The Quackers and Island player was presented with the prize for the outstanding under-19 girl in UK youth hockey at the Hockey Writers Club’s annual dinner in Wimbledon this week.
Herbert (18), who has just returned from South Africa where she has been touring with the England under-21 squad in preparation for this year’s World Junior Cup, made her full international debut against Japan in 2003 when she was an 17-year-old pupil at Jersey College for Girls.
She has also represented England at under 16, 18 and 21 level.
The awards were to have been presented by Derek Higgins OBE, a great supporter of hockey and youth work, who initiated the awards but who died last month.
Instead they were presented by Paul Lewellen, the group’s finance director who was also a judge.
The four judges were unanimous in their choice of Herbert – now studying sports science at Leicester University – and the winner of the boy’s prize Darren Cheesman, who is a regular in English League Premier Division side Old Loughtonians.
Announcing the winners The Hockey Writers Club say: ‘Herbert, who has been coached by her mother, has had an exceptional career considering she comes from Jersey where the standard of club hockey does not compare with that on the mainland.’ And they describe her as ‘a role model to others with her self-motivation.’ Said Herbert this morning: ‘I was surprised and pleased to be chosen for this award.
It’s been a postive experience to cap off a busy year of enjoyable hockey.’
