Kinder on young player of season shortlist
University of Bath and Team Bath Buccaneers midfielder Jonny Kinder has been named on the shortlist for England Hockey’s male young performance player of the season award.
Kinder, an 18-year-old first year Sports Performance student at the University of Bath, has been a mainstay of both the University and Buccs teams this season.
Buccs won the Conference West title by a remarkable 19 points but were then unlucky to miss out on promotion to the England Hockey League Premier Division for the first time in their history on goal difference.
Jody Paul, head hockey coach at the University of Bath, said: “He’s a naturally gifted player. He’s quick, tactically very astute and he’s added a real spark to us this season.”
Kinder has captained England at under-21 level and has played for the senior England team, but not in official games for which caps are awarded.
He is on a shortlist of three for the award and will find out whether he has won at an awards dinner in Nottingham on 19 June.
Meanwhile University of Bath graduate graduate Richard Mantell features on a shortlist of three for the senior men’s performance player of the season award. Mantell graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Sport and Exercise Science in 2004 and played for the Great Britain team that finished fifth at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games – Britain’s best finish in the sport since winning gold in 1988. He currently plays for Reading.
The University of Bath has one of the leading university sports departments in the UK. Under its TeamBath brand, its success is based on the expertise and dedication of staff, and its excellent facilities, used by the community and Olympic medal winners alike.
Members of the media who require further information can contact the TeamBath Press Office at Matchtight Ltd on (01225) 383518 or 01225 443998 or see the TeamBath website at www.teambath.com
