Andrew Charter

Biography

Andrew Charter's journey into hockey began almost by accident. He first encountered the sport when he filled in for an understaffed U13 team coached by his sister. It didn't take long before he realized his true calling was as a goalkeeper, a position he's mastered over the years.

Hailing from Canberra, Andrew made his international debut with the Kookaburras in 2010 at the Azlan Shah tournament. Since then, his career has been illustrious, including back-to-back Champions Trophy wins in 2011 and 2012. He's added numerous accolades to his name, such as three Commonwealth Games gold medals in Glasgow 2014, Gold Coast 2018, and Birmingham 2022, a World Cup title, and two Oceania titles.

2015 was a landmark year for him as he aided the team in clinching gold at both the World League semi-final and the World League final. By 2016, Andrew celebrated a career milestone, securing 100 international caps. His Olympic debut came in Rio 2016, and he followed up with another strong showing at Tokyo 2020, where the Kookaburras narrowly missed out on gold in a penalty shootout against Belgium.

Beyond his on-field achievements, Andrew has a degree in mechanical engineering. He combined his academic pursuits with his sporting career to design a unique goalkeeping helmet, first showcased at the 2014 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup. The helmet features the logo of the Australian Rare Chromosome Awareness Network (ARCAN), a cause important to Andrew and former Kookaburra Nathan Eglington.

Andrew plays for Canberra Chill and earned the MVP award for the 2022 Hockey One League season. His performances were pivotal in Australia’s 7-0 triumph over India in the Commonwealth Games final that year, reinforcing the Kookaburras’ dominance in the sport.

At the 2023 World Cup, Andrew delivered standout performances, including a man-of-the-match display against Spain. Despite an injury setback later in the year, he’s back and ready for the challenges of 2024, embodying resilience and dedication with every save.

Lachlan Sharp, a teammate, has praised Andrew's commitment: “He always has our back in goal, is always in the contest and always saving goals.”