Welcome to the Fieldhockey.com Archives

All the news for Wednesday 25 February 2015

HIL-2015: Eclipsed by World Cup Fever

By S.Thyagarajan

Submerged in the avalanche of words that formed as the countdown for the cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in every sphere of the media, it is no surprise the third edition of the Hockey India League (HIL) sailed through a prosaic phase.

The glamour and gaiety associated with it in the last two chapters were not conspicuous. The die-hard aficionados however kept up the tempo even though it looked somewhat artificial. An element of euphoria was injected into the final round contests in Delhi last weekend.

Ranchi Rays, the new entrant, supported by the cricket icon, M.S.Dhoni, did the owner proud by winning the title and the huge bonanza of a cash award of 2.5 Crores.

Notwithstanding two defeats in the league compared to the one by Punjab Warriors, the Ranchi outfit managed to cross the post finally with a 3-2 verdict against the Punjab Warriors in the tiebreaker. That the final stages had to be determined in the tiebreaker mode reflected the closeness of the contests.

England’s star performer, Ashley Jackson, emerged as the hero of the HIL-2015 with a tally of 12 goals. A gifted all rounder who plays as a forward and also a penalty corner striker, Ashley has always been a utility player who can be described as brilliant.

It is somewhat of an irony that the foreign players came off better than domestic stars in this year’s competition. Harampreet Singh of Deebang Mumbai earned the distinction as the most promising player.

What is some concern to the hockey fraternity is that the HIL is yet to get the pan India image. Of the six teams in the fray, three were from North Indian centres, Punjab, Delhi and UP, one each from Mumbai, Orissa and Jharkhand.

The Southern part of India is totally absent in the system, although states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and even Andhra/Telengana, have a fairly good wealth of talent.

A sincere effort was made to create a franchise from Tamil Nadu (Chennai) did not succeed as the unit concerned could not meet the financial demands of Hockey India.

Some moves must be made in the direction of involving states from this region. There is hope that Hockey India will work in this direction in increasing the number of franchises so that two states TN and Karnataka come part of this prestigious event.

Fieldhockey.com exclusive

Hockey India League 2015

By B G Joshi

The final results and tables from the HHIL2015

The Results

Gold Medal: Ranchi Rays beat Punjab Warriors 2-2 (shoot out 3-2)

Bronze Medal: Delhi Waveriders beat UP Wizards 2-1

Semi finals: Ranchi Rays beat UP Wizards 1-1(shoot out 9-8), Punjab Warriors beat Delhi Waveriders 2-0

League Table

 Points: 5 for wins; 2 for draw;1 if team loses by not more than 2 goal difference

Top Scorers: Ashley Jackson(Ranchi Rays)-12 goals

Awards: Winner: Ranchi Rays(Rs 2.5 Crore);Runners Up: Punjab Warriors(Rs 1.25 Crore);

Bronze Medal: Delhi Waveriders(Rs 75 Lakh);Player of the league: Ashley Jackson(Ranchi Rays, Rs 25 Lakh);Most Promising Player:Harmanpreet Singh(Dabang Mumbai, Rs 20 Lakh);Motivator of the league:PR Sreejesh(UP Wizards,Rs 20 Lakh).

Fieldhockey.com exclusive

Mixed fortunes for English sides in Europe

Abi Harper and Emily Maguire celebrate a goal for Reading

With the outdoor season now back in full swing it means the curtain has come down on the indoor campaigns for another year. With the domestic finals done and dusted at the end of January, attention turned to East Grinstead and Reading, England’s two representatives in the European Indoor competitions.

First up were East Grinstead who travelled to Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany to take their place in the EuroHockey Indoor Club Champions Cup. Drawn in a tough pool with the hosts and eventual winners, HTC Uhlenhorst Mülheim, A C.H. SPV Complutense and HC Rotweiss Wettingen, the Sussex side started with defeats against Mülheim (11-4) and Wettingen (3-4) before picking up a vital win in their last pool game against Complutense thanks to goals from Simon Faulkner, Andy Bull, Chris Griffiths and David Condon. That win took them into the second pool stage with renewed confidence as they aimed to avoid relegation for next year’s European Indoor Competition.

A disciplined and clinical display from the Saint Hill outfit and a hat-trick from David Condon ensured Scott Ashdown’s side picked up an 8-3 win over Dinamo Stroitel Ekaterinburg, which meant their fate rested in their own hands in their final match against Royal HC Namur. The game turned out to be a spectacular display of end to end hockey, with England defender Andy Bull scoring a hat-trick in an exciting 6-6 draw. The result meant that East Grinstead maintained their place in the EuroHockey Indoor Club Champions Cup for next season, where they will once again be England’s representatives.

Reading travelled to Siauliai, Lithuania to compete in the EuroHockey Indoor Club Champions Cup. Like East Grinstead, they faced a tough pool stage, lining up against UHC Hamburg (the eventual champions), ‘s-Hertogenbosch and MSC Sumchanka. The Sonning Lane side held a one-goal advantage in their first game against ‘s-Hertogenbosch thanks to a strike from Wiz Hunt right up until the second half when the Dutch side equalised, eventually going to on to win 4-1.

Their second game against MSC Sumchanka resulted in a 4-2 loss, despite goals from Emily Maguire and Emma Thomas and then the last pool game against Hamburg, four goals in the last three minutes put a slightly flattering gloss on the score as Emma Thomas’ side went down 8-1. The defeats meant they would play in the relegation pool in a bid to preserve their status for next year’s English representatives, Bowdon Hightown.

They started their survival bid well with a 6-1 win over Cambrai HC thanks to doubles from Emily Maguire, Elspeth Cockburn and further goals from Hunt and Ashlie Caddick. However in their final game their small squad and the absence of skipper Thomas through injury finally took its toll as they slipped to a 3-2 defeat. The loss came thanks to a last minute winner from Gintra Strekte Uni HC’s Samanta Jakoliovaite. Reading's fate was sealed and despite a brave effort, it means Bowdon Hightown will represent England in the competition below, next season.

All the results and scorers from East Grinstead’s European campaign can be found here. All the details of Reading’s efforts are here.

England Hockey Board Media release
 

How KHU bungled Rio qualifiers

By BRIAN YONGA


The national women’s hockey team at City Park after winning the World League One Series at City Park Stadium on September 7. They had a disastrous outing in Montevideo, Uruguay, last week. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

It was meant to be a golden opportunity for the national women’s hockey team to battle it out with the world’s best in the quest for an Olympic spot. Sadly, it turned out to be a disaster.

Kenya finished last at the World League Two Series in Uruguay, which ended on Sunday, failing to win a single match, scoring just a single goal. Kenya even forfeited two matches!

Daily Nation Sport can today reveal how the Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) cost the national team a place in the last round of the Olympic qualifiers due to sheer incompetence.

It was all joy when Kenya won the first round of the Rio 2016 qualifiers last September after beating Ghana and Tanzania in Nairobi. At the time, it was expected that the union would embark on preparations for the second round qualifier. It turned out to be a bad dream.

After the league ended in December, KHU found it difficult to organise a national team training camp due to allowances owed to players from the World League One Series.

“We will replace any player who does not show up for training for whatsoever reason, the country has a lot of talented players who can represent it,” said KHU chairman Nashon Randiek, at the time, when asked about players boycotting  training over unpaid allowances.

The year ended without any meaningful preparations for the Uruguay qualifiers. Italy, who won the event on Sunday, went into residential training last September.

BOYCOTTED TRAINING

Things did not improve at the start of this year as KHU invited players for an open national team training session. The first two weeks of training were discouraging for the coaches as only a handful of players showed up.

One particular session saw only a single player show up with the rest staying away over allowances. The union was also unable to name a provisional squad to go into residential training as it was broke. More drama unfolded with a week to the event. The union said the government was yet to release the Sh17 million needed for the team’s travel, accommodation and allowances.

As of Tuesday, February 10, the team’s participation to the event was unclear with players in a state of limbo on the day of travel. The girls were informed they would leave on Thursday, February 12, but that was not to be as the trip looked in doubt. KHU had also not released the travelling squad.

The list was eventually released on Thursday night. But the list was comical. It had names of players who have since retired from national duty and others who had been dropped.

The team left Nairobi for Montevideo on Saturday morning without the Sh5 million meant for accommodation and food.

They were to fly to Addis Ababa, then Rio de Janeiro where they would connect to Sao Paulo, and eventually, Montevideo. The girls arrived in Sao Paulo on Sunday and that is where things got thick.

According to one of the players, no arrangements had been done for their flight to Montevideo.

The available flight could only take half the team.

“It was decided that half the team flies to Montevideo with the rest joining them later. Surprisingly, all the five KHU officials were in the advance party. The remaining group was left leaderless and cashless.

We had to fend for ourselves.

“With all the kidnappings in Brazil, the thought of us stranded in a faraway foreign city was distressing. What if one of us fell ill?” posed the player, who did not wish to be named.

Why some of the officials could not remain behind is the subject of speculation, leaving behind young girls in a dangerous South American city. By Monday, February 16, the team had already missed two matches. They went on to lose all their remaining fixtures. Coach Jos Openda, speaking after their last game against Dominican Republic, said the team was not in the “right frame of mind” due to many disruptions.

Kenya still has a chance to make it to next year’s Olympics if they win the continental qualifiers set for later this year but with such a union, one wonders if that will be possible.

Daily Nation

National hockey ‘keeper Kumar is one busy bee

By Aftar Singh


National hockey team goalkeeper S. Kumar in action during the World Cup match against Belgium at The Hague, Holland last year. - Filepic

KUALA LUMPUR: Goalkeeper S. Kumar just can’t seem to get enough of playing in the Hockey India League (HIL).

Having just finished helping Uttar Pradesh Wizards to a third placing in the HIL on Sunday, he is already looking forward to playing for the team for a fourth consecutive time next year.

Six teams featured in the HIL, the richest league in the world, with the Punjab Warriors ending up champions, Ranchi Rays second and Delhi Waveriders fourth.

In the overall semi-finals, Wizards lost to Ranchi Rays 12-11 in a penalty shootout after both teams failed to break the 1-1 deadlock.

In the playoff for the third placing, Wizards lost to Delhi Waveriders 2-1.

Kumar said in a telephone interview on Monday that “I gained a lot of experience playing in the HIL as it featured some of the world best players”.

“It’s a very competitive league. We had a good team ... but were unlucky to lose in the semi-finals to Ranchi in the shootout,” said Kumar, who will only return to Malaysia on Saturday as he has stayed back to perform his prayers.

“I’m looking forward to featuring in the HIL for the fourth time next year.”

Kumar also said that he plans to take a break from hockey “as I’ve been playing non-stop since last month”.

Kumar featured in the World League Second Round in Singapore from Jan 17-25. Malaysia emerged champions to qualify for the World League Semi-Finals in Belgium from June 20-July 5.

Two days after the Singapore tournament, he left to India to play in the HIL.

There are 35 players currently in the national training squad and 20 will be picked this week to play in the five friendlies against Australia in Perth next month.

Kumar is only expected to join training in mid-March.

Forward Faizal Saari, who won the best player and top scorer awards in the World League Second Round in Singapore last month, will report for training on Wednesday.

The 24-year-old Faizal has not attended training since Feb 6 as he was busy helping his parents clean up their house in Kuala Terengganu, which was badly affected by floods recently.

The Star of Malaysia

Another high performance from Powell

Double gold medallist joins coaching elite, as FIH pushes for more top level female coaches.


(Photo: Hockey Australia )

Katrina Powell has always pushed herself, two Olympic gold medals is testament to that. And now the former Hockeyroo is leading by example as she works her way to the top ranks of hockey coaching, with the ultimate aim of coaching a senior international team.

 “I am forever asking more of my athletes and pushing them to be better, and so I must also ask the same of myself,” said Katrina. “The better coach, communicator and person I can be, the better I can assist them in obtaining their hockey and life goals.”

 Katrina won her first gold medal in 1996, and played in two subsequent Olympic Games, winning her second gold in front of a home crowd at the 2000 Sydney Games. She represented Australia 252 times, scoring a tremendous 141 goals. Since retirement tom playing, she has been steadily working up the coaching ladder and is now one of the few women to hold the FIH High Performance Coach badge.

Currently, Katrina is in charge of the New South Wales Institute of Sport women’s programme, a role that enables her to work with some very talented athletes, both junior and senior international prospects. Prior to that she was working with the Australian National Juniors.

 A quick look towards the coaching benches at the 2014 Hockey World Cup indicates what a rarity Katrina has become. The only women on the coaching staff for the top 12 women’s teams are Janneke Schopman and Karen Brown of Team USA and Great Britain respectively. They are both assistant coaches.

 Katrina says the lack of top female coaches can largely be attributed to family demands. “Coaching is very much a full time job. When you are an athlete, it is a 24/7 requirement, and in order to support and develop our best, this requires a high level of commitment and investment from those who coach them. I think traditionally when women have families of their own, this can understandably take priority. Therefore the itinerant nature and the need to travel regularly can make this very difficult for women to commit.”

 “The game of hockey also evolves very quickly, so I think that when women have stepped away from the game to have a family, this makes it harder to come back and transition immediately in the area of technical application and game strategy.”

 Katrina says the FIH High Performance course was demanding, and that the time it took to complete the award might be inhibiting for some women, but, she added: “I really enjoyed the hours spent both preparing for, and actually on the course. The Master Coaches running the course all did a fantastic job and it was brilliant to have them there for discussions, as a sounding board and also providing feedback. I found every minute valuable and a very efficient and rewarding spend of my time and energy.”

Steve Jaspan is chair of the FIH High Performance and Coaching Panel. He says that despite FIH being recognised as one of the leading International Federations when it comes to promoting female coaches, the organisation still feels it can do more.

 He says: “The FIH, via the High Performance and Coaching Panel (HP&C), has started a campaign and a programme to nurture and develop female coaches, especially at the higher levels of the game and intensify existing FIH initiatives to support women in hockey generally.”

 Currently there are 10 women who have achieved the same level as Katrina, and only one Master Coach is a woman but Steve does not think this will be the case for long. He cites both Katrina and Karen Brown as potential Master Coaches.

 The chair of the HP&C Panel agrees with Katrina that family commitments might be an inhibiting factor, but he also points to the need for holistic support from within the national hockey associations. He praised some nations for their approach: “The Netherlands, Scotland, England, Australia spring to mind as some of the nations that have prioritised this important aspect of the game (elite female coaches) but there are many other National Associations who have now placed this very high on their agendas and in their strategic plans.”

 Katrina acknowledges the support of her employers at NSWIS and Hockey Australia in achieving the High Performance Coaching award, and explains how the experience will help her as a coach: “The key advantage for me being involved on the High Performance coaching course was the exposure to the current tactical, physical and technical practices of international hockey and the ability to dissect this with colleagues from all over the world. This allowed me to get out of the Australian hockey system and my own closed training environment to see what is being done elsewhere and what may be of use to my athletes.”

FIH site