"VAN" (Sports Desk - 20.11.2025) :: The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is pleased to announce the recipients of the prestigious FIH Coach of the Year 2025 awards:
Women’s Coach of the Year: Alyson Annan
Men’s Coach of the Year: Max Caldas
Women’s Coach of the Year – Alyson Annan (Head Coach, China)
Alyson Annan has overseen one of the most remarkable transformations in international hockey over the past few years as under her stewardship, the Chinese women’s hockey team continues to go from strength to strength. 2025 continued the upward trend for the Chinese women’s side as they produced remarkable results throughout the FIH Hockey Pro League as well as the Women's Asia Cup Gongshu 2025.
In the season 6 of the Pro League, for the third consecutive year, Alyson Annan’s China produced their best ever result, finishing in fourth place, improving on their previous best fifth place finish in season 5. Their season included some fantastic wins over the likes of Belgium, Argentina, Germany and Spain, with 8 wins and 3 draws from their 16 matches helping them get to their best ever points tally of 28 points, just 6 shy of Argentina in second place!
Following their success at the Paris 2024 Olympics last year and at the FIH Hockey Pro League season 6, Annan’s China entered the Women's Asia Cup Gongshu 2025 as the favourites and delivered on all fronts. Through the seven matches played in the competition, China were dominant, winning all 7 matches, scoring 42 goals and conceding just twice! Their gold medal finish, a first since 2009, also saw them go level as the most successful team in the competition’s history.
Alyson Annan’s approach as the head coach of China has not only elevated the team's results but also signalled a long-term resurgence with clear identity and ambition.
This is Annan’s sixth time receiving an FIH Coach of the Year award, extending her own record as the most decorated coach across at the Hockey Stars Awards, while she continues to hold the unique distinction of also being the only former FIH Player of the Year (1998 & 2000) to also receive an FIH Coach of the Year award.
Men’s Coach of the Year – Max Caldas (Head Coach, Spain)
Max Caldas has led the Spanish men’s hockey team to one of their most successful and high-impact seasons in recent years. Blending experience with emerging talent, Spain showcased a confident, attacking style while demonstrating tactical maturity in major competitions, producing a string of impressive results to match their growing stature in international hockey.
The team registered headline wins in the FIH Hockey Pro League over the likes of Australia, England, India and Belgium. The biggest highlight of the season however came at the very end, where they needed two back-to-back wins in their final two matches against Germany, in Berlin to finish third on the points table and qualify for the upcoming FIH Hockey World Cup Belgium and Netherlands 2026. Caldas’ side delivered with aplomb in front of the loud Berlin crowd cheering on the home side Germany, securing two wins and sealing World Cup qualification.
Their EuroHockey Championship campaign also led to a bronze medal finish, just their second podium place finish in the competition since 2007, capping a fantastic year for Caldas’ side.
With a renewed playing style and clear strategic direction, Spain enters the next phase of the global hockey cycle with strong momentum, thanks to the stellar coaching job done by Max Caldas’, who has married Spain’s traditional attacking flair with consistent results against top international hockey sides.
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