Top stopper Mason scoops major award (From Gazette Series)

Top stopper Mason scoops major award

SIMON MASON is eyeing a glorious Olympics after being named hockey's UK Player of the Year for 2003 in an awards ceremony last week.

The former Katherine Lady Berkeley's School pupil underlined his position as Great Britain's number one goalkeeper with the award, and now hopes to play a major part in his country's Olympic Games bid in Athens this summer.

The Hockey Writers' Club of Great Britain named the boy from Berkeley as their top man at a dinner in Wimbledon, and it is just another boost for Mason as he aims to be a part of his third Olympic tournament.

It is the second time that Mason has received the accolade, having won in 1994, and the 30-year-old stopper is now recognised as one of the greatest keepers ever to play the game. Currently plying his trade at Reading, Mason has played for Stroud Hockey Club and Gloucester City in a glittering career that began at KLB.

He has enjoyed a consistent and significant year, including saving a penalty in a shoot-out to help Reading win the European Club Championship in May, ensuring the first English success in the competition for 23 years.

He was then named as keeper of the tournament as England picked up a bronze medal in the European Nations Cup, although his finest achievement arrived in November.

During the Great Britain tour of New Zealand, Mason finally overtook legendary keeper and Olympic Gold medal winner from 1988 Ian Taylor's record number of caps for a British keeper as he won his 174th cap to cement his place as one of the greats.

He has now made 179 international appearances (120 for England, six for England's indoor team and 53 for Great Britain) and has established himself as the nation's number one stopper over a period of ten years, having made his Great Britain senior international debut in 1994 against Belgium.

Despite the acclaim, and his excellent form for Premier Division title challengers and European giants Reading, Mason is involved in a real battle at the moment for the Great Britain goalkeeping jersey with Paul Woolford.

Now, in Olympic year, Mason is eyeing Athens as the Great Britain squad get ready for the qualification process in March, when they will compete alongside 11 other teams in a tournament in Barcelona.

Great Britain will be taking on Holland, Germany, Spain, South Africa, Japan and others in their qualification group, and the top seven will automatically make it to Athens.

A veteran of the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games, Mason is hoping to be a major part of the Athens challenge, as Great Britain look to emulate the gold-winning success of Seoul '88.

The Berkeley hero has enjoyed a fantastic 2003, and there will not be a soul in his home town who is not right behind him in his efforts to make 2004 an even better year.