Kate Richardson-Walsh

Most capped British female hockey player and former England hockey captain for 13 Years

Kate Richardson-Walsh is a former English field hockey player, who was the Captain of Great Britain and England women’s national teams for 13 years. As one of the most successful British female athletes of all time, Kate was inducted into the European Hall of Fame and made an England Hockey Member of Honour. Aged 11, Kate began playing for Didsbury Greys Hockey Club, before making her England and Great Britain debuts in 1999. Since making her debut, Kate has played at two Olympic Games, four Hockey World Cups and four Commonwealth Games.

In 2003, Kate was made the Captain of the senior GB hockey team, a role that she held for 13 years before retiring in 2016. At the 2012 London Olympic Games, Kate captained the team to win Olympic Bronze, despite having suffered a broken jaw. She later went on to compete at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, captaining the team to winning Olympic Gold. In 2016, Kate also became the most-capped female in Great Britain, having achieved 375 caps for her country. Having achieved 19 medals and 49 goals, Kate made the decision to retire from professional hockey.

Throughout her career, Kate has been a passionate advocate for the LGBT+ community, having married her fellow hockey player, Helen Richardson-Walsh. Kate has also acted as an Ambassador for Access Sport and was awarded the Hockey Writers Club UK Player of the Year on three occasions. Other prominent awards of Kate’s include being named Great Britain Hockey Athlete of the Year 2007, being awarded the National Lottery Spirit of Sport Award 2017 and being appointed MBE in 2015. In 2017, Kate was elevated to OBE, becoming part of the first same-sex couple to be listed on an honours list – listed alongside her wife Helen Richardson-Walsh.

With a decorated career in hockey to her name, and her reputation as a passionate advocate for the LGBT+ community and women in sport, Kate is now a popular speaker for International Women’s Day. When hired as a speaker, Kate focuses on diversity, inclusion and female leadership. If you are looking for a passionate female role model to speak this International Women’s Day, hire Kate Richardson-Walsh today.

Topics include:

• Diversity & Inclusion – Female Leadership, LGBT+
• Leadership & Communication
• Team Building: Creating Unity of Standards, Spirit, Culture & Behaviours
• Maintaining Peak Performance
• Ambition & Goal Setting
• Change Management: How to Turn Performance Around
• High Performance Under Pressure
• Grass Roots Sport & Inspiring a New Generation

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