ at his club SV Kampong in the Netherlands.
Speaking about the much-deserved award, Harte said “I’m still in shock if I’m honest. To win the FIH Goalkeeper of the Year is such an incredible honour, all the more so when you consider that so many people had to take the time to vote, to whom I’m very grateful. While it is recognised as an individual award, I certainly know I would never have envisioned reaching such a level without my coaches in school and at underage level, my club Kampong in my second home Utrecht, and of course my Irish team mates, especially my twin brother Conor, and incredible coaching staff. Not to forget of course my family and friends who have been with me from the start, through the highs and the lows, thankfully there have been plenty more highs than lows recently. It has been some year both for myself and Irish hockey”.
Ireland’s Coach Craig Fulton has been at the helm of the squad for almost 2 years and has overseen an historic period for the team.
2015 was a year of breaking records with an undefeated run through World League 2, an all time high of 5th place at World League 3, a first ever European bronze medal and of course securing that coveted Olympic spot.
