As part of the Rabobank Hockey World League Semi-Final festivities, the FIH announced that the 2012 Women’s Player of the Year is Dutch standout Maartje Paumen. It is the second consecutive year that the midfielder has won the award. Paumen was a member of the 2012 Olympic gold medal winning team with the Netherlands and scored three goals during the Olympics Games, including one in the final against Argentina.
She also took the bronze medal at the 2012 Champions Trophy, where she scored four goals. Paumen is the captain of the Dutch team and is the heart and soul of the current World #1 squad in the FIH World Ranking. With her club team Den Bosch, she won the 2013 EuroHockey Club Champions Cup (EHCCC). Paumen accepted the award in Rotterdam from FIH President Leandro Negre.
Maartje Paumen beat out an extremely competitive field for the honor of Player of the Year:
Luciana Aymar – ARG
Crista Cullen – GBR
Kim Lammers – NED
Kayla Sharland – NZL
Young Player of the Year
The winner of the Women’s Young Player of the Year award (Under-21) is Australia’s Anna Flanagan. Flanagan, born in 1992, is such a poised fixture for the Hockeyroos that it is often easy to forget her young age. Flanagan is a key player for Australia and was her team’s leading scorer at the 2012 London Olympic Games with two goals, where her team finished in fifth place.
Flanagan was also a main figure in Australia’s bid to earn its way back to the Champions Trophy level. At the Champions Challenge 1 in Dublin, she was largely responsible for her team’s promotion, scoring three goals there. Flanagan will receive the award next week at the semi-finals of the Hockey World League in London
The other players that made the Short List for the 2012 Young Player of the Year award were:
Erica Coppey BEL 1991
Cheon Eun Bi KOR 1992
Florencia Habif ARG 1993
Stacey Michelsen NZL 1991