MADDIE Hinch came away from the 2018 Commonwealth Games with a medal, but wants more from the Women’s Hockey World Cup on home soil this summer.

The Taunton-educated 29-year-old showed why she has been voted the world’s best goalkeeper in the last two years, with a string of impressive performances on Australia’s Gold Coast.

England made it through to the semi-finals before bowing out to eventual gold medal winners New Zealand (after a penalty shootout), but bounced back to beat India and earn bronze.

Hinch told the Gazette: “The whole tournament was special, it was unbelievable.

“We set ourselves the goal of winning gold, to go a step further from winning silver [at Glasgow 2014].

“To win bronze is disappointing, but it’s part of our build-up to the World Cup this summer, which is a bigger event for us.

“I’m really happy with how I played in the tournament, but I’d rather play badly and get a medal.”

Before the Commonwealths, England had come fourth at the World League Finals in November, losing the bronze medal match to Korea.

Hinch said: “At the Commonwealths we wanted to make sure we won our last game.

“Coming fourth... we’re not that team. We made sure we won the bronze so we didn’t come away empty-handed.

“We’ve made ourselves tough to beat, so even though we struggled for goals [at the Commonwealths] we ground out results.”

She has now returned to play for her club side SCHC, based in Stichtse, the Netherlands, as the Dutch league enters its playoff stage.

“It’s the best club league in the world, and people take the sport very seriously here,” said Hinch.

“SCHC are renowned for making the playoffs, but it’s been a real fight to get there this season.

“We lost 1-0 to the defending champions [Den Bosch, on Sunday] but it’s a best of three.

“SCHC have never won the league, so it would be a big deal if I can help them achieve that; we’re hopeful we can turn it around.”

Next month, Hinch will be going back to her roots by holding a two-day goalkeeping coaching camp at King’s College in Taunton (June 2-3).

The session for eight to 17-year-olds has already sold out, but places are still available for the 18+ camp.

Hinch was a pupil at Hazelgrove School in Sparkford, where she was spotted leaping around playing rounders, and was encouraged to try out as a hockey goalkeeper.

King’s offered her a hockey scholarship, and she studied there from 2002 to 2007, before making her international debut in 2008.

She said: “I absolutely loved my time at King’s, with the opportunities they gave me without putting me under too much pressure – everyone was so supportive.”

Regarding the camps, which began last year but have expanded to four locations for 2018, she said: “It’s been a dream of mine to run my own coaching camps.

“I want to show what being a goalkeeper is all about; Rio 2016 [where Hinch starred as Team GB won gold] drew more attention to the position, but still it’s not fully understood.”

“The camps are an opportunity for people to surround themselves with other goalkeepers and bounce ideas off each other.

“We’ll also go through some of the drills that I do, the experience of a day in my life, and people can ask me questions; it should be an exciting couple of days.”

Somerset County Gazette:

SQUAD: Team England at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, with Maddie Hinch pictured front, second from right. Pic: PA Wire

Hinch believes there has been “a huge difference” in hockey’s profile in this country since Rio, with 12,000 new members signing up for clubs.

London hosts the Women's World Cup this summer (July 21-August 5), and with England’s matches sold out already, the hosts have a major opportunity to give the sport another boost.

Hinch added: “Now we have a great platform to reignite the excitement [from Rio] in front of sold-out crowds and on TV, so everyone’s talking about hockey again.

“We want to win a medal but we also want to play in a way that generates excitement and gets people’s attention.”

And England’s star goalkeeper clearly plays a major role in that.

“I’m at a unique stage in my career,” she said.

“I’ve achieved a lot but I have to work hard to stay [at the top], to be seen as the best consistently.

“I want to get better and better; to stay fit, enjoy playing and deliver for the team.

“In my last World Cup [in 2014], we came 11th out of 12 teams, so obviously the ambition is to do much better!”