By Lucas Ball
Congratulations to former Holcombe goalkeeper Maddie Hinch who has been made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the New Year Honours.
Hinch, a three-time FIH Goalkeeper of the Year, retired from international hockey in March having earned 118 caps for England and Great Britain.
She played for Holcombe from 2013-16 before going on to play in the Dutch Hoofdklasse after saving all four shootout efforts against the Netherlands as Great Britain won a gold medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
Hinch was also part of the GB side that won bronze at Tokyo 2020 as well as the England teams that won gold at the 2015 EuroHockey Championships, bronze at the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth games and gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
She was awarded an MBE for services to hockey in 2017 and is now assistant coach with the University of Connecticut following retirement.
Club President David South MBE commented: “Congratulations to Maddie on being awarded an OBE in the New Year Honours List.
“She has made a phenomenal impact on hockey in this country and we are proud as a club to see a former player continue to succeed.
“We wish her all the best in her ongoing coaching role in the United States.”
Image: maddiehinch – Instagram