Craig Fulton

Craig Fulton (born 6 November 1974) is a former South Africa men's field hockey international and a former coach of the Ireland men's national field hockey team. As a player he represented South Africa at the 1996 and 2004 Summer Olympics and at the 2002 Men's Hockey World Cup. His brother, Grant, and his wife, Natalie, were also South Africa field hockey internationals. In 2004 Fulton and his wife became the first married couple to represent South Africa at the same Olympic Games.

Craig Fulton
Personal information
Born (1974-11-06) 6 November 1974 [1]
Harare, Zimbabwe [2]
Height 5 ft 8.5 in (174.0 cm)
Playing position Midfielder/Forward
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
199x–1998 Northern Transvaal [3]
1999–2005 Chelmsford
2005–2010 Pembroke Wanderers
National team
Years Team Apps (Gls)
199x–2005  South Africa 191
Teams managed
1999–2005 Chelmsford
199x–200x Felsted School
2005–2010 Pembroke Wanderers
2010–2014 University of Pretoria
2010–2014 Northern Blues
2014–2018 Ireland

As a player/coach with Pembroke Wanderers he won two Irish Senior Cups, two Men's Irish Hockey League titles and the EuroHockey Club Trophy. As a coach Fulton guided Ireland to third place at the 2015 Men's EuroHockey Nations Championship and to qualification for both the 2016 Summer Olympics and the 2018 Men's Hockey World Cup. While coaching Ireland, Fulton was named the 2015 FIH Men's Coach of the Year. He was assistant coach of the Belgium team that won the 2018 Men's Hockey World Cup.

Early years and education

Fulton was educated at Pretoria Boys High School and Stellenbosch University. [4]

Domestic teams

Chelmsford

Between 1999 and 2005 Fulton served as player/coach of Chelmsford in the Men's England Hockey League. [5][6][7] In September 2002, while in Pretoria, Fulton was hospitalised after he and his then girlfriend and later wife Natalie, interrupted a suspected burglar at his home. Fulton was reportedly stabbed or slashed seven times during the incident. [8][9] In 2004 he guided Chelmsford to promotion to the Premier Division. [10] During this time Fulton also coached field hockey at Felsted School. [11]

Pembroke Wanderers

In 2005 Fulton was appointed director of coaching and player/coach to the senior men's team at Pembroke Wanderers. [10][12][13] With a team that included David and Conor Harte, Ronan Gormley, Stuart Loughrey, Justin Sheriff, Alan Sothern and Ian Symons, Fulton subsequently guided Wanderers to five national titles in four seasons. These included the 2006 All-Ireland Men's Club Championship, [14] two Irish Senior Cup wins in 2008 [15] and 2009 [16][17] and to two Men's Irish Hockey League titles in 2008–09 [18] and 2009–10. [19] They also won the 2009 EuroHockey Club Trophy. [20]

South Africa international

Fulton represented South Africa at the 1996 and 2004 Summer Olympics and at the 2002 Men's Hockey World Cup. His brother, Grant, and his wife, Natalie, were also South Africa field hockey internationals. The brothers were team mates at the 1996 Olympics. [2][21][22] In 2004 Fulton and his wife became the first married couple to represent South Africa at the same Olympic Games. [23][24]

Tournaments Place
1996 Hockey Africa Cup of Nations [3]1st
1996 Summer Olympics [2]10th
1998 Commonwealth Games5th
1997 Men's Hockey World Cup Qualifier9th
2000 Hockey Africa Cup of Nations [25]1st
2001 Men's Hockey Champions Challenge2nd
2002 Men's Hockey World Cup13th
2002 Commonwealth Games [26]4th
2003 Men's Hockey Champions Challenge3rd
2004 Men's Field Hockey Olympic Qualifier7th
2004 Summer Olympics [2][7] 10th
2005 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup [10][27] 7th

Coach

South Africa

Between 2011 and 2014, after returning to South Africa, Fulton held several coaching positions including serving as Assistant Coach of both the women's (2011) and men's (2013–2014) national teams. He also coached the Northern Blues at interprovincial level and served as technical director with the University of Pretoria while his wife, Natalie, served as the club manager. [28][29][30][31][32][33]

Ireland

Between 2006 and 2009, in addition to being player/coach at Pembroke Wanderers, Fulton also served as Assistant Coach of the Ireland men's national field hockey team, first to Dave Passmore and then to Paul Revington. [11][13][28] In 2014 he succeeded Andrew Meredith as the senior Ireland coach. [31][28][34][32] Fulton subsequently guided Ireland to third place at the 2015 Men's EuroHockey Nations Championship, to World League Round 2 tournament wins in 2015 [35] and 2017 and to qualification for both the 2016 Summer Olympics and the 2018 Men's Hockey World Cup. [36] While coaching Ireland, Fulton was also named the 2015 FIH Men's Coach of the Year. [37][38] In May 2018 he resigned as Ireland coach after accepting an offer to become Belgium's assistant coach. [13][39][40][41]

Belgium

In May 2018 Fulton was appointed Assistant Coach of the Belgium men's national field hockey team. [42][43] He was assistant coach when Belgium won the 2018 Men's Hockey World Cup. [44][45][46]

Honours

Player
South Africa

Player/coach
Pembroke Wanderers

Coach
Ireland
Individual
  • FIH Men's Coach of the Year
    • Winner: 2015

References
  1. "Craig Fulton". www.olympic.org. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  2. "Craig Fulton". www.sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  3. "Men Field Hockey 5th Africa Nations Cup". www.todor66.com. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  4. "Craig Fulton". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  5. "Hockey: New season, new faces". www.gazette-news.co.uk. 2 October 1999. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  6. "Hockey: Chelmsford taste difference between the divisions". www.halsteadgazette.co.uk. 8 March 2002. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  7. "Hockey: Fulton Olympians begin battle". www.independent.co.uk. 2 October 2004. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  8. "Top hockey player slashed 7 times by intruder". www.iol.co.za. 5 September 2002. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  9. "Chelmsford Hockey player stabbed 7 times during home raid". www.gazette-news.co.uk. 9 September 2002. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  10. "Pembroke announce South African appointment". www.rte.ie. 14 June 2007. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  11. "Who is the next in line?". southernfriedhockey.com. 6 September 2008. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  12. "Fulton and the Pembroke influence". www.hookhockey.com. 5 August 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  13. "'If Ireland get to the top five in the world, are we still amateur? At what point does it change?'". www.the42.ie. 10 June 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  14. "ESB All-Ireland Men's Club Championship Hockey Final Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 28 May 2006. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  15. "Monkstown v Pembroke Wanderers - Irish Senior Cup Final Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 19 April 2008. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
  16. "Pembroke hit Cookstown for six". www.hookhockey.com. 26 April 2009. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
  17. "Pembroke take successive Irish Senior Cup titles". www.pembrokewanderers.ie. 27 April 2009. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
  18. "Men take 2009 IHL crown". www.pembrokewanderers.ie. 10 May 2009. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  19. "Men's Irish Hockey League Final Pembroke Wanderers vs Lisnagarvey". inpho.ie. 16 May 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  20. "Pembroke claim European Gold at Serpentine Avenue". www.pembrokewanderers.ie. 13 April 2009. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  21. "Grant Fulton". www.sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  22. "Natalie Fulton". www.sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  23. "Man and wife team for Athens". www.news24.com. 19 July 2004. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  24. "Van Zyls add to married couples at Games". www.supersport.com. 30 May 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  25. "Men Field Hockey 6th Africa Nations Cup". www.todor66.com. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  26. "Commonwealth Games squad going for gold". www.iol.co.za. 5 June 2002. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  27. "SA hockey team's new look". Cape Argus. 20 May 2005. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  28. "Irish Hockey Announce Craig Fulton as National Men's Coach". eurohockey.org. 11 March 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  29. "New coach for SA hockey men". www.sport24.co.za. 28 January 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  30. "Two School Boys in U21 IPT Winning Hockey Team". ysn.co.za. 15 May 2013. Archived from the original on 7 February 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  31. "Fulton returns to pursue Irish Olympic dream". www.hookhockey.com. 11 March 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  32. "Craig Fulton Lands Irish Men's Job". www.up.ac.za. 25 March 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  33. "5 Choices for the SA Hockey Coach". allthingsjabu.co.za. 17 January 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  34. "South African Craig Fulton named as new Ireland coach". www.bbc.co.uk. 11 March 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  35. "Craig Fulton aiming for Argentina with Rio next on horizon". www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk. 11 March 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  36. "Ireland Set To Enjoy Indian Summer After First World Cup Qualification In 28 Years". www.balls.ie. 23 July 2017. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  37. "Craig Fulton - Hockey Stars 2015 Men's Coach of the Year". www.fih.ch. 10 February 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  38. "Another major award for Irish hockey as Craig Fulton scoops Coach of the Year prize". www.the42.ie. 27 January 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  39. "Craig Fulton To Step Down As Green Machine Head Coach". www.hockey.ie. 31 May 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  40. "Big blow for Irish hockey as long-serving coach steps down in World Cup year". www.the42.ie. 31 May 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  41. "Ireland hockey: Men's head coach Craig Fulton steps down". www.bbc.co.uk. 31 May 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  42. "Head coach Craig Fulton to leave Ireland for Belgium role". www.rte.ie. 31 May 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  43. "Craig Fulton steps down as Ireland hockey coach for Belgium role". www.irishtimes.com. 1 June 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  44. "Former Ireland coach Craig Fulton celebrates Hockey World Cup win with Belgium". www.the42.ie. 31 May 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  45. "Craig Fulton helps guide Belgium to maiden hockey World Cup". www.irishtimes.com. 16 December 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  46. "Fulton's pride shines as the Red Lions claim World Cup crown". www.independent.ie. 17 December 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
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