Ireland hockey star Chloe Watkins has paid tribute to Arlene Boyles, following the announcement that the Ireland team manager will depart from her role when her contract runs out in August.
Boyles racked up 123 caps for the national side before hanging up her stick for the last time in 2002, but has continued to make a major impact to the women's game from the dugout.
The former Pegasus star became Ireland assistant coach in 2012 and her appointment as team manager in 2017 has coincided with an unprecedented spell of success for the Green Army, culminating in a runner-up finish at the World Championships and Olympic qualification.
And Watkins has emphasised the role that Boyles played within the squad as both a mentor and playing a significant role in the team's World Cup success and Olympic qualification.
"Arlene has been a huge servant to Irish hockey and has been a mentor to a lot of the girls," said Watkins, speaking to RTE Sport.
"She was a huge part of our team for so many years and she was involved in the Rio qualification and was part of the squad for the World Cup, and we definitely would not be seeing Tokyo without her input so we can only be thankful for the time we got with her.
"She is incredibly funny and she can always lighten the mood, which is really important when things get intense and stressful, so she will definitely be missed from that point of view.
"And she deserves her time now with her family and friends as she has given so much to the squad that it is going to be funny to be back in September without her there."
"It's feels natural for me to do, but it's a massive decision because this has been a big part of my life," Boyles told BBC Sport.
"It may seem strange to some, who will wonder why I can't hold on for a year, but this is a professional sport with a lot of time spent away from home and it's friends and family time now and a good time to go."
principal partner to Team Ireland
