Field Hockey Prominent Players

There are many field hockey greats out there. From Olympic winners to FIH international players of the year, field hockey stars exist. While their names might not get the same kind of reaction as the Derek Jeter’s or Eli Manning’s of the sports world, for the field hockey lovers out there, you should all know these players. They are, after all, the players you might be striving to be.

These are great players, but this is not a ranking of the best players. While some or all of these might make it onto a list of the best ever, you can decide who you think should go on such a list.

Beth Anders

Beth Anders is an American player and prolific college coach. Before beginning her coaching career, she helped the US team when a bronze medal in the 1984 Olympics. After this, she became coach of the national field hockey team.

In her college coaching career, she set many records. She coached the most games; she won the most matches; and she gained the most titles in NCAA I history. She also was the first NCAA I coach to reach 500 wins.

For her efforts, she has been inducted into many halls of fame including the one from the college where she coached, Ursinus, the USA field hockey hall of fame, and one for Pennsylvania sports.

Dhyan Chad

Dhyan “the Wizard” Chad is considered by many people to be the greatest field hockey player of all time. He played for India in the 20s through the 40s. He was known for his goal scoring, and he scored more than 400 goals in his international career.

As part of India’s Olympic team, he helped his country win three gold medals. To this day, Chad is remembered in India and has become somewhat of a mythical creature, with stories being told of his magical control. India’s National Sports Day is held on his birthday every year.

Luciana Aymar

Luciana Aymar is a field hockey player from Argentina. Many people thinks she was the best female player ever. And since she is the only player to have one the FIH Player of the Year Award a total of eight times, there is some basis for this assertion.

What sets her apart from other players is her dribbling skills and her pace. They have gained her nicknames such as the magician.

She, and the rest of her team, won four Olympic medals, two silver and two bronze. She has also earned many Championship Trophies as well as golds in the World Cup.

Jamie Dwyer

Jamie Dwyer is a current field hockey player for Australia. In his Olympic career, he helped his team win three gold medals – one gold and two bronze.

Dwyer is a midfielder/striker. He plays professional hockey in Europe, and he has one many different trophies, including eight Championship Trophies, six of which were gold, and three gold medals from the Commonwealth Game.

For Australia, he has played over 250 matches. During the course of his Australian play alone, he scored more than 150 goals.

His play has gotten him many recognitions including player of the year and captain of the world team.

Shahbaz Ahmed

Often considered to be the one of the best forward ever, Shahbaz Ahmed is an Olympic field hockey player from Pakistan. In the 1992 Summer Olympics, he helped his team win a bronze medal. While he did not medal, he did play in two other Olympics as well. He has also helped them out in many other tournaments as well, including Championship Trophy tournaments.

He has 304 caps in international hockey, which is more than any other Pakistani. He also won player of the tournament in two consecutive world cups, and he is the only player to have ever done this.

He has been recognized by his country for his advanced playing skills.

Fergus Kavanagh

Fergus Kavanagh represents the Irish. He has helped his teams win two bronze medals in the Olympics, two gold medals at the World Cup, five gold medals at Championship Trophy championships – along with one bronze, and one gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.

Though he is Irish, Kavanagh plays in Western Australia and helped the Australian team win the bronze medals in the Olympics. He has been the member of many of Australia’s national teams and championship teams.

Tobias Hauke

Tobias Hauke is a current German field hockey player with many feathers to his cap. He is an upcoming star, and so anybody playing the sport should become familiar with his name. Though he is young, he has already helped his team when two gold medals at the Summer Olympics – one in 2008 and then another in 2012. He also already boasts two gold medals at Championship Trophy tournaments and one gold medal at the 2011 European Championship.

He is still playing strong in Germany today as a member of Hamburg, Germany’s tennis and hockey club.

Now that you know a lot of potential role models, you are ready to get out there and start following in their footsteps. If all of these field hockey greats have inspired you, then get out there and start practicing. Take some lessons, go to a camp, do what you’ve got to do to be great. It takes a lot of hard work, but you can do it. All of these players listed here did.