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All the news for Friday 5 June 2015

HWL Semi Finals - Buenos Aires

June 4 Results

NZL 2 JPN 1
NED 4 EGY 0
CAN 3 AUT 0
ESP 1 GER 4

Pool A

Pool B

There is no FIH News report coming out of Buenos Aires at this time.

Another win for Black Sticks Men in Buenos Aires


Pictured: Ryan Archibald in action during today's game against Japan. Credit: Hernán Pablo Barrios

The Black Sticks Men have continued their winning ways at the FIH World League Semi-Final in Buenos Aires, clinching a 2-1 victory against Japan.

Today’s win puts the Kiwis on six points and places them in a strong position ahead of their next match against world No.2 the Netherlands at 5am on Monday (NZ time).

Assistant coach Bryce Collins says although Japan mounted a spirited comeback today, it’s pleasing that the Black Sticks did what was needed to hold onto the game.

“Going into this game we had a big focus on just improving our basics, playing with forward intent, and making sure our passing and receiving was as good as it could be. The speed and execution was much better than our match against Egypt and because of that we created a lot more chances,” said Collins.

“Our attack wasn’t as strong in the second half, but throughout that period I thought it was a committed and disciplined defensive display, and when we needed to scramble and get back, we did.”

Collins says the team are looking forward to their next match against the Dutch on Monday and the two day break will give them good time to prepare.

“The Dutch are obviously a high quality side and they are experts at creating and holding possession, so we will have to work hard to maintain possession when we have it. The guys are definitely up for this challenge - we can match them physically, we will have some chances, we can defend well  - it’s just about putting it all together – it’s a good test.”

In today’s game, the Black Sticks grabbed the lead in just the fourth minute when the Japanese defenders were caught off guard and North Harbour’s Steve Edwards tapped the ball over the line.

On the stats card, the Black Sticks were dominating in all areas of the game in the first quarter and it was only a matter of time before they doubled their lead. It happened in the 15th minute when a miss-trapped penalty corner was kept alive and captain Simon Child was perfectly positioned in front of the goal to deflect in his second of the tournament.

A spirited fightback from Japan at the end of the second quarter continued into the second half, but New Zealand were rock solid in defence with Southern’s Kane Russell and goalkeeper Devon Manchester both making critical saves in the third quarter and keeping the Kiwis in the game.

In the final quarter, Japan were rewarded for their attacking play in the 59th minute when Kenji Kitazato pegged one back, but with only a minute left on the clock it was too little, too late to find the equaliser.

The top three finishers from the tournament automatically qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics, with the top four progressing to the World League Final in India (28 Nov – 6 Dec, 2015). The Black Sticks Men now face the Dutch at 5am on Monday (NZ time) ahead of Korea at 9am on Wednesday before progressing to a must win quarter-final game on Friday 12 June.

RESULTS
Full time: 2-1
Half time: 2-0
Black Sticks goal scorers: Steve Edwards, Simon Child
Japan goal scorers: Kenji Kitazato

Hockey New Zealand Media release

Black Sticks battle past Japan at World League Semifinals to go two from two


Steve Edwards scored the opening goal against Japan. Fairfax NZ

The Black Sticks men's hockey team had to hold on bravely to beat Japan 2-1 at the FIH World League Semifinals tournament in Argentina.

The victory followed the 4-1 opening win over Egypt and was another step towards qualifying for the Rio Olympics.

The top three teams from this tournament earn automatic qualification for next year's games in Brazil.

New Zealand struck early against Japan with Steve Edwards scoring in the fourth minute.

Skipper Simon Child scored from a penalty corner at the end of a dominant opening quarter.

But New Zealand couldn't add any more goals and faded against a determined Japan side who eventually got on the board in the final minute through Kenji Kitazato.

Kane Russell and goalkeeper Devon Manchester starred as New Zealand's defensive effort proved vital over the back half of the game.

New Zealand assistant coach Bryce Collins said it was pleasing that the Black Sticks did what was needed to hold onto the game against a spirited Japanese fightback.

"Going into this game we had a big focus on just improving our basics, playing with forward intent, and making sure our passing and receiving was as good as it could be. The speed and execution was much better than our match against Egypt and because of that we created a lot more chances," Collins said.

"Our attack wasn't as strong in the second half, but throughout that period I thought it was a committed and disciplined defensive display, and when we needed to scramble and get back, we did."

New Zealand play world No 2 the Netherlands on Monday and Collins said the squad would welcome a break after two tough games on consecutive days. The Dutch would be a tough test.

"The Dutch are obviously a high quality side and they are experts at creating and holding possession, so we will have to work hard to maintain possession when we have it.

"The guys are definitely up for this challenge. We can match them physically, we will have some chances, we can defend well, it's just about putting it all together. It's a good test."

Stuff

Canada wins second straight at World League Semifinals with 3-0 shutout over Austria

Carter earns shutout and second win of the tournament

Shaheed Devji

It has been a dream start for Canada at the World League Semifinals.

After a 2-1 win over eleventh ranked Spain to open the tournament on Wednesday, the fifteenth ranked Canadian Men's Field Hockey Team followed up with a 3-0 shutout victory over Austria Thursday in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Canada knew exactly what they would be facing in the twenty-second ranked Austrians, who started the tournament with a 3-0 loss to host Argentina. And the Canadians executed their game plan to a tee en route to their second win of the tournament.

"We knew Austria would sit back and we just had to be really patient with our game plan," says Canada's goalkeeper David Carter, who was making his second straight start and earned his first shutout the tournament. "Once we put that first one in we knew they'd have to come at us in the third and fourth (quarters) and we were able to put two more goals in to seal the victory."

The first quarter was a feeling out process for both teams, with Austria sitting back and studying the Canadian offense, which was trying to find holes to break through Austria's defense.

Late in the second quarter, Canada began to find those holes thanks to some good ball movement and runs upfield by the Canadian forwards.

After some pressure in the Austrian end, veteran midfielder Mark Pearson picked up the ball and dragged a shot from the top left of the circle. The shot beat goalkeeper Mateusz Szymczyk, but there was some uncertainty whether Pearson released the ball inside or outside of the circle.

The umpires called for a video review and after some deliberation, the goal was confirmed and Canada took a 1-0 lead in the twenty-ninth minute.

Early in the second half, Canada thought they had their second of the match when captain Scott Tupper's hard low ball across the goal mouth was deflected in. The umpires once again needed to go to video review, but this time the replays showed the ball hitting and Austrian defender, not a Canadian stick, and therefore the goal was called off.

Canada had another chance to double their lead when Matthew Guest's point blank chance was stopped by Szymczyk.

At 1-0 and with Canada threatening to add to the lead, Austria began to press and that's when Carter was asked to stand tall.

After outnumbering Canada down low, Julius Heimans took a pass from across the net but a sliding Carter was able to turn the ball away, which would prove to be a momentum changer.

"I saw the player coming down on my left side, and out of the corner of my eye I saw the trailer who I thought he would pass it to," he recalls. "Luckily he did and I slid over and got my right pad on it."

"That’s what you have to do in my position. I'm always happy to get shots and help the team out."

Only moments later, in the forty-fourth minute, Canada cleared its own end by way of a great solo dash from Gabriel Ho-Garcia.

Garcia found a streaking Devohn Noronha-Teixeira, who - for the second game in row - found himself alone behind the opposition defenders. Noronha-Teixeira, running out of room, chipped the ball around the Austrian keeper and then tapped it in for Canada's second goal and his second of the tournament.

The game was never in doubt from that point, as Canada continued to press, eventually adding a third goal from Matthew Sarmento who beat Szymczyk with some nice hands on a clean break. Sarmento's first of the tournament in the sixtieth minute sealed the deal and Canada went on to victory.

The Canadians now have a day off before facing tournament host and the world's sixth ranked team, Argentina, who also beat Austria by a score of 3-0. The match can be watched live online via Star Sports at 2pm PT/5pm ET.

Field Hockey Canada media release

Hockeyroos World League Squad

Mariah Williams named in squad for Olympic qualification tilt in Belgium



With qualification for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on the line, the Hockeyroos will go into the World League Semi Final tournament in Antwerp with their strongest available line-up.

Captain Madonna Blyth is set to become the most capped Hockeyroo of all time as she closes in on fellow Queenslander Nikki Hudson’s 303-game record. Blyth, a two-time Olympian with 301 appearances under her belt, is likely to break Hudson’s record in Australia’s third match, against fierce rivals New Zealand.

At the other end of the experience spectrum, livewire forward Mariah Williams (pictured, above) has been called up for her first major FIH tournament following strong displays against China in Sydney and at the Hawke’s Bay Cup in New Zealand in April. Williams and fellow forward Kathryn Slattery are two of only three members of the side that were not part of the Hockeyroos’ World Cup or Commonwealth Games successes in 2014. The other is 206-times capped Teneal Attard, who missed much of last year through injury.

The Hockeyroos welcome back Anna Flanagan and Casey Sablowski, both of whom missed the April series while playing in the Dutch Hoofdklasse league for MOP and Pinoke respectively. All being well, Flanagan should make her 150th appearance for Australia in the Hockeyroos’ final clash.

Another athlete in line for a milestone appearance is goalkeeper Ashlee Wells with the Victorian two games short of her half century.

Hockeyroos Head Coach Adam Commens said of the selection, “We’ve opted for players who we have seen perform under pressure at high level tournaments in the past.

“Our objective is to win the tournament and that remains the objective for all of the competitions we enter, but qualification for the Olympic Games is front of mind.”

On the inclusion of Mariah Williams, the only member of the squad yet to experience a major international event, Commens said, “Mariah has performed well over the past six months and was well in contention for our World Cup squad a year ago before she succumbed to injury.

“It has been a highly competitive selection. We’ve picked this squad on past and recent international performances, as well as recent training form.

“Kate Hanna and Gabrielle Nance are unlucky not to have made it having performed really well in training and inter squad matches. They have a lot of potential but need to demonstrate they can take it into international games before playing in a major tournament. Add to that, players of the quality of Kate Jenner and Georgie Morgan have missed out and it demonstrates the depth of squad that we’re building.”

Australia must finish in the top three of the ten team competition, which runs from 20 June until 5 July, to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games. The Hockeyroos have been drawn with rivals New Zealand Black Sticks, hosts Belgium, India and Poland in Pool B. The Netherlands, Korea, Japan, Italy and Azerbaijan make up Pool A. Teams play their pool opponents once each with the top four in each pool qualifying for the quarter finals.

The other World League Semi Final tournament, featuring the likes of Argentina, Germany, Great Britain, China and USA takes place in Valencia from 10 June. The top three nations from that tournament will also qualify for the Olympic Games.

The team departs for Antwerp next Friday, 12 June, commencing their campaign on day two of the tournament, Sunday 21 June. They will play two uncapped practice matches, against Japan and Korea, in the days before the competition begins.

**Broadcast: At the time of publication the FIH is yet to inform Hockey Australia as to whether an Australian broadcaster will show the World League Semi Final. Regardless, Australian supporters will be able to watch the tournament via the FIH YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/fihockey.

HOCKEYROOS SQUAD FOR WORLD LEAGUE SEMI FINAL
ANTWERP, BELGIUM 20 JUNE – 5 JULY 2015
Athlete (Hometown, State) Caps/Goals
Teneal Attard (Mackay, QLD) 206/10
Madonna Blyth (Brisbane, QLD) 301/67
Edwina Bone (Evatt, ACT) 71/2
Jane Claxton (Adelaide, SA) 60/5
Kirstin Dwyer (Mackay, QLD) 73/2
Anna Flanagan (Canberra, ACT) 143/33
Jodie Kenny (Wamuran, QLD) 137/78
Rachael Lynch (Warrandyte, VIC) 122/0
Karri McMahon (Berri, SA) 63/6
Georgia Nanscawen (Melbourne, VIC) 155/30
Ashleigh Nelson (Wagin, WA) 175/63
Georgie Parker (Berri, SA) 77/24
Brooke Peris (Darwin, NT) 53/9
Casey Sablowski (South Coast, NSW) 222/44
Kathryn Slattery (South Stirling, WA) 15/4
Emily Smith (Crookwell, NSW) 117/48
Ashlee Wells (Morwell, VIC) 48/0
Mariah Williams (Parkes, NSW) 14/2

HOCKEYROOS FORTHCOMING FIXTURES
16 June – Hockeyroos v Japan (Uncapped Practice Match)
17 June – Hockeyroos v Korea (Uncapped Practice Match)
21 June – Hockeyroos v Poland (World League) – 18:00 AEST
25 June – Hockeyroos v Belgium (World League) – 02:00 AEST
26 June – Hockeyroos v New Zealand (World League) – 04:00 AEST
28 June – Hockeyroos v India (World League) – 01:00 AEST
30 June – Quarter Finals (World League)
2 July – Semi Finals (World League)
4 July – Medal Matches & Classification Matches (World League)

Hockey Australia media release

Bobby Crutchley announces Great Britain squad for World League


Ashley Jackson in action for Great Britain 2015

Great Britain Men’s Head Coach Bobby Crutchley has named a squad of 18 athletes ahead of the World League Semi-Final in Antwerp from 20 June- 5 July 2015.

Great Britain take on Australia in a two-test warm up series before heading to Belgium for the World League Semi-Final. At the tournament they will play European rivals and hosts Belgium in their opening pool game before facing Ireland, China and Malaysia to complete the group phase of the competition, with a place in the World League Final as well as Olympic Qualification up for grabs.

Great Britain squad – FIH world number 5

The Great Britain squad contains 14 athletes who competed at the Champions Trophy in December 2014; there are four changes to the group who finished seventh in the competition in Bhubaneshwar. The players to come in are Beeston’s David Ames who made his debut against Argentina after serving the qualifying period to become eligible for Great Britain, Harry Martin, who missed the Champions Trophy through injury, Wimbledon goalkeeper James Bailey and Reading’s Dan Shingles.

The players to miss out who travelled to the Champions Trophy are Ollie Willars, Paddy Smith, Tim Whiteman and Tom Carson.

Depending on the players selected for the two-test series against Australia June 13 and 15, there are a number of milestones on the horizon for the squad. Ashley Jackson’s 200th international cap will come in his next appearance as he currently has 199 to his name. Holcombe’s Iain Lewers has reached 45 Great Britain caps and is set to pass the 50 mark, whilst Harry Martin, currently on 42 Great Britain caps could reach 50 if he plays in the Australia game and then features in each of the games at the World League. Similar to Martin, Captain Barry Middleton could reach 350 combined international caps, as he currently has 342.

Quotes – Great Britain Head Coach Bobby Crutchley:

“I’m pleased with the way the squad has come together. There were some difficult decisions as the group is a little stronger than it has been in the past. A few players picked up injuries at the wrong time which impacted their chances of being picked, that is always disappointing but the squad’s trained well and we’re in pretty good shape.

Hopefully the matches against Australia will prepare us for the challenges ahead but we’re looking forward to it and looking forward to building on our previous performances.”

On the inclusion of David Ames for his first tournament for Great Britain:

“David’s trained with us for a while so he’s settled in nicely. He’s rarely flustered so he’s been very impressive in that respect but it’ll be a big tournament for him. He’s a quality player and it certainly makes us stronger having him in the squad.”

On Dan Shingles’ return from injury:

“Dan’s played well. Historically he’s struggled with injuries but he’s had a decent block of training and his performances have improved and been consistently high. A number of players are unlucky to miss out but Dan was one who made a strong case for himself after some good training.”

On Olympic qualification:

“You try to ignore it but you can’t because Olympic qualification is so important. This tournament is massive for us because the Europeans will be such a difficult competition to win. You can’t really rely on your continental championships so we’ve faced up to the fact that there’ll be pressure especially in the quarter finals. We have to be prepared to perform well. To give yourself the best chance of doing that you have to build momentum throughout the tournament. We have to play well in our group games and then that quarter final is a crunch match. If we can win that we are almost certain to be in the Olympics. If we don’t, we have a big task to find a way through.”

World League Semi-Final - Great Britain squad

Name         Club
David Ames, Beeston
James Bailey, Wimbledon
Alastair Brogdon, Wimbledon
Nick Catlin, Holcombe
David Condon, East Grinstead
Adam Dixon, Beeston
Dan Fox, Holcombe
Mark Gleghorne, East Grinstead
Chris Griffiths, East Grinstead
Michael Hoare, Wimbledon
Ashley Jackson, East Grinstead
Iain Lewers, Holcombe
Harry Martin, Beeston
Barry Middleton, Holcombe
George Pinner, Holcombe
Dan Shingles, Reading
Sam Ward, Beeston
Henry Weir, Wimbledon

Great Britain Hockey media release

Sunil, Kothajit ruled out of HWL semis

Harpreet Kaur Lamba

India were hit with injury worries ahead of the World Hockey League semi-finals, that gets under way in Belgium on June 20.

Striker S.V. Sunil and midfielder Kothajit Singh have been ruled out after suffering injuries at the ongoing preparatory camp, while midfielder Gurbaj Singh took a nasty blow on the nose three days ago and is currently under observation.

Sunil, who had earlier missed out on the Azlan Shah tournament in March, has
aggrevated a shin injury, while Kothajit was hit on the ankle during training and has been advised a few weeks’ rest. Both were part of the 18-member team announced last week.

Said a team official, "Sunil was recovering well and had begun proper training, but experienced sudden pain a few days ago. He will undergo further treatment and has thus been ruled out. Kothajit will need time to recover too."

Youngsters Satbir Singh (forward) and Devindar Walmiki (midfielder) are the likely replacements.
Gurbaj, however, is expected to travel with the team. The senior medio was injured when a Jasjit Singh shot hit him on the nose leading to stitches and a minor fracture.

The World League semi-finals - to be played in Antwerp from June 20 to July 5 - are also a qualifying event for the 2016 Olympics, and will see top teams in action.

The Asian Age

Athrens: Main focus on PC, long corners and set pieces

s2h team

NEW DELHI: With the team set to leave for the FIH World League Semifinals, Indian women's hockey chief coach Mathias Ahrens on Thursday said that his focus during the preparations was on improving penalty corner conversions and playing with more speed.

"We are in the final phase of preparation for the World League Semifinals and it is quiet a mixed feeling at the moment. We are focusing on fine tuning penalty corners, long corners and set pieces. The team is spending more time on speed which will help work on covering the distance," Ahrens said.

"The team today is strong on their counter attacks and our attack in the D is improving drastically. We are now focusing on things to come together and if we deliver then we are on track," he added.

Captain Ritu Rani said, "The team looks very confident under the new coach as we are learning and adapting to newer skills which will help us perform better in the opponent's D. We are positive to deliver the desired results."

The FIH Hockey World League Semifinal will be played from June 20 to July 4 in Antwerp, Belgium and 10 teams will take part in the tournament. India play their first match against Belgium on June 20.

Stick2Hockey.com

Deepika could recover in time for WHL semifinals: coach

Vice-captain Deepika’s hamstring injury is the Indian women’s hockey team’s major worry as it prepares for the FIH World Hockey League semifinal competition in Antwerp, Belgium. India will open its campaign against the host on June 20.

This tournament will also help to determine the qualifiers to the 2016 Rio Olympics. The 12-team Olympic event will involve the top seven sides in the World League, in addition to the continental champions.

Placed in Group-B with Australia, New Zealand, Poland and Belgium, India’s recently-appointed coach Mathias Ahrens acknowledged that a tough challenge faces him. The prospect only seemed more daunting in the wake of Deepika’s injury. However, the coach remains positive that the vice-captain will return to training at the start of next week.

“She is a central player for us. It’s unthinkable to play without Deepika. Plan-B is in our mind. But a Plan-B isn’t practical,” Ahrens said, adding that there is still time for Deepika to recover fully.

The Canadian is aware there’s a lot of work to be done on ‘Plan-A’ too.

“We are focusing on our penalty corners, long corners and set pieces. The team is spending more time on its speed, and it will help us to cover more distance. The team is strong on the counter attack, and our defence on the counter is improving drastically too. We are now focusing on things to come together, and if we deliver we are on the right track,” he said.

As part of its preparations in Belgium, India will play Italy and Japan in friendly matches. While tougher challenges await Ahrens’s side once the competition begins — the Canadian is mindful of World No.1, the Netherlands, in Group-A — he remains positive that India can compete with the likes of South Korea, Japan and Belgium on an equal footing.

South Korea has already qualified for the Olympics as Asia champion.

Skipper Ritu Rani believes that India possesses genuine hopes of qualifying if it can avoid conceding early goals, an issue that has troubled the side in the past.

On the positive side, the coach and his charges have taken a liking for each other in the early days of his tenure. Ahrens and Ritu were keen to stress that the group has hit the right notes in the little time spent together.

The Hindu

We're focussing on speed and penalty corner conversion: Coach

NEW DELHI: With the team set to leave for the FIH World League Semifinals, Indian women's hockey chief coach Mathias Ahrens on Thursday said that his focus during the preparations was on improving penalty corner conversions and playing with more speed.

"We are in the final phase of preparation for the World League Semifinals and it is quiet a mixed feeling at the moment. We are focusing on fine tuning penalty corners, long corners and set pieces. The team is spending more time on speed which will help work on covering the distance," Ahrens said.

"The team today is strong on their counter attacks and our attack in the D is improving drastically. We are now focusing on things to come together and if we deliver then we are on track," he added.

Captain Ritu Rani said, "The team looks very confident under the new coach as we are learning and adapting to newer skills which will help us perform better in the opponent's D. We are positive to deliver the desired results."

The FIH Hockey World League Semifinal will be played from June 20 to July 4 in Antwerp, Belgium and 10 teams will take part in the tournament. India play their first match against Belgium on June 20.

The Times of India

Shahnaz optimistic about cash rewards in lead-up to Olympic

Kashif Abbasi

ISLAMABAD: Hockey coach Shahnaz Sheikh is optimistic that the national team will get the long due cash rewards from the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) in the next few days.

“I have been assured by the IPC secretary that cash rewards will be given to the national squad before the players leave for Belgium to play Olympic qualifying round,” Shahnaz told Dawn here on Thursday.

He said that the national outfit won silver medals in the Champion Trophy and Asian Games last year but so far players were not awarded cash prizes in accordance with the Sports Policy which guarantees Rs1 million per player for each medal.

“No doubt, we have failed to grant cash prizes of Rs340 million on time to hockey players but now we are trying to release the amount in the next few days,” confirmed a senior Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) official who requested not to be named.

“This is high time for the government to grant cash rewards because it will motivate the players besides boosting their confidence in the Olympic qualifying round,” Shahanz said, adding that “the sports-loving IPC secretary will play his due role”.

Meanwhile, around 20 players reported to coach Shahnaz here at Naseer Bunda Stadium on Thursday as the training camp will start on Friday.

However, two players — goalkeeper Ali Haider and forward Atif Mustaq — out of total 30 probables will not attend the training camp due to their engagements in league matches in Doha, Qatar.

On the other hand, forward Rizwan Ali will be joining the camp on Sunday as he will be taking exams in the next two days.

“Twenty players have reported while the remaining will join us soon in the camp,” the head coach maintained while stating that the trials are likely to be conducted on June 11 or 12.

Dawn

Shahnaz eyes top three position in Olympic qualifiers

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan hockey team head coach Shahnaz Sheikh hopes his players will perform well in Olympic qualifiers and expects to three finish.

“Seeing the players’ passion and hard word, I am expecting top three finish, which will ensure our place in the 2016 Rio Olympics,” said Shahnaz while talking to The Nation. Twelve players along with head coach Shahnaz Sheikh, Danish Kaleem, Syed Abu Zar Umrao and Asad Abbas Shah Thursday reported for the one-week training camp at Pakistan Sports Complex Thursday. The training camp will continue till June 11, while two-day trials will be held on June 11 and 12 to select players for the Belgium-bound squad.

Shahnaz confirmed that 12 players along with other coaching staff reported Thursday. “The remaining are expected to report late Thursday night with the exception of three players, as striker Rizwan Ali is taking exams and will report on 6th, while two players full back Atif Mushtaq and goalkeeper M Ali are playing league in Doha, Qatar and ill not report. We will start full-fledge training from today (Friday). The morning session will start at 6am to 8am here at Naseer Bunda Stadium, while evening session will start from 4pm to 7pm at Army Hockey Stadium.”

“The purpose of conducting camp is to overcome minor flaws of the players which I observed during Hobart and Korean series. I am sure the boys will overcome those flaws in due course of time. The players have learnt a lot by featuring in the Australian and Korean events and it will make huge impact during competitive action in Olympic qualifiers,” he said.

“Chief selector Islahuddin Siddiqui along with PHF top brass will be present during two-day trails to be held on 11th and 12th to finalise the squad.
We will leave for Belgium on June 15 and will play two practice matches against Ireland on June 16 and 18 prior to first Olympic qualifier against Poland on June 20,” Shahnaz concluded.

The Nation

Wapda clinch Gold Cup hockey event


Multan: Wapda players celebrate with the trophy after winning the third All Pakistan Fatima Jinnah Women Gold Cup Hockey Tournament on Thursday. - APP

LAHORE: A goal each by Ambreen, Kalsoom and Azra Naz helped Wapda overcome Punjab University Club to win the final of the third All-Pakistan Fatima Jinnah Gold Cup Hockey Tournament by a close margin 3-2 at the District Hockey Ground, Multan on Thursday.

Wapda’s captain Amina Mir was instrumental in her team’s first two goals while Hina and Sehrish were outstanding for the PU Club.

Amina’s first straight hit from the 25-yard line in the 23rd minute was neatly deflected by Ambreen, the top scorer of the tournament, to give Wapda 1-0 lead. Amina again struck an accurate hit in the 31st which was ably deflected by Kalsoom to score the second goal for Wapda.

The drama reached its climax in the third quarter when PU Club trailing by two goals launched ferocious attacks amid short passes by Hina and Sehrish which surprised star-studded Wapda.

Hina took the ball in the 37th minute and dodged two defenders to enter the ‘D’ where her straight hit reduced the deficit. However, PU Club’s spirit was dampened when Wapda’s Azra scored the third goal for her team in the 43rd minute with PU Club’s Unaiza scoring later on the second goal for her team.

At 3-2 the match entered into an exciting stage as both teams fought hard to take control of the ball. Hina and Sehrish maintained their speed and stamina but their team-mates were slow to catch up on their pace which deprived PU Club to level the score.

Dawn

Wapda win Fatima Jinnah Gold Cup Hockey Tournament trophy

LAHORE - Pakistan Wapda struggled hard to beat Punjab University (PU) Club 3-2 in the final to clinch the 3rd All Pakistan Fatima Jinnah Gold Cup Hockey Tournament trophy at the District Hockey Ground Thursday.

Wapda team captain Amina Mir was instrumental in her team’s first two goals while for PU Club, Hina and Sehrish were outstanding.

It was a thrilling final which was played in heated atmosphere during which both teams demonstrated aggression in their frequent attacks and brilliance in their skill.

The electrified crowd cheered the players for their speed, dribbling and dodging efforts throughout the match.

Amina’s first straight hit from the 25 line in the 23rd minute was neatly deflected by Ambreen, the top scorer of the tournament, to give her team a goal lead.

In the 31st Amina again struck an accurate hit which was ably deflected by Kalsoom to score the second goal for their team.

The drama reached atop in the third quart when PU Club, trailing by two goals reorganized their ranks and launched ferocious attacks amid short passes by Hina and Sehrish which surprised star studded Wapda greatly.
They fought like tigresses.

In the 37th minute, Hina took the ball, dodged two defenders to enter the D where her straight hit reduced the deficit.

In the 43rd minute, Azra Naz scored the third goal for Wapda.

Unaiza of PU Club scored the second goal for her team.

At 3-2, the match entered an exciting stage as both the teams fought hard to take control of the ball.

Hina and Sehrish maintained their speed and stamina while their colleagues were slow to move with their pace which deprived PU Club to level the score in the 56th minute.

Kamran Hussain and Zahid Hameed supervised the match.

The Nation

Dar Hockey Club to tour Holland, Belgium

LAHORE: The Dar Hockey Club squad will tour Holland and Belgium from June 7 to 18 to play eight matches in the European countries.

The team is being led by Umair Aziz while Mohammad Asif is his deputy.

Punjab Sports Board director general Usman Anwar met the touring side at the National Hockey Stadium and advised them to maintain discipline, besides giving good performance, on the tour.

It is the fourth tour of the Dar Hockey Club to Europe. The club has produced a good number of players for Pakistan. Olympian Tauqir Dar is running the club.

According to the schedule, the club will play six matches in a seven-nation youth hockey tournament in Amsterdam.

Squad:

Umair Aziz (captain), Mohammad Asif (vice-captain), Waqar, Awais, Usman, Gul Sher Khan, Usman Jr, Zeeshan, Aqeel, Zulqarnain, Mobashir, Asad Ali, Shahzaib, Haider, Saqib.

Umar Farooq (chef de mission); Rao Aamir Sohail (deputy chef de mission).

Team management:

Irfan Zia Butt (manager); Ejaz, Waqas Butt (coaches).

Dawn

Field Hockey Participation Rates in the United States


Image Credit: USA Today

There is no doubt that field hockey participation is much larger internationally than in the United States. For countries like India and Australia, it's considered the unofficial national sport. More so, for Pakistan, field hockey is the national sport!

Not only is overall participation in field hockey significantly lower in the U.S. than the rest of its economic counterparts, but participation rates by gender are also disproportional.

Thanks to our friends over at Field Hockey Review for diving into this topic!

In the United States, field hockey is a sport mostly dominated by females. In an annual study conducted by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), they reported on the 2014 field hockey participation rates in the U.S. In the study, they measure the amount of schools currently sponsoring field hockey, as well as the total number of students participating in field hockey. In addition, they break down these figures by gender. Take a look at the results:

US Schools Sponsoring Field Hockey:
Boys: 5
Girls: 1,795

US Field Hockey Participants:
Boys: 159
Girls: 61,471

In the United States, there are team sports with traditionally higher participation rates by gender. For example, volleyball and field hockey are both two sports heavily dominated by females in terms of participation rates. It's very uncommon to find schools in the United States with boys volleyball or field hockey teams.

Vice versa, American football and wrestling are two sports heavily dominated by males, with very low female participation and sponsorship rates.

Why Men Play Less Field Hockey than Women in the United States

We must begin by stating there are many factors to consider as to why some sports are more popular than others. We'll touch on a couple of obvious ones.

A cultural tie to existing widespread sports in the United States is one reason. American football and baseball have dominated the United States consumer market for the better part of a century. In fact, baseball is considered "America's passing time," and American football has the highest boys participants of any sport. The cultural ties to these sports run very deep for the American people, allowing few other sports to become as widespread.

The time of season these sports are played is another important factor to consider. In the United States, field hockey is played in the fall (August-October). Coincidentally American football is also played in the fall, with practice and tryouts beginning much earlier in the summer. Additionally, the United States has scattered climates, with over 75% of the country going through cold winters with low temperatures. In turn, field hockey is played the most in Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia, three states who's temperature stays mildly warm year around.

All of this is not to say field hockey will never grow in the United States. In fact, fast paced sports like Lacrosse have been spreading rapidly through the United States for the past twenty years.

Will field hockey ever make a push for higher participation rates in the United States? Realistically, we will continue to see a small, but incremental increase in female participation rates. On the male side, we could foresee a moderate push in adoption rates, but nowhere near females.

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