ODIHAM hockey star Alex Danson is looking to become the first British player to win the International Hockey Federation Player of the Year after being nominated on the short list of five players.

Danson is part of a fab five along with Delfina Merino (Argentina), Jodie Kenny(Australia), Lidewij Welten (Netherlands) and Mi-Hyun Park (South Korea).

The 30-year-old is one of three England Unibet Eurohockey Championships 2015 gold medallists to been nominated with Maddie Hinch (Goalkeeper of the Year) and Lily Owsley (Rising Star of the Year).

The Odiham star won the Player of the Tournament award at EuroHockey 2015, which saw Danson score in England's penalty shoot-out as they beat reigning Olympic and World Champions the Netherlands in a brilliant game.

Danson scored in the penalty shoot-out after the English girls looked to be heading to defeat in the final after Holland's Cala van Maasakker scored two penalty corners in the third quarter, before the home side produced a great comeback to tie the game 2-2 by the final whistle.

Danson was also part of Great Britain's World League side which won their qualifying tournament and then finished seventh in the final.

The winners will be decided by the combined results of an online vote at fih.ch/Hockey Stars and a peer vote from international athletes.

Voting is open until 20 January 20 2016 and the winners will be announced on January 26 Next year will be a busy time for Danson with the Great Britain in Champions Trophy action in the middle of June at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London.

This will be the British ladies final games ahead of the Olympics in Rio two months later and GB now know their opponents in the Pool stage of this competition.

Danson and her team mates have been drawn in Pool B along with World League champions Argentina, Australia, USA, Japan and India.

Pool A is made up of reigning Olympic champions the Netherlands, New Zealand, China, Germany, South Korea and Spain.