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News 12 June 2014

All the news for Thursday 12 June 2014


Hockeyroos' Semi-final preview

Jayde Taylor speaks about USA game on eve of her 100th appearance



Western Australian Jayde Taylor says that excitement is the overriding feeling in the Hockeyroos camp on the eve of Thursday’s World Cup semi-final against USA. The 29 year-old from Bunbury will make her 100th appearance for Australia in the match and she insists the Hockeyroos are well prepared for the game against perhaps the surprise package of the tournament.

The USA finished ahead of defending champs and Olympic silver medallists Argentina to top women’s Pool B, ahead of European hockey’s 2013 gold and silver medallists, Germany and England, recording wins over both.

For their part, the Hockeyroos finished as runners-up to the Netherlands in Pool A, picking up three wins, a draw and a narrow defeat to the hosts.
 
“Everyone’s really pleased and happy with the way we’ve been going,” admits Taylor. “A semi-final in the midst, there’s a lot of excited girls out there.”

With only South Africa and Belgium ranked lower than USA coming into the tournament, Taylor says, “We certainly wouldn’t have thought we’d be playing them [USA] in the semi. We played them in a practice game just before the World Cup and they played really well and we had to be at the top of our game just to beat them in the practice game.

“The game that they have been playing throughout the World Cup is certainly one of speed, quick counter, solid defence, physical and you can see that they’re really fit girls. The kind of just run you around.”

Noting the Americans’ strength right through the field, Taylor adds, “There’s a few players that have really stood out in [Lauren] Crandall at the back, [Paige] Selenski through the midfield and [Katie] O’Donnell up front…they’re super quick. They’ve been really exciting to watch and I’m sure it’s going to be a fast paced game.”

While the Hockeyroos having some recent experience of contesting major matches having reached the finals of both the World League Finals and World League Semi-Final tournaments in 2013, Taylor says the team has been preparing for “pressure situations.”

“We’ve been practising our pressure situations and this is certainly one of them. I, unfortunately, missed last year but the girls had a bit of experience with World League; that being a fairly pressured situation as well. Although, a handful of those girls weren’t part of the World Cup or Comm Games campaign four years ago [when Australia won gold], they’ve certainly experienced it more recently. I think everyone’s really prepared and pretty excited by it.”

As if the magic of the World Cup semi-final wasn’t enough, the London 2012 Olympian and Commonwealth Games gold medallist will make her 100th appearance on Friday night – a milestone she hopes will be overshadowed by an even bigger 101st match, although she says she isn’t sure how she’ll feel stepping out on Thursday.

“I’m not too sure what to expect. I debuted with Kate Jenner [who made her 100th appearance on Monday] four years ago just prior to World Cup. We made our debuts in Europe together and to play our 100th games next to each other is kinda cool.

“I’m certainly very honoured and proud to pull on the guernsey for a hundredth time. You can’t thank the support of your teammates and coaches and family enough for being there every step of the way.”

Reflecting on her career to date, she adds, “Commonwealth Games gold was certainly a highlight for me. Being part of the London Olympic campaign, as well, was phenomenal and to be able to play in a semi-final of a World Cup…it’s topping it off pretty nicely. Hopefully the 101st can be a gold medal winning game.”

The Hockeyroos’ World Cup semi-final against USA starts at midnight AEST Thursday into Friday (10:00pm AWST, Thursday).

Hockey Australia media release



Dutch aiming at golden double in hockey World Cup

THE HAGUE (The Netherlands): With both their men's and women's teams marching into the semifinals, Australia, Argentina and the Netherlands would be eyeing the golden double when the last-four stage of the FIH Hockey World Cup is played out over the next two days.

The Dutch are trying to improve on their performance in the 2012 Olympic Games in London, where they won the women's gold medal, but the men lost the final to Germany.

The German men have failed to make the semifinals here in The Hague, missing out for only the second time in World Cup history. The only previous time they did not feature in the semifinals was in the inaugural World Cup at Barcelona in 1971.

Even in 1998, the only previous time that the International Hockey Federation sanctioned the joint hosting of the men and women's World Cups -- in the Dutch city of Utrecht -- hosts Netherlands came close to achieving the dream double.

The Dutch men won the 1998 World Cup defeating Spain in the final, but the women lost the final to Australia.

It is once again a city in The Netherlands playing hosts jointly to the men and women's World Cups, and the Dutch fans are celebrating the giant strides both their teams have taken into the semifinals.

Also in the hunt for a title double are Australia, both of whose teams have made the semifinals. Australia are the defending champions in the men's World Cup and their women's team is showing rapid strides to reclaim the top spot.

Argentina are yet another country with teams playing semifinals in both the men and women's World Cups.

Argentina's women are chasing their third title in four World Cups, while the men have secured entry into the last-four for the first time.

The Dutch women will on Thursday take on defending champions Argentina, who have been playing the past few games without star player Luciana Aymer, whose fifth World Cup appearance has been hampered by a hamstring injury.

It will be a big boost for Argentina if Aymer is able to recover in time for the semifinals.

USA, making a mockery of the world rankings by storming into the semifinals after finishing 12th in the 2012 Olympics, will take on Australia in the other semifinal.

In the men's semifinals, to be played Friday, defending champions Australia will meet Argentina, while three-time World Cup winners Netherlands take on England.

A joint World Cup for men and women is an experiment that the FIH is not likely to be repeat because the events will expand to 16 nations from 2018, making it too burdensome for a single host.

Argentina's men, placed No. 11 in world rankings at the start of the World Cup, are determined to make the most of their maiden entry into the semifinals. Their previous best was a No. 6 finish they secured in the 1986 and 2002 World Cups.

Semifinal lineup:

Men: Australia vs Argentina; Netherlands vs England.

Women: Netherlands vs Argentina; USA vs Australia.

The Times of India



The tale of two teams, a battle of wills ... and loyalty to the Motherland ...


SA men's hockey team head coach Fabian Gregory will be looking for more cohesion in the World Cup playoff for 11th and 12th places against Malaysia come the 1.30pm push back at Kyocera Stadium in The Hague Thursday. Photo: STANISLAS BROCHIER

JONATHAN COOK in The Hague

The Tale of Two Teams might be the book title when describing South Africa and counterparts Malaysia’s fortunes at men’s Hockey World Cup 2014 here in Holland.

They face-off in the 11th/12th place playoff match at 1.30pm in the Kyocera Stadium Thursday and it is a difficult one to call.

Both finished bottom of their Groups, both are winless, and both have suffered similar ailments. Unforced errors in defence and attack, leaking soft goals and blowing chances in the strike zone have been the themes.

Linked to this – and possibly the central theme – far too much ball has been given away - or turned over by their sharper opponents.

Head coach Fabian Gregory’s SA side were desperately unlucky not to beat world number seven South Korea in their 0-0 draw in Group B and victory there would have guaranteed at least a 9th/10th playoff match – not bad for a side that only got together as a group of 18 two weeks before the opening match.

Yet there have been moments of sublime hockey from the African champs, none more so than University of Johannesburg midfielder Clint Panther’s wonderful goal against semi-finalists Argentina in Tuesday’s last Group B match for the men in green and gold.

Malaysia can also point to a 3-2 defeat by India and a 2-0 loss to world number four England as two Group A matches that saw relatively close scores.

There are other similarities. Both sides have beaten and lost to each other in the recent past - and SA and Malaysia are 12th and 13th in the world rankings respectively.

Apart from wanting to avoid bottom place at the four-yearly showpiece, there are valuable world ranking points at stake.

Cleaning up their mistakes and sharpening the rapier in the strike zone will serve both sides well in what is a vital match for each.

Gregory, who is director of hockey at Glenwood High School in Durban in his day job, and his players have bravely faced an uphill battle against professional teams with full-time, paid players - and countries that boast national programmes and training centres.

But as he has said at post-match Press conferences, South Africa is a proud nation of eternal optimists. The Malaysians are also fiercely loyal to their homeland – and it that common characteristic - pride - found in both sides that might make the difference in what is shaping up to be an intriguing battle of wills that not even the most seasoned observers here dare put money on.

SA Hockey Association media release



Last chance to salvage some pride

By S. Ramaguru
   
THE HAGUE: Malaysia will play their final match of the 2014 hockey World Cup today knowing it’s their only chance to avoid finishing last.

They will meet South Africa in the 11th-12th placing playoff match – but nobody knows which Malaysian team will turn up at the Kyocera Stadium in The Hague, Holland on Thursday.

It is as if the Malaysian team have a Jekyll and Hyde personality.

They’ve been known to play good hockey – as in when they beat South Africa in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup tournament in March – and downright poor as they have shown at the World Cup here.

Malaysia have never finished last in any of the seven World Cups they’ve taken part in, finishing 11th twice – in 1973 (Amstelveen) and 1998 (Utrecht).

Ironically, both tournaments were held in Holland and each time it was the Dutch who became world champions.

National coach K. Dharmaraj, though disappointed with their performances thus far, hopes that his players will rise to the occasion and show the world the kind of hockey they are capable of playing.

“There is no doubt that we can play better ... I expect the players to do just that against South Africa,” he said.

Dharmaraj has had his hands full in getting the team ready over last two days. But even he knows that there’s nothing much he can do at this stage.

There are just too many weaknesses in the team: repeated mistakes, inability to stay within the structure, missing chances and, more importantly, constantly giving the ball away cheaply to their opponents.

Much has been said about the team’s inexperience as almost all the players have never featured in the World Cup before. On top of that, Malaysia are the lowest ranked team – at No. 13 – at the World Cup.

But does that justify their pathetic displays in The Hague?

“We have to review where it all went wrong or why the players could not maintain their structure in the games?

“For now, we have to stay focused and try as hard as we can. We have beaten South Africa before ... but that doesn’t mean we are the better side.

“However, it does give us a fair chance at beating them and end this tournament with a win,” said Dharmaraj.

The target for Malaysia was just a 10th placing. They’ve failed to achieve it.

All that’s left for them now is to play for their pride. Let’s see if they can salvage even that!

The Star of Malaysia



Tengku Ahmad desperate for a win

by S. Ramaguru
   
THE HAGUE: Malaysian forward Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin would gladly swap his first World Cup goal for a first win for the team.

Tengku Ahmad, who scored in the 5-2 defeat by Spain in their last Group A match on Monday.

“I’m pleased to have scored but it’s not something that I’d want to celebrate.

“I want to score goals but I also want to see the team win matches. So, to have lost all five matches is a huge disappointment. We did try our best, though,” he said.

Malaysia wretched run at the World Cup began with a 4-0 loss to Australia. They then lost to Belgium (5-2), England (2-0), India (3-1) and Spain (5-2).

“I have to admit that playing in the World Cup has been a overwhelming experience. It’s just not the same as in other tournaments.

“The crowd here is very supportive and you can also see that all the teams have come here with their best players.

“So, there are no easy matches,” he said.

Tengku Ahmad, 28, was lost for words when asked to explain the team’s loss of form at the World Cup.

“Other than inexperience, the team also lacked focused ... we also failed to play as a team,” he said.

“We tried hard but kept repeating our mistakes ... and we lost the ball too often as well.

“I really believe we will all learn from this outing. We finally got back into the World Cup and I think the challenge is to ensure that Malaysia continue to play at this level on a regular basis.”

The Star of Malaysia



The South African challenge

Combining career, college and hockey


(Photo: Stanislas Brochier)

The South African women’s team provided one of the upsets of the World Cup so far by eliminating England. However, the cheering crowds will not have been aware that several of the players had flown home to take crucial university exams in the middle of their final preparations. Unlike in many World Cup countries, the South African players have to combine work, college and international hockey at the same time.

Defender Quanita Bobbs, for example, took a 12 hour flight, sat a crucial university exam and then flew back to join her team mates in the Netherlands.

Bobbs, who is just 20, is one of a handful of South African players struggling to combine going to university with an international hockey career. “It is very hard at times,” she says in the team’s hotel, overlooking the beach at the Dutch resort of Kijkduin. “I try to go to every class I can and get ahead. When I flew back for my exam, I was studying on the plane.”

New level

The South African women’s team are lucky. At least they have a sponsor in the form of investment bank Investec, which has been on board since 2010 and has helped lift the women’s game to a new level. Investec’s support makes it possible for Bobbs and team mates Sulette Damons and Celia Evans to fly home to take exams, keep up their university careers and attend international training programmes.

In the men’s camp, things are different. “A few weeks before the World Cup, we did not now how were going to pay the men’s bills,” says Marisssa Langeni, chief executive of the South Africa Hockey Association, which has just three full-time staffers.

Enormous distances

Fabian Gregory, head coach of the South African men’s team, estimates his squad have spent just 29 days together in the run up to the World Cup, thanks to work commitments and the enormous distances which the players have to cover to meet up. “That’s been our preparation,” he says. “The others would be laughing at as. I’ve been talking to coaches here who see their teams three or four times a week. We see each other at a seven-day training camp.”

A full time sponsor, he says, would make all the difference. Some of the South African men work full time, others are breadwinners. “That puts them under huge financial pressure,” Gregory says. “Sometimes they have to pay for their flights to get to camp and pay for their meals.”

Paid per project

Yet as a team, Gregory says his lads are doing their utmost and are, after all, ranked 12th in the world. “If we had a full time sponsor we could easily be sixth to eighth,” he says. Gregory himself is not a full-time coach but gets paid per project, such as the World Cup.

Langeni recognizes that very few FIH members have national teams with semi-professional status and that puts the South African situation into perspective. “We appreciate where we are,” she says. “But South Africa is a huge country to run programmes that cover both urban and rural locations. Many villages don’t even have a football pitch.  Of course we still embrace grass. We can’t afford not to.”

School pitches

Nevertheless, hockey is a popular sport in South Africa and the association estimates around 250,000 people play. Largely school based, the country has some 200 artificial turf pitches. That is changing slowly. Government money has now been ring-fenced for sports, local councils have to spend some 15% of their budgets on sport and the association is working to develop hockey at a primary school level. “However,” says Langeni, ‘just think about how much talent we have missed along the way”.

Meanwhile, the 11th ranked South African women themselves are still glowing from their victory over the world’s number three England.  “Now we have a sponsor we are focusing more on what we can do and learning from the experiences we have had,” says Damons. “Now we are able to say we want to win games.”

FIH site



Down, but far from out

England may have had a bad tournament, but they retain their sense of humour


(Photo: Grant Treeby/Treebyimages)

It is no news to anyone that England women have had a disappointing tournament in The Hague. The team ranked number three in the world in the FIH World Rankings came to the Hockey World Cup with high hopes of a medal, but with only one win, they have finished bottom of the pool and face an ignominious 11th/12th classification match. They were defeated by the USA, China and South Africa, putting in performances against lower-ranked teams that were decidedly below par. Then the team put in a much better performance against Argentina, only to see a last minute goal rob them of a creditable draw against the reigning champions. The most recent 3-1 win against Germany is the silver lining on what has been a very dark cloud.

But while the outside world is seeing an England team that is demoralised, dejected and unable to put together the performance they know they are capable of, we have been talking to three of the players about what life is like on an international hockey tour – away from the pitch. How they prepare, how they pick themselves up after a defeat, how the group works. This is their journey in the Hague.

"The flight from Heathrow to Schiphol is just a short flight, but we were invited onto the flight deck to meet the captain," said defender Sally Walton. "It is always the same carnage at the airport, stick bags taped up, but this trip was made special because we were invited to the cockpit. We had to keep Sam (Quek) from pushing the 'eject' button. I was allowed to speak over the intercom to the passengers so I told them we would be "taking a sharp left, turning right and banking through the cloud. I'm not sure they would have felt all that confident after that!"

Once in the hotel the players had a chance to relax and get used to their surroundings. "We got to the hotel a week prior to the tournament. That gave us time to settle in and get used to our surroundings. During that time we did a lot of training, played some practice games and made sure that everyone was fit and raring to go," said Sally. The team physiotherapist was constantly on hand to treat injuries, to deal with any niggles and to "dole out some TLC (tender, loving care)". "It seemed like it was a long time spent in preparation for this tournament. It is a bit like Christmas Eve, waiting for the big day."

At their first visit to the Kyocera Stadium, Ashleigh and Sally were impressed. "It is really very professional," said Ashleigh. "Although it is a football stadium, there is all sorts of hockey things being put up and it is a really exciting place to be. There are 15,000 seats and when the Dutch are playing the whole place turns orange. For any opposition it is like playing in a cauldron of hate. Mind you, we often play in cauldrons of hate!"

Back at the hotel, the team found themselves in the unusual position of eating dinner at the same table as their opposition. "Let's just say there is a lot of watching going on." said captain Kate Richardson-Walsh, indicating the South African team sitting just a few seats away. "It is certainly difficult at times," says Ashleigh. "Some of the teams can be very arrogant, others are really friendly and respectful to each other."

To get privacy from the other teams, England women spend a lot of time socialising in a communal area and it is here that the players relax and forget the pressures of hockey. While formal meals are eaten alongside the other nations and it is all a very well-behaved occasion, it is here in a more relaxed environment that the players grab a snack, crack jokes, let their hair down and generally unwind. "A lot of our team need a steady supply of snacks," says Ashleigh. "Let's face it, they are a team of compulsive eaters," she jokes. The fact that three players, including Sally, celebrated their birthdays while in The Hague meant a steady supply of cake was assured.

As the tournament unfolded, and England posted one poor result,after another, how did the team pick themselves up to come out and play again? "The important thing was to focus on the performance, not the outcomes," said Ashleigh. "Let's face it, if we just looked at the result we probably wouldn't have wanted to turn up and play today (against Germany). But we have debriefs and we look at the things that went right, as well as the things that went wrong. It is really important to acknowledge the bad, but also the good. Of course this has been a terrible tournament for us, but this is still the team that won an Olympic bronze and a European Championship silver."

There have been moments of deep despair for England, with coach Jason Lee describing the team as "standing at the edge of a precipice," so how has that affected the team? Is it all long faces at the NH Atlantic hotel? "We have different ways of dealing with it," says Sally. "We always allow individuals to deal with it the way they want to. For some people that is very emotional, others will be very quiet. But there is a moment when we say "enough now" and that is the point we have to look forwards again. That is normally the morning after a game. We talk about the game but we make sure that no-one apportions blame unfairly."

And then there is the famous English sense of humour. "Of course we laugh at each other," says Ashleigh. "And because we know each other so well, because of our central programme, we know when it is the right time to take the piss. Take Lily Owsley, she has had a great tournament, she has been fearless on the pitch, and she is well-balanced enough to be able to take some jokes. She is the youngest member of the team, but she is really mature."

And while the women may be having their worst tournament in recent history they still have the men's team to cheer on in the semi-finals. "In many ways that provided us with a boost today," says Sally. "We watched them last night, and there is a group os WAGs in the squad – girls who go out with members of the boys team – so there were real screams when England scored the goal that put them in the semi-finals."

Results may not have gone England's way, but as Sam Quek points out: "One bad tournament doesn't turn us into a team of bad players. We are strong enough to re-group, re-focus and make sure that we never experience anything like this again."

FIH site



Hockey India to probe Indian team's debacle

BANGALORE: After the debacle, it's time for the inquisition.

Hockey India on Wednesday formed a 11-member committee comprising former greats to probe into the fiasco after the national team's fortunes experienced yet another free fall at the World Cup.

India, who ended fifth in Group A with a win, a draw and three losses, face Korea in the playoff for the 9-10 positions on Saturday. In the last edition in New Delhi, they had finished eighth overall.

The coaching and high performance evaluation committee -as it has been named -will hold a threeday meeting from June 30 at the Capital.

The panel consists of nine former players -Harbinder Singh, Ajit Pal Singh, Col Balbir Singh, BP Govinda, Ashok Kumar, SS Grewal, Jagbir Singh, AB Subbaiah and Samir Dad, a Sports Authority of India representative besides HI secretary-general Narinder Batra as the chairman. HI CEO Elena Norman is the convenor.

Batra said the post mortem has been necessitated "after observing the men's team's performance in the World Cup."

"We should be thankful to the team goalkeeper PR Sreejesh that we did not finish at the bottom of the pool to play for 11 and 12 positions. Nothing could have been worse than that," he said.

From now on, the committee will evaluate all events played by the national hockey teams and will also visit coaching camps "to see if the things are moving in the right direction". The meeting later this month will study detailed presentations from high performance director Roelant Oltmans, chief coach Terry Walsh and scientific advisor Mathew Eyles on India's preparation in the run-up to and during the World Cup.

The Times of India



England at the Masters World Cup


Masters World Cup 2014

While the World Cup has been going on, England has also fielded several teams at the Masters Hockey World Cup which is now in its final stages.

England features heavily in both the Masters World Cup and the Grand Masters World Cup (for teams aged 60+) - we've been playing in the Men's 40+, 45+, 50+ and 55+, and the Women's 40+, 50+ and 55+ as well. In the Grand Masters (taking place in the Hague), we've got teams in the Men's 60+. 65+, 70+ and 75+, as well as in the Women's 60+ division.

Our Men's O40s are currently first in their pool with an impressive 24 goals under their belts - in their game against Ghana they scored thirteen and only conceded one. The Men's O45s are on the same amount of points but they're second on goal difference with three games played.

The Men's O50s side has the most impressive sheet at this point in the tournament - they've won every game they've played with only the Netherlands left to face, but they're ahead after scoring an astounding 21 goals against Egypt. The O55s have also won every game in their pool, with two clean sheets against Italy and Wales.

In the Women's tournament the O40s and 45s have been put together, and we've got an O40s team out there. They've won one game and lost another, with one game left to go against the Netherlands O45s squad. Our Women's O50s squad has gone from strength to strength in their tournament, defeating every opponent that's come their way (including Australia, Ireland, the Netherlands and Wales), most recently defeating the USA 10-0. They're now into the finals, and we'll let you know how they get on once they've taken place.

The Women's O55 and 65 tournaments have also been merged into one, and with a team in both age categories they've already played each other. The O55s took no prisoners defeating the O60s 4-0 and taking all of the points, helping them to second place in the pool with two games left to go.

At the Grand Masters, England men have topped their pools in the O60s and O70s tournaments, coming second in the pools in the O65s and O75s divisions.

Grand Masters World Cup website

England Hockey Board Media release



Women's Masters defeated by the Dutch

Scotland's female Masters faced a tough challenge against the home side Holland. Roving reporters Janice Moir and Jill Reid provide us with details of the game which saw Scotland lose 4-0.

Scotland always knew the Dutch would be tough opposition, however the teams, including captain Ali Ramsay who was playing with a heavily strapped calf, started well and played some very good hockey. However the Dutch were too strong and by half time the Scots were down 0-3. Scotland failed to capitalise on their scoring opportunities, whilst Holland displayed their skills and how to be clinical in the D.

As both teams took to the field in the second half, Scotland were able to match the Dutch in many areas of play and were disappointed not to take advantage of the scoring opportunities they had. With a goal in the last few minutes Holland extended their lead by one more, rounding out the game with a final score of 0-4.

Despite the score line, this was a great performance by The Scots and although disappointed by the result heads are high as they move on to play RSA 45s.

Scottish Hockey Union media release



High hopes for Scotland's hockey teams on home soil


Scotland Women Vice-Captain Catriona Ralph poses for an iconic Team Scotland shot at the St.Andrew's Old Course. Credit: Alistair Devine

Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland (CGCS) today confirmed the selection of the Senior Men’s and Women’s Hockey Teams for Glasgow 2014, with exactly six weeks to go until their competitions begin.

Over 11 days of action, 20 teams will compete for two Gold medals and Scotland will be looking to use home support at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre at Glasgow Green, to build on their previous Games outings and be competitive against some of the top hockey nations in the world.

The men’s side will be led by Head Coach Derek Forsyth, who has held the post since the beginning of 2012, and was Assistant Coach in Delhi, 2010.

On his team’s selection he said: “The squad we’ve selected for the Commonwealth Games includes a number of talented and experienced players who we think will give us the best chance of hitting the targets we’ve set ourselves for the hockey competition. The players are looking forward to the challenge of playing the likes of Australia, South Africa and India in front of a home crowd and delivering good performances as a team.”

The 16-man squad contains six players each with over 100 caps for their country including Chris Nelson, William Marshall, Gareth Hall and Iain Scholefield.


Scotland will look to the experience of cap centurion William Marshall in Glasgow

Two sets of brothers will compete in Glasgow – Niall and Ross Stott, alongside Alan and David Forsyth.

Alan Forsyth and Kenny Bain are seen as the real goal threat for Scotland. GB player Chris Grassick will captain the side and makes his Commonwealth Games debut, bringing a wealth of knowledge to the midfield alongside fellow GB player, and double-Olympian Niall Stott who has now amassed 150 caps for Scotland.


Former Inverleith midfielder Chris Grassick will captain Scotland Senior Men

Scotland finished 9th in Delhi and will be looking to improve their position after credible showings recently against England, Argentina and Belgium at the Men’s 4 Nations in Glasgow and a series win over Wales.

For the women’s team, there are also a number of familiar and experienced faces in the line-up that were part of the team that finished 7th in Delhi four years ago and a side that is largely unchanged from that which competed in the FIH Champions Challenge in Glasgow just over a month ago, where they finished in 7th position.

Coached by Gordon Shepherd, the team is preparing for some tough opposition in Australia, England, Malaysia and local rivals Wales.

Shepherd said: “Before the team selection, all of the players demonstrated desire and commitment to producing high quality output during the full-time programme, making it extremely competitive for places in all positions when it came down to selecting the group for the Commonwealth Games. I have now selected a group of players that I believe gives Team Scotland the best chance of reaching the target we’ve set for the hockey competition and it is a squad that has valuable experience of competing at the highest level of international hockey.

“I fully believe this squad can build on its recent successes, including retaining its place in the European Championships last summer, to deliver good performances in front of thousands of Scotland supporters in Glasgow.”

Linda Clement will captain the team as she steps out for her fourth Commonwealth Games and has led the team in over 100 international matches.


Captain Linda Clement will appear in her fourth Commonwealth Games for Scotland in Glasgow

Key players in the midfield will be Great Britain internationals Vikki Bunce, Morag McLellan, Emily Maguire and Nikki Kidd. Kidd’s is particularly key with her role in the short-corner set-pieces and was ranked third in the English Premier League scoring charts this season and listed in the league’s Team of the Season.

At the back, Amy Gibson will provide a solid presence in goal supported by her defence that includes Catriona Ralph, Susan McGilveray and Leigh Fawcett.

In the final weeks of preparation, Scotland’s women will play a test series against Ireland and Spain on home soil this month before the men and women both travel to England to compete in the Investec Cup in early July.

Chef de Mission, Jon Doig congratulated the 32 Team Scotland athletes today saying: “Hockey is always a popular sport at the Games and I am delighted to announce two very strong sides to represent Scotland in the men’s and women’s competitions. The new facility at Glasgow Green provides a wonderful venue for our athletes to compete and for the home crowd to get behind them. The experience both sides have gained since their appearances in Delhi four years ago bodes well for top class performances when competition begins in just a few weeks time.”

Cabinet Secretary for Commonwealth Games and Sport, Shona Robison said: “Congratulations to the athletes who have been selected for the Team Scotland hockey squads. Stepping out in front of a passionate Scottish crowd at the National Hockey Centre, a fantastic Games legacy for the next hockey generation, cheering you on at a home Games will an unforgettable experience. Thanks to the support and expertise of the coaching staff these players are ready to compete in what will be the greatest Games ever.”

Louise Martin CBE, Chair of sportscotland, said: “Hockey is one of the most competitive sports at the Commonwealth Games and I delighted that such a talented group of athletes will represent Team Scotland at the Games.  Each player selected for both the men’s and women’s teams has truly earned their place and deserve congratulations.

“One of the main reasons we are able to prepare world-class athletes across a range of individual and team sports is because of the high performance support services provided by sportscotland.  In the case of women’s hockey, the team has been able to train full-time thanks to sportscotland funding through its athlete personal awards scheme (SAPAs).

“With world-class experts working with world-class athletes, we have every reason to be excited about Team Scotland’s prospects at what promises to be the best ever Games.”

Team Selections

Scotland Senior Men

Jamie Cachia
Michael Bremner
Daniel Coultas
David Forsyth
William Marshall
Chris Grassick
Gordon McIntyre
Chris Nelson
Nick Parkes
Iain Scholefield
Niall Stott
Ross Stott
Kenneth Bain
Alan Forsyth
Gareth Hall
Iain Moodie

Reserves:

Gary Cameron
Gavin Sommerville

Scotland Senior Women

Amy Gibson
Catriona Ralph
Leigh Fawcett
Rebecca Ward
Aileen Davis
Susan McGilveray
Emily Maguire
Nikki Kidd
Morag McLellan
Vikki Bunce
Nicola Skrastin
Linda Clement
Ailsa Wyllie
Sarah Robertson
Alison Bell
Nikki Lloyd

Reserves:

Nicola Cochrane
Rebecca Merchant
Alison Howie
Holly Cram

Scottish Hockey Union media release



Leicester Ladies victorious at home for the European Club Championship Trophy


Leicester Ladies win European Club Championship Trophy 2014

A day of sunshine and showers at Loughborough University saw the conclusion of the European Club Championship Trophy hosted by Leicester Ladies HC, with Leicester emerging as Champions.

New to organising European events, other than for juniors, Leicester HC found great partners in Loughborough University, its volunteers and those created by the London 2012 kitting out process, the Medal Makers. Torrential rain threatened a couple of matches but there were no stoppages and for the most part the sun shone and sun cream was more in evidence than brollies.

You can check out the EuroHockey Club Champions Trophy website to find out all of the scores from the tournament, and below we've got the match reports form the final day of games: Monday 9 June 2014.
http://eurohockey.org/competitions/eurohockey-club-champions-trophy-leicester-women-2014/
HC Victorya Smolevechi 0-6 Royal Antwerp HC

The side from Belarus conceded 20 goals in their three pool matches and, after an even start, soon found themselves in familiar territory in this competition. Royal Antwerp took the lead on 16 minutes through Frederiks with a good penalty corner strike. Three more first half goals followed, all in open play and all thanks to the tactic of playing defenders high with the keeper almost as a sweeper. Royal Antwerp's scorers were Duyck, de Goes and Bouche. The keepers changed at half time but not the tactics and the Belgian side added two more through Van Strydonck at a penalty corner and Gierts, the captain, in open play. Royal Antwerp finished in 7th place and Victorya Smolevechi in 8th.

HC Metrostroy 2-0 MSC Sumchanka

The side from St Petersburg in Russia ran out 2-0 winners over Ukrainian side Sumchanka in a high quality game to determine 5th and 6th placings. For much of the game the sides were evenly matched but Sumchanka could not find a breakthrough. Metrostroy went ahead in the 15th minute when Fedorova broke clear, drew the keeper and scored with a good shot from a narrow angle. Metrostroy sealed the win when Piotukh scored in the 37th minute. Try as they might Sumchanka could not get the goal their bright approach play merited so finished 6th with Metrostroy in 5th.

Loreto HC 1-1 CH SPV Complutense

The 3rd/4th match was end-to-end and fiercely contested between two proud sides representing Dublin and Madrid. Ascendancy swung each way with Complutense shading a goalless first half. The second half was a feisty affair with injuries, cards and a goal apiece: Lorenzo scored with a superb overhead shot in the 46th minute but ten minutes later Loreto equalised when Mulcahy deflected in at a penalty corner. With no further goals the match was decided from the 23 metre line with a penalty shoot out. Initially, Complutense held sway but Loreto came back, Complutense missed their final penalty and captain Hannah Matthews had the chance to win it for Loreto. She duly obliged to leave Loreto in 3rd place and an unlucky Complutense in 4th.

Leicester LHC 2-1 CSP Izmaylovo

The final saw hosts Leicester up against an impressive Izmaylovo from Moscow. Both teams had 100% records from the pool but Izmaylovo had scored very freely on their way to the final. Leicester began nervously in the sunshine in front of a big crowd and were behind in the 3rd minute when a rocket from Vasileva beat Tyrell at a penalty corner. For a few minutes it looked as though the Russians would blow Leicester away but soon it was the hosts dominating. Chances came and went but Hannah Fair levelled matters with a crashing shot from a penalty corner in the 29th minute. Leicester continued to press but the half time score was 1-1.

In the second half the pattern continued. Leicester's defence looked solid and their speedy forward caused Izmaylovo to give penalty corners away. In the 51st minute Katie Long's goal-bound shot hit a body and Fair stepped up to convert the penalty stroke. Izmaylovo stepped up their game but Leicester looked likelier to score. To the delight of a good crowd the game ended 2-1 and Leicester had won at last, having never got beyond silver medals in European competition before now.

The final rankings at the EuroHockey Club Trophy were:

    Leicester HC (ENG)
    CSP Izmaylovo (RUS)
    Loreto HC (IRL)
    C.H. SPV Complutense (ESP)
    HC Metrostroy (RUS)
    MSC Sumchanka (UKR)
    Royal Antwerp HC (BEL) Relegated to the EuroHockey Challenge I in 2015
    HC Victorya Smolevichi (BLR) Relegated to the EuroHockey Challenge I in 2015

England Hockey Board Media release



Notre Dame, Paradise claim league titles

Nigel Simon


Members of the Courts Malvern boys team and technical staff pose for a photo after crushing Fatima 7-0 in their penultimate T&T Hockey Board Under-19 match at the National Hockey Centre, Tacarigua, yesterday to clinch the divisional crown. Photo: Courtesy Sean Olton

Notre Dame Under-19 Girls and Paradise Trinity Men captured the last two titles at stake in the T&T Hockey Board League competition on the weekend in contrasting fashion.

At the National Hockey Centre, Tacarigua, the Dames battled to a 1-1 draw with title rivals Shandy Carib Magnolias to take the girls’ crown.

Notre Dame started the match at the top of the table with maximum 15 points from its previous five matches, three more than Magnolias which was deducted three points and had its 6-0 win from the previous week overturned to a 0-3 loss for using an over-age player, and needed only a draw to take top honours.

After a goalless first 35 minutes, the Dames looked set to do just that, when Grace Peru scored in the 42nd minute for a 1-0 lead. But with 14 minutes left in the match, Brianna Govia provided some hope for Magnolias when she tied up the score at 1-1.

However, the Dames managed to hold onto the one point and in the end claimed the title with 16 points and a 5-1 record, three more than Magnolias, who had only themselves to blame for the mishap a week earlier.

Over at the Dwight Yorke Stadium training field, Bacolet, Tobago, Paradise was awarded a default win over Courts Malvern to end with a perfect record of 27 points from nine matches, three more than Queen’s Park.

In the U-19 Boys Division, Malvern turned the tables on Paradise and strolled to a 5-1 victory led by a double from Isaiah Romeo to make certain of their crown with maximum 24 points from its eight outings.

Meanwhile, the Men and Women Championship Division “Big-Four” was expected to flick off last night with league champion Notre Dame (men) and Paragon (women) opening up against Defence Force and Notre Dame, respectively.

Tonight the competition will continue with Magnolias facing Courts Malvern women from 7 pm followed two hours later by Queen’s Park CC and Petrotrin men.

Tomorrow is a rest day while matches will continue on Saturday and Sunday from 2 pm and 1 pm, respectively.

On Saturday, Notre Dame meet Magnolias from 2 pm and Malvern faces Paragon at 6 pm in the women’s matches. In the men, Defence Force tackles Queen’s Park (4 pm) and Petrotrin comes up against Notre Dame (8 pm).

And on Sunday, Notre Dame lock horns with Malvern women from 1 pm and Paragon meets Magnolias at 5 pm while in the men, Petrotrin plays Defence Force (3 pm), and Notre Dame entertains Queen’s Park from 7 pm.

Among the sponsors are the Ministry of Sport, Sports Company of T&T (SPORTT), Blue Waters, First Citizens, Subway and Vemco Limited (Gatorade).

The Trinidad Guardian



Chile named host of Women’s Junior World Cup 2016

Women’s Junior World Cup 2016 set for 23 November to 4 December in Santiago


(Photo: Frank Uijlenbroek)

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has announced that the 2016 Women’s Junior World Cup has been awarded to Chile for the second time. The 16-team competition will take place from 23 November to 4 December at Hockey Club Manquehue.

Santiago previously hosted successful Junior World Cup event in 2005 at Hockey Club Manquehue. The venue boasts two high quality pitches and have been successful hosts to several international events.

“The Women’s Junior World Cup is a fantastic showcase for emerging talent,” said Leandro Negre, FIH President. “One of the things that most impresses me is the range of participating nations which represents the continuing global spread of women’s hockey. You only have to look back to 2005 know that Chile will once again provide a fantastic experience for both the athletes and the wider hockey family.”

There have been seven previous editions of the Women’s Junior World Cup, the first in 1989 in Canada, and every four years since 1993. The Netherlands have been crowned champions on three occasions, including back-to-back victories in 2009 and 2013, with Argentina picking up silver medals on both occasions. Korea also have a proud history in this tournament emerging as winners in both 2005 and 2009.

Chile have competed in four of the seven previous editions. Their highest finish was 10th in 2005, the first time they hosted the competition.

FIH site



Hockey's coming home

Excitement is building already as London prepares to host its first major international hockey event since the 2012 Olympics



Hockey is making a return to London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for the 2015 women's and men's EuroHockey Championships. The two competitions will run side-by-side over 10 days in August and the venue is Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, located on the former site of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The event’s website is now live at www.eurohockey2015.co.uk, and the schedule for the tournament has been released, which includes a Friday night start, and concludes with the women’s final for the first time.

More than 400 athletes and coaching staff will be involved in the event, which will see the top eight men's teams and the top eight women's teams in Europe fighting it out for the EuroHockey Championship crown. No-one who experienced the excitement generated in the Olympic Park in 2012 can fail to be excited at the prospect of top level hockey making a return to London.

The tournament, which takes place from Friday 21 August to Sunday 30 August 2015, will showcase the very best of European teams, highlighting the power and precision that is a pre-requisite of the modern game of hockey. It also promises a family-friendly environment with National pride on show in abundance.

Just looking at the teams who have already qualified will whet the appetite of hockey fans. Who could fail to be excited at the prospect of the Netherlands with their stylish, flowing hockey taking on the energy and flair of Italy; or the pin-point accuracy and focus of the Germans against the bustling and hustling of the Irish. The spread of hockey across Europe is mirrored by the presence of some exciting teams taking their place on the European stage among the established nations – Poland, Russia, France and Italy have been steadily developing the sport at the domestic club level and their presence at this prestigious tournament will add both intrigue and entertainment for the hockey-loving spectators.

And then there are the personalities involved. While no team will be anywhere near finalising squads until the summer of 2015, there is every reason to hope that among those athletes taking part will be some of the stars who have lit up the stage in The Hague at this year's Rabobank Hockey World Cup. Tom Boon (BEL), Christopher Ruhr (GER), George Pinner (ENG) and David Harte (IRE) are all likely to shine in the men's tournament; while on the women's side, Nina Hasselmann (GER), Roos Drost (NED), Lily Owsley (ENG) and Scotland's Emily McGuire could all have big tournaments.

Here is the complete list of nations that have qualified: Men: Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, England, Spain, Ireland, Russia and France. Women: Germany, England, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Scotland, Italy and Poland.

EuroHockey 2015 promises to be the perfect place to watch some truly world-class sport in a family-friendly atmosphere.

FIH site



Four new members of FIH Athletes’ Committee announced during Rabobank Hockey World Cup 2014

Marsha Cox, Anne Panter, Moritz Furste and Liam De Young elected to FIH Athletes' Committee


(Photo: Frank Uijlenbroek)

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is pleased to announce the names of two women and two men successfully elected to the FIH Athletes’ Committee during the Rabobank Hockey World Cup 2014. Whilst the FIH Athletes’ Committee has existed for some time, this was the first time that four of the eight seats have been elected by athletes. South Africa skipper Marsha Cox, England’s Anne Panter, Germany’s Moritz Furste and Australia’s Liam De Young were elected by the participating World Cup athletes.

“The new election process is part of our drive to better involve athletes in the growth of hockey,” said Leandro Negre, FIH President. “Our sport is growing with strong momentum at the moment and it is critical that we keep athletes close to our decision making. We are delighted with the outcome of this election and look forward to working more closely with Anne, Liam, Marsha and Moritz.”

Every National Association had the opportunity to nominate and this year’s candidates represented five continents. Of the 21 candidates nominated, four were current members of the Athletes’ Committee; eight are competing in the Rabobank Hockey World Cup 2014 and 15 are current players.

“Of 432 competing World Cup athletes, 92% have voted in the inaugural FIH Athletes’ Committee elections,” said Michael Green, who was renewed as Chair of the FIH Athletes’ Committee for another two years. “This shows just how important the FIH Athletes’ Committee is to our current players and how involved they want to be with the FIH. I am confident the four that have been elected in The Hague will be superb ambassadors and important contributors as we move forward.”

Marsha Cox is South Africa’s captain and has amassed over 330 international caps. Cox is a three-time Olympian, has now appeared in four World Cups and is the highest capped South African athlete across all sports codes. Also elected is England’s Anne Panter, who retired in early 2014 with 108 caps for Great Britain and a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics. Panter was an integral part of the national side for a decade, winning two European Championship bronze medals and a silver at the 2012 Champions Trophy.

Liam De Young recently surpassed the 300-mark for international caps with the Kookaburras. Medalling in all three of his last Olympic appearances, De Young is a core of the Australian midfield now with four World Cups under his belt and set to defend the Kookaburras’ 2010 World Cup title. Unable to participate in this year’s World Cup due to injury, Moritz Furste is no stranger amongst the hockey world. A two-time Olympic gold medallist, this German midfielder has 227 international caps and was named FIH Player of the year in 2012. He also boasts a gold medal from the 2006 World Cup.

The elected and appointed athletes will start their mandate in March 2015, while the FIH Executive Board expects to appoint three more candidates at Congress in November.

FIH site



Hockey kit drive helps poor kids

SIHLE MAVUSO

One of the participating teams in this year’s winter hockey festival will be the best performing club in the Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu area.

The chairperson of Riverside Hockey Club, Wayne Phillips, said that on youth day the club will hold its annual Mini Hockey Festival where the Kit for KwaMashu Kids programme will be launched.

Members of the Riverside club and other visiting clubs have been asked to bring old hockey kit to donate to the hockey players from the area.

“We’ve had a strong relationship with this hockey club since 2007 and donating unused hockey and other sporting equipment is one of our major ways of supporting them.”

He added that the team had done incredibly over the past few years with the under 12 boys team recently being selected by the Ethekwini municipality to take part in the world junior games in Austria later this month.

“The Kit for KwaMashu Kids campaign has boosted hockey in the Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu area, providing sporting opportunities for these previously disadvantaged communities.

Every set of shoes, shin pads and stick is used to recruit another child to hockey.”

As the province’s biggest mini-hockey festival, there will be more than 70 teams with players from the under nine, 11 and 13 age groups from surrounding clubs and communities joining in on the fun.

The New Age

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