Tiffin Girls School games captain Sophie Bray has won a national prize at the annual Player of the Year Awards, organised by the Hockey Writers' Club.

Bray was presented with the Higgins Group Youth of the Year Award for Girls at the Royal Thames Yacht Club last Wednesday.

Claygate-based Bray captains the school's hockey team, coaches the U16 team and was vice-captain and top scorer for the U17 South team that came second in the regional tournament.

Tiffin School PE teacher Ashley Brewster, who nominated Bray for the award, said: "Sophie is a role model for all our girls and excels in leadership qualities."

Bray, who has been involved in the England U21 set-up, also came through the Surbiton Colts academy scheme and played for the women's team for three seasons.

Surbiton also featured in the senior awards, with director of coaching Brett Garrard joint runner-up in the men's Player of the Year award.

Garrard's fiancée Kate Walsh, who also lives in Surbiton but plays for Slough and is captain of the England and Great Britain teams, won the women's award.

l Surbiton restart their National Premier Division campaign after the winter break at rock-bottom Canterbury on Saturday.

They beat Old Georgians 3-2 in a friendly last Thursday and play their final practice match against Indian Gymkhana tomorrow evening (8pm).