Giants shortlisted for Club of the Year at 2022 Fenix Outdoor Euro Hockey Awards

Next month, the Giants will go head-to-head with four other top European clubs for the coveted ‘Club of the Year’ title at the 2022 Fenix Outdoor & Warrior European Hockey Awards, organised by The Alliance of European Hockey Clubs (E.H.C.)

The Belfast Giants have been nominated in recognition of their ‘national dominance combined with huge social impact in Belfast’. Other nominees in the Club of the Year Category include, Oceláři Třinec (CZE), Rögle BK (SWE), Tappara Tampere (FIN), and EV Zug (SUI).

The Alliance of European Hockey Clubs was formally founded in June 2016 at the E.H.C.’s first Annual General Meeting in Berlin, by some 70 clubs from 13 European countries. Ice hockey thus became the third major European team sport, after football’s European Club Association (ECA) and Forum Club Handball (FCH), to establish a club alliance with the mandate to look after and promote the interests of the professional hockey clubs and represent them internationally. The E.H.C. currently has 87 member clubs from 16 European countries.

Steve Thornton, head of hockey for the Belfast Giants said: “As an organisation, we are honoured to be nominated for Club of the Year at the 2022 Fenix Outdoor Euro Hockey Awards. To be recognised for our impact, both on and off the ice, alongside these top European clubs is an achievement in itself, and we look forward to the ceremony in Prague in June.”

Martin McDowell, chairman of The Odyssey Trust said: “It is an an honour for our organisation to be shortlisted for this prestigious award amongst a selection of Europe’s top hockey clubs. We’re particularly pleased that our social impact has been highlighted by the judges, as the Belfast Giants prides itself on its far-reaching community impact.”

Alongside Club of the Year, other award categories include Young Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, and the Warrior Career Excellence Award. The Fenix Outdoor European Hockey Awards Ceremony will take place in Prague on 15 June, in conjunction with the E.H.C. Annual General Meeting.

Fans can now cast their votes for the Giants, in the public voting element of the competition at www.eurohockeyclubs.com. Fan voting is supplementary to the E.H.C. Expert Panel.