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News for 30 October 2015

All the news for Friday 30 October 2015


Alegre earns Spain draw against Belgium

Spain and Belgium shared a 2-2 draw in San Cugat to complete their midweek series with the latter getting used to life under new coach Shane McLeod.

Simon Gougnard opened the scoring after just two minutes before David Alegre equalised for the hosts. The Red Lions went back in front via Florent van Aubel but Alegre equalised once more to earn the share of the spoils.

“It was not a terrible performance,” said Belgian player Gauthier Boccard.“For our first game with new tactics to apply, we mainly tried to put some new things in place.

“It worked from time to time but we must try to repeat it more often and, above all, be much more specific in our choices in possession. "

Spain will regroup in late November and early December at the same venue for a series against Ireland.

Euro Hockey League media release



Hawgood appointed chief coach of Indian women's hockey team


Hawgood had earlier also served as the chief coach of the women's national team. (TNN Photo)

NEW DELHI: Hockey India (HI) has announced the return of Neil Hawgood as the chief coach of the Indian women's hockey team ahead of next year's Rio Olympics.

Hawgood had earlier also served as the chief coach of the women's national team.

"Working with the Indian women's hockey team has been a great experience. I am extremely proud of their performance and am glad that they secured a spot for themselves for the Rio Olympics 2016. It's their hard work that has brought them here, and I hope to add value to them and take them to the next level which they and this nation aspires to see them in," Hawgood, who had represented Australian hockey team from 1985-1991, said.

It was during Hawgood's regime that the team won the Hockey World League Round 2 in 2013, silver in the Asian Champions Trophy, bronze medal at Asian Games 2014 and bagged 5th position at Commonwealth Games 2014.

"We are happy to have Neil Hawgood back with us on board as a coach for the Indian Women's hockey program. Under Neil's able leadership, the Indian women's hockey team had progressed extremely well in the last two-and-half years and we look forward to a similar and much enhanced result in Indian hockey team's ranking and performance," Narinder Batra, HI President, said.

Currently ranked 13th in the world, the Indian women's hockey team has qualified for Olympics after a long gap of 36 years.

The Times of India



Neil Hawgood back with Indian Women



New Delhi: In a surprise move, Hockey India has again roped in former chief coach of women hockey team, Neil Hawgood to fortify preparation process of the team for the Rio Olympics 2016.

He is expected to join the coaching team consisting of CR Kumar (India) and Mathias Ahrens (Canada).

Neil succeeded CR Kumar as chief coach two years ago after Indian women failed to win the home OQ (HWL R2)in 2012. During his two-year tenure Indian women's team had won the Hockey World League Round 2 (2013), Silver in the Asian Champions Trophy, bronze medal at Asian Games 2014 and also bagged 5th position at Commonwealth Games 2014.

Neil Hawgood, has an impressive biodata as a player.

He represented Australia from 1985-1991.

It was during this time that Australia won Gold and Bronze Medals in the 1986 and 1990 FIH World Cup’s respectively. He has also represented Australia in the Champions Trophy and in the Seoul Olympics 1988 where Australia finished fourth. He in his other assignments has represented the Australian Institute of Sport and various local field hockey clubs from Queensland and Brisbane.

He embarked on his coaching career from 1993 where his most notable assignments have been as the Assistant Coach of the Australian Women’s team, Head Coach of the Malaysian hockey team, and Chief Coach of the Indian Senior and Junior women’s team from 2012-2014. Neil also has been the full time hockey coach for West Australian Institute of Sport, both men’s and women’s program.

Neil Hawgood said, “Working with the Indian Women’s Hockey team has been a great experience. I am extremely proud of their performance and am glad that they secured a spot for themselves for the Rio Olympics 2016. It’s their hard work that has brought them here, and I hope to add value to them and take them to the next level which they and this nation aspires to see them in.”

Narinder Dhruv Batra, President, Hockey India said, “We are happy to have Neil Hawgood back with us on board as a Coach for the Indian Women’s Hockey Program. Under Neil’s able leadership, the Indian women’s hockey team had progressed extremely well in the last two-and-half years and we look forward to a similar and much enhanced result in Indian Hockey Team’s ranking and performance.”

Stick2Hockey.com



Greenfield African Hockey Championship 2015 Day 7

Ghana and South Africa men reach African Hockey Championship Semi-Finals

Nigeria and South Africa women pick up big wins in African Hockey Championship

SA Women’s hockey v Kenya

Matharu backs Kenyan men’s hockey team as girls fall to SA

SA hockey teams maintain 100% Africa Championships record

Ghana Hockey teams shine in Jo'burg

Good lessons in defeat - Ghana Hockey veep



Scotland Senior Women to play Ireland in three match series in Glasgow

Following this summer's European Championship campaign in London, Scotland Senior Women return to the international stage against Ireland at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre.

The three match international series will take place from Monday 2 November to Wednesday 4 November.

In keeping with recent autumn international series, Head Coach Gordon Shepherd has drafted in four new caps to play the Irish, with Karin Belch, Jayne McLaughlin, Lucy Camlin and Emily Newlands presented with the possibility of playing their first senior international matches.

Entry for spectators is free of charge.

Scotland Senior Women squad

 

No.

Surname

First Name

Caps

1

Eadie

Jennifer

10

2

Cochrane

Nicola

30

4

Belch

Karin

0

9

Robertson

Katie

1

11

McLaughlin

Jayne

0

12

Camlin

Lucy

0

14

Marshall

Kareena

92

16

Merchant

Rebecca

102

17

Kidd

Nikki

167

18

McGilveray

Susan

86

19

Lloyd

Nikki

76

20

Brown

Millie

6

21

Howie

Alison

55

22

Skrastin

Nicola

72

24

Bruce

Fiona

16

25

Newlands

Emily

0

26

Collins

Robyn

8

27

Burnet

Fiona

8

28

Condie

Rebecca

4

30

Campbell

Louise

17

31

McGregor

Emma

3

32

Cowie

Siobhan

2


Scottish Hockey Union media release



Bhana inspires Bra to win over Amsicora

HC Bra produced a superb performance to beat reigning Italian champions SG Amsicora 5-2 last weekend in round five of the national league, coming from behind two times to nab the win.

Bruno Mura had given the recent EHL debutants a 14th minute lead before Argentine Ignacio Quilez rocketed in an equalising penalty corner.

Gabriele Murgia restored the Amsicora advantage from the second phase of a corner for 2-1 in the 28th minute. Loris Perelli made it even once more from the penalty spot early in the second half, setting up a superb Bra performance after the break.

Quilez’s second corner strike earned the lead in the 48th minute before New Zealander Priyesh Bhana got on the end of a full-pitch move following a turnover deep in their own 23m zone.

And Bhana, pictured, completed the win eight minutes from the end with a corner deflection. The win moves Bra up to fourth place but with a game in hand on their rivals.

It was Amsicora’s first loss of the campaign and they drop to second behind Pol Ferrini who have 13 points out of 15 so far in the competition.

Euro Hockey League media release



Futures Cup: Day 1 Round-Up


Futures Cup 2015 Day 1

The first day of the Futures Cup brought plenty of top class hockey from the best young players the country has to offer. 30 goals were scored across the eight games as the spectators were treated to some outstanding hockey.

The Mercia Lynx fired an early warning shot to their rivals with a 4-1 opening win over the Pennine Pumas. First half strikes from Lucy Millington and Jodie Beddow put them in control at the break and the same two players gave them a 4-0 lead before Sarah Pope's late consolation.  

The Saxon Tigers, last year's champions, got off to a winning start against the Wessex Leopards with Maria Andrews netting in either half for a 2-0 win.

It was a great start for the Mercia Lynx in the Boys Under 18s competition, too. Like their female counterparts, they found the net four times to see off the Pennine Pumas. The Pumas actually took the lead early on through Matthew Steventon but his strike was quickly cancelled out by Simon Claris. From then on Lynx took control and added further strikes from Harry Bennett, Sam Apoola and Matthew Abell.


Futures Cup 2015 Day 1

The Lynx also got off to a winning start in the Under 16 boys competition. A 35th minute strike from Joseph Rogers was enough for the three points in a close battle with Pennine Pumas.
The other game was just as close, albeit with more goals. Saxon Tigers ran out 3-2 winners over Wessex Leopards, thanks to Alex Maier's 50th minute winner.

In the Under 16 girls competition there was no separating the Pennine Pumas and Mercia Lynx who played out a 0-0 draw, whilst the other game featured goals galore. Alexandra Went and Robyn Bentley both plundered doubles to add to Madeline Wray's strike as Saxon Tigers beat Wessex Leopards 5-2.

Under 18 Girls:

Saxon Tigers     2     -     0     Wessex Leopards

Maria Andrews 28, 41

Pennine Pumas     1     -     4     Mercia Lynx

Sarah Pope 63                 Lucy Millington 7, 43

                        Jodie Beddow 25, 40

Under 18 Boys

Pennine Pumas     1     -     4     Mercia Lynx

Matthew Steventon 3             Simon Claris 5

                        Harry Bennett 18

                        Sam Apoola 34

                        Matthew Abell 60

Saxon Tigers     2     -     3     Wessex Leopards

Rob Durling 5                 Ben Stevenson 13,20

Zach Wallace 62             Evan Kimber 45

Under 16 Boys

Saxon Tigers     3     -     2     Wessex Leopards

Max Denniff 11                 Stuart Rushmore 32

Charles Hamilton 28             Ethan Hoddle 65

Alex Maier 50

Pennine Pumas     0     -     1     Mercia Lynx

                        Joseph Rogers 35

Under 16 Girls

Saxon Tigers     5     -     2     Wessex Leopards

Alexandra Went 8, 35         Isabelle Petter 51

Robyn Bentley 20, 68             Hannah Birchall 52

Madeline Wray 59

Pennine Pumas     0     -     0     Mercia Lynx

All the up to date information on this year's Futures Cup competition including results, fixtures and tables can be found here.

England Hockey Board Media release



Weekend College Games


Photo courtesy of Pace University Athletics Communication

USA Field Hockey highlights some of the top college games in Division I, II and III each week.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29

DI: No. 10 Liberty vs. No. 3 North Carolina
The last time the two schools met was in the first round of NCAA Tournament in 2014 where UNC prevailed over Liberty, 2-1. So far this season, Liberty is 11-4 with a big win over Old Dominion University. UNC has maintained a 13-2 record with their only losses coming to No. 1 Syracuse and No. 5 Wake Forest. The game should be a close one and could set the tone for the NCAA Tournament.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30

DI: No. 7 Virginia vs. No. 17 James Madison University
If you’re in Virginia, you'll want to catch this game. So far this season, UVa is 12-4 with two of their losses coming in overtime against Top 20 opponents. JMU maintains the same record with just one of their losses coming in overtime against No. 4 Duke. It is clear that this will be a hard fought match.

DII: Pace vs. No. 9 Stonehill
Pace came out strong in its inaugural season winning their first six games. Heading into the game against Stonehill, they are coming off of back-to-back wins. Stonehill started off with a tough schedule but has since gained momentum. The game between these two schools could be an indicator of what is to come from Pace in the upcoming years.

DIII: No. 6 Ursinus vs. Muhlenberg
The game between these two Centennial Conference schools will be action packed. Currently in the conference standings, Ursinus and Muhlenberg will be fighting for the No. 2 spot prior to heading into the conference tournament. Both teams suffered a loss to Franklin & Marshall who currently sit at the No. 1 spot. The game could definitely be a momentum propeller for either team heading into their conference tournament.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31

DI: Cornell vs. Princeton
Looking for an exciting Ivy League match-up? We've got you covered. The last time the two schools met, Princeton narrowly escaped Cornell with a 3-2 victory. So far this season, Cornell has only fallen to the University of Pennsylvania in the Ivy League in overtime. Princeton has remained undefeated in the league with a close win against Columbia in overtime. Could Cornell take out the Ivy League powerhouse?

DII: Bloomsburg vs. No. 4 Shippensburg
Although Bloomsburg is not ranked, they only fell to No. 1 Millersville 1-0. Shippensburg has had four losses this season, with three of the four happening in overtime. The last time these two schools met this season, Shippensburg was victorious in a shootout. Without a doubt, a spotlight will be on Pennsylvania this weekend.

DIII: North Atlantic Conference Semifinal:
The NAC Conference tournament opens up semifinal round play this weekend. Heading into the tournament three schools are 4-1: Husson, Maine-Farmington and Thomas. The tournament could provide for a couple of upsets in the conference.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1

DI: No. 18 Maine vs New Hampshire
The two teams met earlier this season with Maine coming out on top 4-1. However, New Hampshire has gained momentum in the latter part of their season pushing Albany to a narrow 4-3 win. The game should be a close one and provide some insight into post-season play.

USFHA media release



U-21 USWNT to Host Great Britain in January for Test Series

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -  The U-21 U.S. Women's National Team will host Great Britain in a five match test series at Spook Nook Sports, the Home of Hockey, in Lancaster County, Pa. at the beginning of January. This international series will help prepare the squad for the Junior Pan American Championship to be held March 29 - April 10, 2016 in Trinidad & Tobago.

"It’s great to have one of Europe’s top countries visiting and playing us as we prepare for our Junior Pan Am tournament," said Janneke Schopman, U-21 U.S. Women's National Team Head Coach. "These games will provide us with an opportunity to measure our progress and see where we stand as a team. It will be exciting to show what we have been working on the past months and at the same time create a solid base for the months to come."

The U-21 U.S. Women's National Team will meet once before the test series November 27 - 29 at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va. for a weekend training camp. The squad will report to Lancaster, Pa. for a 10 day training block which will include the five test matches against Great Britain in the Dome Arena.

Though admission to all the games is free, fans are asked to make a donation to the Junior High Performance Program. There is a daily parking fee.

U-21 USWNT vs Great Britain Series Schedule:

Wednesday, January 6        USA vs Great Britain, 4:00 p.m. EST

Thursday, January 7            USA vs Great Britain, 4:00 p.m. EST

Saturday, January 9            USA vs Great Britain, 2:30 p.m. EST

Sunday, January 10            USA vs Great Britain, 2:30 p.m. EST

Tuesday, January 12            USA vs Great Britain, 11:30 a.m. EST

Following the test series, the U-21 USWNT will meet again February 12-15, 2016 and March 11-13, 2016 in Chapel Hill, N.C. for training camps that will include scrimmages against college teams before heading to the Junior Pan American Championship.

USFHA media release



Extending Their Reach

by Teryn Brill, USA Field Hockey Communications and Marketing Coordinator

A ball is crossed just off the post and in a split second you have to make the decision, do you ‘extend the reach’ and risk turf burn just to tally a goal for your team? Without hesitation… absolutely.

In those sheer seconds of play, youngsters throughout the sport venue echo ‘ohhs’ and ‘ahhs’ at the magnificent performance. This youngster might even turn to their parent and request to play the sport or ask for a stick at least a few times before the end of the game.

Without even knowing it, this athlete that ‘extended the reach’ to get a goal for his/her team made an impact on a child’s perspective of sport. This athlete has now become an influential spark in the eyes of this child and possibly many more.

Members of the U.S. Men’s National Team continue to make their stamp on the sport of field hockey locally in an effort to ‘extend the reach’ and grow the game in their communities.

“With so many U.S. Men’s National Team athletes based in San Diego, we have a tremendous opportunity to work together to help grow the game,” said Alex Grassi (Brookeville, Md.), U.S. Men’s National Team Athlete. “Unlike the East Coast where field hockey is well known, some people in San Diego don't even know what field hockey is.”

Each of the members of the USMNT have found different avenues to grow the game. Grassi is an assistant coach for the Poway Mystix, a club team based just north of San Diego with U-14, U-16 and U-19 age divisions. Manny Martinez (Lakeside, Calif.) has dedicated time to building locally by coaching M&M Field Hockey, Coastal Clash and East County Gators, as well as umpiring high school leagues and tournaments. He has even started to help coach for the Chula Vista Chupacabras, a club team comprised of fourth and fifth grade students from various Chula Vista elementary schools. This after school program runs from late September up until the National Hockey Festival at the end of November.

With the incentive to ‘extend the reach’ as much as possible and to introduce the sport to others, Kevin Barber (Camarillo, Calif.) started a program a few years ago to grow the game. He traveled to local elementary schools in the Chula Vista area and gave free lessons to students during recess once a week. Other members of the USMNT joined in on Barber’s efforts to help the program run smoothly.

At the end of the fall the first year, all the young players gathered at the Olympic Training Center (OTC) and the three schools had a tournament. Hundreds of boys and girls participated and had a great time. It was clear that by the efforts of Barber and members of the USMNT, field hockey was becoming an up and coming sport in the Chula Vista/San Diego community. Since then, an after school program has been introduced for the children who fell in love with the sport so they could practice more regularly.

With Barber no longer living in San Diego, members of the USMNT have continued his vision of growing the game.

“I took over the after school program and with the help of my teammates have kept it going over the last year,” said Grassi. “This fall we will be doing introductory sessions at Olympic View Elementary School where there are over 400 students in fourth, fifth and sixth grades. We aim to build interest and enroll students in the after school program, which runs twice a week for two-hour sessions on the turf at the OTC.”

“I think it's great to have the kids practice at the Olympic Training Center because they get to see how far field hockey can take them,” continued Grassi. “Once they start playing, the kids truly enjoy field hockey and as a coach it's an awesome feeling to share the sport I love with so many young athletes. Maybe a couple of the players we are coaching today will one day play on the U.S. Men’s or Women’s National Teams.”

Providing quality coaching to current middle and high school athletes is a great opportunity to continue sport growth. In addition to the ever evolving grassroots efforts, many Team USA athlete’s coach in USA Field Hockey’s Olympic Development Program, Futures, in the Spring at the Olympic Training Center.

Dedication, training and a real love of the game has helped the U.S. Men’s National Team ‘extend the reach’ to spend countless hours giving back to the local communities and continue to grow the sport.

“I love this game and I feel honored to help inspire the next generation of elite athletes to share in this incredible sport,” said Martinez.

USFHA media release



IPC, PSB to ease hockey’s financial burden

By Nabil Tahir

KARACHI: The Pakistan Hockey Federation’s (PHF) financial status is finally taking a turn for the better after the Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC) and Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) stepped forward to help the newly-formed management.

“The financial condition of the PHF is hopefully set to improve as the IPC and PSB have given us the green signal in supporting our plans for a domestic structure for the junior and senior players,” PHF secretary Shahbaz Senior told The Express Tribune. “We held a meeting with both bodies and told them the funds would be utilised to revive hockey in the country.”

The Olympian stated that they would try to start generating funds on their own as well soon enough.

For the time being, their prime focus is on the juniors to prepare them in the best way possible for their upcoming assignments: Asia Cup and later the Junior Hockey World Cup.

The official also revealed the upcoming domestic assignment for the seniors. “We are organising the National Hockey Championship in December before next year’s Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.

“During the national championship, we will be able to judge and observe the players’ skills from across the country and select a team for international assignments.”

Besides this, the PHF is also planning to hold the Pakistan Hockey League next year to attract more youngsters towards the sport.

The Express Tribune

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