The teenager's season was thrown into disarray by coronavirus, with the Australian Under 18 Championships cancelled before all play was suspended for months.

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But while motivation wavered at times, Fowles ultimately used the shutdown to ensure she returned to the field a better player.

"It was tough finding motivation by myself to keep getting better without having games," Fowles said. "Eventually I got into a rhythm and made sure I came back stronger and fitter.

"It felt so good to get back out on the field, I've never been so excited for hockey games. When I came back, I was playing well and it really boosted my confidence."

The 17-year-old was rewarded for her efforts on Monday when she was named 2020 Illawarra Academy of Sport hockey player of the year.

It was a year in which she made the step up to the Sydney open women's competition, Fowles playing for Western Districts against some of the state's top players on a weekly basis.

The striker enjoyed success throughout the season and it made her even more motivated to chase her Hockeyroos dream in the coming years.

"Having worked so hard on my own, it made it easier to make that step up to the women's competition.

"When I did play against teams that have Hockeyroos, I just wanted to give it to them. One day I hope to be playing with them so I really want to make my name. Hopefully if I keep working hard I can try and crack that squad."

This is the second-straight year Fowles has won the IAS hockey prize, with coach Alex Mackay praising the youngster for her commitment throughout a disjointed season.

"Without many chances for selection into representative teams or achievement, Imogen has moved into her role as a first-grade player with more responsibility and willingness to be a part of her club team," Mackay said.

"This has allowed her to continue to improve as representative teams start to take shape for 2021."