Austin Smith (field hockey)

Austin Charles Smith (born 20 May 1985) is a South African field hockey player who plays as a defender for Dutch club HC Den Bosch and formally the South African national team.

Austin Smith
Smith (right) at the 2014 Commonwealth Games
Personal information
Full name Austin Charles Smith
Born (1985-05-20) 20 May 1985
Cape Town, South Africa
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 73 kg (161 lb)
Playing position Defender
Club information
Current club Den Bosch
Senior career
Years Team
2005–2009 Reading
2009–2023 Den Bosch
National team
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2021 South Africa 183 (45)
Medal record
Africa Cup of Nations
Gold medal – first place2013 Nairobi
Last updated on: 2021-12-21

In late 2021, Austin Smith announced his retirement from International Hockey.[1] Smith has been a substitute supervisor and teacher in the International School Eindhoven in recent years.

Smith competed for South Africa at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics, the 2010 and 2014 Hockey World Cups, and at the 2010 and 2014 Commonwealth Games.[2] He has also competed at the 2005, 2009 and 2011 Men's Champions Challenge. He became captain of the side in 2009.[3] He also joined in the Tokyo 2021 Summer Olympics and played for the South African national team.

He retired from club hockey after 14 years with Den Bosch in 2023.

Biography

Smith was born in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. He started hockey at the age of five years, and his parents played hockey for several years in South Africa and England. At Smith's Primary School, Pinelands North, he was introduced to hockey, among other sports. His coach at Pinelands, Murray Anderson, inspired Smith to focus on hockey.

When Smith started at Pinelands High School, he had already succeeded, representing his Province at the U13 level. He went on to represent South Africa's U16 and U18 teams and became captain of each. He attributes a large amount of his achievement to one factor: "I was extremely lucky to have such dedicated coaches at both my Primary and High School. Michael McConnachie, who spearheaded the hockey at the High School, was my biggest mentor and made me truly believe in myself."

In March 2004, aged 18, Smith achieved his lifelong dream of representing his country at a senior level. "It was an incredible feeling walking onto the field to play my first match for South Africa, and it remains a special moment every time I wear the green and gold." In 2005 Austin represented South Africa at the U21 World Cup in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Smith moved to the United Kingdom in 2005 to join Reading Hockey Club. He spent four seasons at Reading, winning the Premier League twice and making the final eight of the Euro Hockey League on consecutive occasions.[4]

2008 was a defining year in Smith's hockey career as he achieved another childhood dream by attending the Olympic Games. Despite South Africa's final placing of 12th in Beijing, he was the team's top goal scorer with four goals. To finish the year, he was named South African Men's Hockey Player of the Year and Reading Hockey Club's Player of the Year.

In 2009 Smith decided to leave the UK to join HC 's-Hertogenbosch in The Netherlands. Earlier in the year, he was named the captain of the South African squad, leading them to victory in the African Championship to qualify for the World Cup in 2010. Smith was also named in the World All-Star Team for his performances in 2009.

In 2010 Smith captained the South African squad at the World Cup and the Commonwealth Games, where they finished in 10th and 5th, respectively. Later in the year, he was named South African Men's Hockey Player of the Year for a second time.[5][6] He announced his retirement from international play on 9 September 2021.[7]

References
  1. "South Africa Hockey : Austin Smith announces retirement from International Hockey". TheDragfick.com. 19 August 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  2. "Austin Smith Bio, Stats, and Results - Olympics at Sports-Reference.com". Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  3. "Austin Smith (Captain)". sahockey.co.za. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
  4. "EHL statistics". Fixtureslive.com. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
  5. Austin's Story, archived from the original on 12 July 2012, retrieved 17 November 2012
  6. "Glasgow 2014 – Austin Smith Profile". Retrieved 10 December 2014.
  7. "Retirements & coaching switches dominate post-Tokyo 2020". fih.ch. 9 September 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
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