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News for 26 November 2015

All the news for Thursday 26 November 2015


Aquece Rio Test Event Day 2

Candela Diaz Bustos

Despite the heavy rain, the second day began in Rio de Janeiro. All of the matches were played in a timely manner thanks to the collaboration of everyone involved in the organization.

The first game played was between the women's teams of Barbados and Peru. The Caribbean team dominated the match even though Peru had a few opportunities that ultimately did no damage to the scoreboard of their rivals.

Barbados scored two goals in the first half of the game at the hands of the players Patrina Brathwaite and Keisha Boyce, who broke the defense and scored on the net with a backhand shot at the first post. More goals by Boyce, Prescod and Greaves came at minutes 33, 49 and 56 to seal the scoreboard. The last minutes of the game were intense for the Peruvian team's goalie, who was able to effectively deflect shots by Cher King and avoided increasing the lead even more. The end result: 5-0 in favor of Barbados.

The second game was played at 1 p.m. (-2GTM) between Trinidad and Tobago and Chile. The last time the two teams met was in the Pan American Games in Toronto this year. Chile dominated the first quarter but with no goals, after plays led by Rodrigo Martín. Trinidad and Tobago showed a strong and secure defense with their steals, preventing their opponents from advancing. A game with many inaccuracies that was becoming more physical resulted in 5 green cards in the second quarter. With 7 minutes to go in the first half, the team from Trinidad earned a short corner but their shot was cleared in the air by the Chilean goalie, leaving the scoreboard empty. After a counter attack it was none other than Sven Richter who was responsible for scoring the first goal of the game after a deflection off the second post. The partial score would be 1-0.

In the second half, even though Trinidad and Tobago could not find the opportunity for a goal, they never surrendered to their rival. A yellow card for Captain Mickael Pierre left him out for 5 minutes; an important absence for the team from Trinidad that left a flank open for the Chilean attack. Finally, Chile managed to increase the lead after a combined play and a center by Rodrigo Martin that deflected directly into the goal of José Maldonado. It would be a 2-0 victory for Chile over Trinidad and Tobago.

The heavy rain would not prevent kicking off the last two games to be played by the local teams, who faced Paraguay and Mexico respectively. On the second field of the stadium, Brazil and Paraguay would play an evenly matched game for these teams that had not faced each other since the ODESUR games. Brazil quickly surprised Paraguay by scoring the first goal at 3 minutes after the conversion by Anita Rodriguez. The teams focused on a very even game of attack and counter attack and they would go to halftime with Brazil up 1-0. In the second half the team from Paraguay was more consistent, making more assertive plays when it came to breaking their rival's defense. However, it wasn't until minute 52 when Lilian Acuna scored for Paraguay. The last minutes would be extremely tiring for the players, who committed some serious infractions due to physical fatigue. A penalty awarded to Brazil with 30 seconds to go would give them the opportunity to increase the lead, but the goalie from Paraguay, Claudia Gomes, managed to block it and with a salute to the heavens the game finally ended in a 1-1 tie between Paraguay and Brazil.

Meanwhile, on the main field, the team led by Claudio Rocha played a game against Mexico that had begun just 30 minutes after the women's game. The Mexican team has young players seeking to gain a foothold in international field hockey before the Junior Panamerican Championship to be played in Toronto next year.  It was a very tight game during the first quarters for both teams, until Brazil scored at minutes 19 and 20 with Bruno Mendoça and Stéphane Verhle Smith to definitively seal the outcome of the first half. The last two quarters of the game returned to a concentration-based game for both teams, who could not gain an advantage. However, Mexico was unable to connect with the goal, despite the great plays by their forwards. Finally, Daniel Rangel received a yellow card at minute 51, but Brazil failed to take advantage of their superiority in number. The horn sounded the end of the game and it would be a 2-0 victory for Brazil over Mexico. 

Pan American Hockey Federation media release



Indian hockey eves hold Argentina 2-2

BUENOS AIRES: The Indian women's hockey team played out a 2-2 draw against Argentina in its second match of the tour to the South American country.

The first half of the match on Tuesday witnessed India opening the score in the 27th minute via Monika's backhand strike.

Argentina equalised four minutes into the second half through Delfina Merino before captain Ritu Rani put India on top again in the 44th minute.

The match came to even with Delfina marking Argentina's second goal in the 56th minute.

"It was an important match for us as the team was playing with one of the leading international teams. The girls played very well," India chief coach Neil Hawgood said.

"India played a very defensive style of game that relied on counter attacks. We look forward to continue with such effort in upcoming matches."

The Times of India



Indian women's hockey team produces noteworthy performance in Argentina

The Indian women's hockey team drew 2-2 against Argentina in its second match of the tour to the South American nation on Wednesday.

The first half of the match saw India putting up an aggressive fight and they eventually netted the ball in the 27th minute with Anuradah Devi knocking in the first goal. The team continued to maintain their rhythm throughout the first half to lead 1-0 at half-time. But four minutes into the second half, Argentina scored the equaliser as Delfina Merino hit the goal. India, however, managed to take the upper hand once again as they scored in the 44th minute. But Argentina, in the 56th minute, hit their second goal to hold India to a draw.

"It was an important match for us as the team was playing with one of the leading international teams. The girls played very well. India played a very defensive style of game that relied on counter attacks. We look forward to continue with such effort in upcoming matches," India chief coach Neil Hawgood said in a release.

DNA



India salvages a satisfying 2-2 draw against Argentina

Indian women salvaged a satisfying 2-2 draw against Argentina after facing a bit of embarrassing defeat yesterday at the hands of home team's colts yesterday.

Indian girls' test series is the first international exposure after their official confirmation to Rio Olympics 2016 and for the Argentina team, a preparation ahead of HWL finals.

India took the lead of 1-0 in the first half with goal scored by Monika in the first quarter.

Delfina Merino equalized the score 1-1 but India continued their lead in the third quarter with the goal from Captain Ritu Rani.

Argentina equalized in the last quarter through a goal from Gabriel Minadeo with just few minutes left for the match, resulting in a draw.

India will next play against Argentina at 1:30 hrs IST on 26 Nov 2015.

The Indian squad: Captain: Ritu Rani. Vice Captain: Deepika Thakur.
The Indian goalpost will be guarded by Savita and Rajani Etimarpu. The defence line will see vice-captain Deepika alongside Sunita Lakra, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Jaspreet Kaur and Deep Grace Ekka. The midfield will have Captain Ritu Rani with Renuka Yadav, Lilima Minz, Navjot Kaur, Monika and Namita Toppo. Navneet Kaur, Preeti Dubey, Poonam Rani, Vandana Katariya and Anuradha Devi Thokchom will complete the forward line for team India.

Stick2Hockey.com



Raipur, more than just hockey!



With only two days to go until the men's Hero Hockey World League Final, athletes and fans have been out and about discovering what the fascinating Indian city of Raipur has to offer.

Like so many Indian cities, this is a place of vibrancy, colour, spectacle, scents, smells and a buzz that seems to teeter on the edge of chaos, without ever tipping over.

Raipur is on the eastern side of India, situated in the middle of the agricultural plains that supply so much of the country’s rice harvest. It is a modern city – the capital of the state of Chhattisgarh – and is ranked sixth out of all the Indian cities for its governance and administration. It is also a city steeped in culture, tradition and history. Everyone coming to the event will therefore have plenty to marvel at as they explore the local area between matches.

The city came into existence in the ninth century and the old site and ruins of its early fortress can be seen in the southern end of the city. Chhattisgarh itself is awash with Buddhist monuments and palaces set among a largely forested area of waterfalls, wildlife sanctuaries and scenic landscapes. While Raipur is the industrial-focused city in the middle of the state, there are places within the city limits that will give you a taste of the region’s rich past.

You could visit the Doodhadhari Monastery, which was built in the 17th century by King Jaitsingh. The temple is dedicated to the Hindu god Lord Rama and is one of the most important religious sites in the city. It is found in the south of the city by Burha Lake and has beautiful murals and intricate carvings as well as a number of interesting burial memorials.

While visiting the monastery, you can also see the impressive 37-foot statue of Swami Vivekananda – himself a disciple of St Ramakrishna, a Hindu monk from the 19th century who taught renunciation and self-emancipation. It is the largest icon of its kind and attracts pilgrims from around the world.

The Mahant Ghasidas Museum is also worth a visit. There are five galleries to the museum, each exploring a different element of local history, culture, archaeology and natural history. It houses a fascinating collection of coins, weapons and sculptures from the 12th century Kalachuri dynasty as well as crafts, jewellery and pottery of the different indigenous tribes that have lived in Chhattisgarh over time.

While fans will have some time to explore all that Raipur and the surrounding area has to offer, the focal point will, of course, be the Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel International Hockey Stadium at Raipur.

This stadium, with its bright blue international-standard pitch, was inaugurated just a few days ago by the chief minister of Chhattisgarh Raman Singh. The pitch has been named after Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, who was a main player in India’s struggle for independence in the mid-20th century. A statue of the political and social leader will stand at the entrance to the stadium.

Don't miss out on all the action from the Hero Hockey World League Final between 27 November and 6 December. Get your tickets here or watch live on TV.

FIH site



HWL 2015: Format is the dampener

K Arumugam

If one talks to two set of people in the same team, then you get a clear idea how the question drags them on wrong foot, makes them uneasy. The reply always brings consummate diplomacy.

Its everybody’s interest to know team’s prospects. Every coach wants to win every match.

Every nation, which struggled and sweat hard to reach this level – to be part of HWL Finals in Raipur – wants good results.

Demanding fans and paying public want their team win all matches, thus bring cheers to the sport they cherish.

It is also in the interest of the organizers to see every match in the competition is fought hard just keeping winning in mind so that the event gets popular, marketable and serve the purpose.

Television, which spends a fortune, wants not unyielding matches, matches of inconsequence, or half hearted effort from teams, but full throat competition each day, each moment.

But the normal expectations of coaches, players, fans, organizers, TV etc get blurred with the kind of tournament format that has been in the vogue for our four years from now.

All teams will play three matches each and then based on their pool ranking they get their opponent in the quarterfinal.

Even if a team loses all the three matches in the pool it still has full chance to win remaining three matches and win the Cup!

We witnessed the same with Pak and Germany in the last major tournament India hosted, Champions Trophy in Bhubneswar.

The two countries played badly in the beginning and lost twice yet could move to the final.

Now, the question arises is whether the teams will put their full force behind in the first three matches. Commonsense dictates, why will they.

“Pool matches are important. We will go for win, as it will boost our morale”, said an Argentinean coach. But he added more importance on taking home team against their own crowd.

He had to explain how important it is for their players to play under pressure, for instant when they take on India against their home crowd etc, and he values this as the important gain. He leaves it to our commonsense that winning is next to it, as winning is not going count hardly in the final analysis. The villain here is the format.

In the course of discussion, he had to once clarify that he did not say the pool matches are 'not important', but only not 'Most Important'.

When asked the same question to Ibarro Pedro and another assistant coach they felt the pool matches are ‘most important’. And expectedly explanations and clarifications followed. To justify they take the pool matches seriously! This is the case with everyone from playing side who spoke to media on Wednesday.

Indian goalie PR Sreejesh, who spoke to media today after their evening work out, faced the same awkward question.

At one point he stressed that each match is like a knock out and we have to play that way. His point was against the question that only quarterfinal matters.

International body FIH changes every format and every rules of the game at a drop of hat, but uncharacteristically stuck to the present questionable format for long.

At least for once we suggest them ‘ change mode’ and have a relook at the format.

No aspiring professional sport can waste half of the tournament on inconsequential, ritualistic and not-so-gainless matches.

Hockey deserves a better format, even better approach at planning level

Stick2Hockey.com



Off the bench, into the spotlight


James Bailey

Great Britain goalkeeper James Bailey has plenty of strings to his bow: An MSci in Mathematics, grade eight in tuba and violin and of course, he is a fine goalkeeper. The Wimbledon stopper made his international debut back in June 2013 and has been to a number of major tournaments since then.

For Bailey, his tournament experience has largely been as a back-up to George Pinner, but with the Holcombe No1 staying at home for the World League Final in Raipur, Bailey has his chance to be in the spotlight, something he is relishing:

“I’m feeling really good. We’ve had a really solid post-European training block which has gone well club hockey’s been going well so I’m looking forward to getting out there and showing what I can do.”

Bailey admits that at times waiting in the wings can be a tough ask, with every athlete desperate to take to the field and show the skills they’ve honed in the training environment, but the 24-year-old is philosophical about his role in the squad at other tournaments:

“It’s difficult sometimes being the No2 goalkeeper as I have been in the past. You don’t aim for that role but equally you have an important job to do when you are in that situation. You have to support the No1 and the rest of the squad as best you can and be ready to step in when you get the chance. Of course I am looking forward to being given a chance at this tournament, but I have gained some valuable experience and learnt a lot from George [Pinner] at the previous competitions.”


James Bailey celebrates with David Ames at the World League semi final

The mention of Pinner and the other goalkeepers in the central training squad, Paddy Smith and Harry Gibson raises the question of what the dynamic is like in such a small, close-knit group. With four athletes spending large amounts of time training together, effectively competing for one spot, many would imagine it to be an often strained relationship. Bailey, rejects this idea, saying:

“All four goalkeepers are very different people, but that’s why it works. We’re four competitive blokes who spur each other along and get the best out of one and other but fortunately, there is a great dynamic between us. We have an excellent team spirit amongst the four of us, it’s competitive but we get on really well.”

With Gibson also travelling to Raipur for his first senior tournament, Bailey is the senior goalkeeper on this trip, a role he will take seriously in order to help his fellow shot-stopper to settle in:

“I’ll support Harry as best I can but to be honest; he’s played U21s and been exceptional at that level so I’m not sure he’ll need a lot of input from me! It’s a step up of course and I’ll be able to give him my thoughts on some of the players he’ll come up against, especially at corners but on the whole he knows what he’s doing and he’ll be fine. I just have to do my best to support him on the occasions he needs it.”

With a change in the goalkeeping dynamic for this competition, Bailey will need to be focused and at top form as he comes up against the best in the world. The list of attacking talent that will be present at the tournament makes for a formidable line-up, not that the goalkeeper is daunted by the prospect:

“Playing against the best players is the pinnacle and what you look forward to. It’s so different to warm up matches and friendlies when you play these people in tournaments so i’m really looking forward to testing myself and generally excited about the challenge and seeing how our team copes with that.”

“We’re targeting the semi finals. It’s hard to say how we’ll do as it’s a relatively new group and a new test for a lot of us. We don’t know how we’ll gel but we have some good strength in depth so we should get some good results.”

England Hockey Board Media release



Important to peak at the right time: Roelant Oltmans

RAIPUR: India's chief coach Roelant Oltmans says the team is ready for Friday's opener against Argentina and peaking at the right time will be crucial in the Hockey World League Final.

Oltmans spoke after the home team finished its first practice session ahead of the tournament beginning on Friday.

The hosts go into the tournament after losing the Test series against Australia.

"We are taking one match at a time. The India-Australia series is over and now it's the past. We have moved on from there and now all our efforts are focused on giving a good performance at the World League Final. The good news is that all our players are fit and there is no injury in the team, which just gives us a lot of confidence ahead of our first encounter," said Oltmans.

Ace Drag-flicker V Raghunath added: "It's been a good preparation for us at the Australia series, and we have warmed up to take on the best. The whole team wants to see the best results but we also know that every game is different and results cannot be predicted, hence our efforts are to work as a collective unit so that we peak at the right time. All the eight teams will be playing in the quarter finals and no team is an easy team and we are preparing accordingly, as we know that we are up to face the best seven teams in the world."

The Times of India



India hockey coach Roelant Oltmans cautious ahead of HWL Final



Raipur: Indian chief coach and technical director Roelant Oltmans is hoping for a good performance from his players when the Hockey World League (HWL) Final 2015 starts at the Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel International Stadium here on Friday.

India had lost the recent three-match Test series against Australia which was meant to be a warm-up for this tournament. But Oltmans asserted that playing against the reigning world champions has helped the Indians to rectify their weaknesses.

"We are taking one match at a time. The India-Australia series is over and now it's the past. We have moved on from there and now all our efforts are focused on giving a good performance at the Hero Hockey World League," Oltmans said after a practice session here on Wednesday.

"The good news is that all our players are fit and there is no injury in the team, which just gives us a lot of confidence ahead of our first encounter," he added.

India will face Argentina in the opening match of the tournament which ends on December 6. The match against World No.5 Argentina is expected to be a tough one for the sixth ranked Indians. But experienced defender V.R. Raghunath asserted that the hosts are ready for the challenge.

"It's been a good preparation for us at the Australia series, and we have warmed up to take on the best at the Hero Hockey World League Final. The whole team wants to see the best results but we also know that every game is different and results cannot be predicted, hence our efforts are to work as a collective unit so that we peak at the right time," the 27-year-old penalty corner specialist said.

"All the eight teams will be playing in the quarter-finals and no team is an easy team and we are preparing accordingly, as we know that we are up to face the best seven teams in the world," Raghunath added.

Zee News



In Raipur for HWL Finals, Belgium hockey players have one eye on home

In aftermath of Paris terror attacks, hockey stars from Europe, here to play the World League finals, constantly stay in touch with family and friends

Written by Mihir Vasavda


The Belgium team is in Raipur for the World League finals.

Immediately after waking up, before entering the training ground and almost every couple of hours for rest of the day, Tom Boon has been sending a one-line text to his family and girlfriend back in Belgium. “Don’t do anything stupid. Stay indoors.”

Sportspersons are used to spending time away from families for a major part of the year while they compete in remote corners of the world. But talk to a Belgian player and he will admit that given a choice, he would want to be back home right now.

And although they insist that they’re focused on their preparations for the World League finals that gets underway in Raipur on Friday, the players can’t stop worrying about the goings-on in Belgium.

“Things are really, really strange. We are more or less in a war situation where every school, metros, most restaurants is closed because of the risk. So you mainly see just the army and police on the streets of Brussels,” says 25-year-old Boon, considered to be one of the best forwards currently in the world.

It has been 11 days since coordinated terror attacks killed 130 people in Paris. Investigations revealed that the attacks were plotted on Belgian soil, prompting a series of raids and arrests in Brussels, which emerged as a hub of such activities. The city has since been under ‘highest terror alert’, in a virtually lock down as fears for safety mounted.

The players look visibly distracted. They woke up Wednesday morning hearing about another hostage situation in North France, reported late Tuesday night. It spread immediate panic within the group. Fortunately, it wasn’t another terror strike. But quick calls were made to their loved ones back home, to hear their voice and ensure – rather hope – they are OK.

“It impacts us psychologically,” admits Belgium captain John-John Dohmen.”Paris is very close to our country. Also some terrorists came from our country so it’s a shock for us. The capital is closed. Nobody is going out. So it’s strange. I think police is arresting a lot of people so hopefully, it should be fine.”
Focused bunch on the field

Dohmen says it is not difficult to motivate his team for the matches, as they are a ‘focused bunch on field.’ Off it, though, all they’ve been doing since arriving in Raipur a couple of days back is following the news updates via social media and news channels.

“On field, you are thinking only about hockey and not about other things. But off the field, it’s difficult. We are following news every minute. It’s not easy to travel to another country while your family is back home. Belgium is very tiny country, the fear spreads rapidly,” Dohmen says. Boon adds:”I try to go on the internet every couple of hours to see what’s happening. My family, my friends, my girlfriend… they all are there. It’s pretty strange. I try to keep in touch with them as much as I can. That’s all I can do from here.”

The distraction has meant that Belgium aren’t well-prepared. The terror attacks delayed their league, which resulted in the team assembling late and getting little time to practice together. Security fears resulted in several sports events, including their club matches, getting cancelled.

For players, too, this has been a distressing phase. Most of them hail from Brussels or nearby suburbs. Boon, who has lived his whole life there says it resembled a ghost city for the last 10 days.

“It has impacted life in general. I have great memories from some of the areas that have become targets now. The city had a good night life. It was vibrant. But no one is going out now. For the first time, we are not comfortable in Brussels and not feeling safe,” says Boon, who played for Dabang Mumbai in the Hockey India League last (HIL) season and was the tournament’s highest-paid player. Dohmen prays the incident won’t tarnish the image of his country.

“I hope that doesn’t happen again,” Dohmen says. Boon’s phone, meanwhile, buzzes. It’s his family. The latest update is that things looked slightly better on Wednesday. But Boon is still wary.

His reply is the same like the last one week. “Don’t do anything stupid. Stay indoors.”

Indian Express



Wotherspoon replaces Blake Govers

World League Final info including revised squad, downloads, TV and more



On the eve of the Hero Hockey World League Final in India, the Kookaburras have announced Dylan Wotherspoon as the replacement for the injured Blake Govers.

New South Wales forward Govers, 19, fractured his left ankle during the Kookaburras’ opening test match against India last Thursday, which ended in a 2-2 draw.

Queensland forward Dylan Wotherspoon, 22, played in all three tests against India in the build up to the World League Final. He scored the Australian men’s opening goal in the first test, his fourth senior international goal in 17 appearances.

Australia’s team is bolstered by the arrival of a number of senior players who did not travel for the warm-up tests, including captain Mark Knowles, Jamie Dwyer, Eddie Ockenden, Fergus Kavanagh, Glenn Turner and goalkeepers Andrew Charter and Tyler Lovell.

The Kookaburras’ campaign begins on Saturday, day two of the tournament, against Belgium, whom they overcame in the final of the World League Semi Final in Antwerp in July.

Find out more

Hockey Australia has published its tournament fan guide, which is available to download here.

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) press pack, which contains more information on the whole tournament and opposition teams, is available to download here.

Live on TV

Fox Sports will show all of Australia’s matches live, as well as the semi finals and final of the competition. Information about Australian broadcast is on our TV & Online page.

Fox Sports is the exclusive Australian broadcaster of the World League Final and as such there will be no internet streamed coverage or free-to-air broadcast in Australia.

Men's Hero Hockey World League Final 2015

When: Friday 27 November - Sunday 6 December 2015

Where: Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel International Hockey Stadium, Near Science College, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India

Who: Australia, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Great Britain, Argentina, India, Canada.

Revised Kookaburras Squad for Fintro Hockey World League Final
Raipur, India
Athlete (Hometown, State)
Daniel Beale (Brisbane, QLD) 66/12
Andrew Charter (Canberra, ACT) 98/0
Matthew Dawson (Central Coast, NSW) 26/3
Tim Deavin (Launceston, TAS) 118/6
Jamie Dwyer (Rockhampton, QLD) 345/232
Matt Gohdes (Rockhampton, QLD) 137/45
Kieran Govers (Wollongong, NSW) 110/56
Jeremy Hayward (Darwin, NT) 39/13
Fergus Kavanagh (Geraldton, WA) 210/16
Mark Knowles (Rockhampton, QLD) 269/22
Tyler Lovell (Perth, WA) 54/0
Trent Mitton (Perth, WA) 79/34
Eddie Ockenden (Hobart, TAS) 256/63
Matthew Swann (Mackay, QLD) 123/6
Glenn Turner (Goulburn, NSW) 118/88  
Jake Whetton (Brisbane, QLD) 99/42
Dylan Wotherspoon (Murwillumbah, NSW) [QAS athlete] 17/4
Aran Zalewski (Margaret River, WA) 71/8              

Kookaburras' fixtures at World League Final, Raipur
[All on Fox Sports]
Saturday 28 November – 22:00 AEDT: Kookaburras v Belgium
Monday 30 November – 02:00 AEDT: Kookaburras v Great Britain
Wednesday 2 December – 00:00 AEDT: Kookaburras v Canada
Thursday 3 December – tbc: Quarter final
Friday 4 December – tbc: Quarter final
Saturday 5 December – tbc: Semi final / 5-8 playoffs
Sunday 5 December – tbc: Semi final / 5-8 playoffs
Monday 7 December – tbc: Medal matches

Hockey Australia media release



Aussies look to end Hockey season in style


The Australian men's hockey team will play the final major tournament of the season in India. (AAP)

The World Hockey League Finals begin on Friday in India with the Australian men's team looking to finish the year on a high at the last major tournament of the season.

Fresh from wrapping up a Test series win over India this week, the world No.1 Kookaburras kick off their campaign against Belgium in the eight-team competition in Raipur on Saturday (AEDT).

Captain Mark Knowles and a host of senior players joined the Kookaburras this week for the World League with Australians fielding a largely youthful side for the three-Tests against India.

"We have gathered a lot of information on our players over this tour, which will help us make the tough decision (Olympics squad)," said Australian coach Graham Reid.

"Every game at the upcoming World League will be important for us. Having the quarter finals format in place, anything can happen as it brings into play every team at the tournament."

The Kookaburras won the World League Semi-Final in July this year with a last-minute victory over Belgium to qualify for Rio.

The top four teams from the two World League Semi-Final events played in Argentina and Belgium over the summer will go head to head in this epic season-ending showdown, which will see the winners crowned Hockey World League Season Two champions and guarantee their place in the 2016 Champions Trophy.

With all eight teams already qualified for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and vital FIH World Ranking points on offer, competition is set to be fierce.

Reigning world and Oceania champions Australia will be seen as favourites in Pool A which also contains world No.7 Belgium, fourth-ranked Great Britain and Canada (14th).

In Pool B, European and reigning Hockey World League champions and No.2 ranked the Netherlands are likely to take some stopping.

The tournament kicks off on Friday with two mouth-watering Pool B fixtures.

Host nation India take on Argentina before Germany and the Netherlands meet in a rematch of the 2015 European final.

The Kookaburras ramp up for the Olympics with a series in Perth against Great Britain in April-May in 2016 before the Champions Trophy in Argentina in June before the Rio Games two months later.

KOOKABURRAS' MATCHES

Saturday 28 November 2200 AEDT: Kookaburras v Belgium
Monday 30 November 02:00 AEDT: Kookaburras v Great Britain
Wednesday 2 December Midnight AEDT: Kookaburras v Canada
Thursday 3 December tbc: Quarter final
Friday 4 December tbc: Quarter final
Saturday 5 December tbc: Semi final / 5-8 playoffs
Sunday 5 December tbc: Semi final / 5-8 playoffs
Monday 7 December tbc: Medal matches.

SBS



Stats Speak: Know the teams in Raipur HWL (finals)

By B.G.Joshi

A statistical analysis of the teams in Raipur from renowned Hockey statistician B.G.Joshi

Pool: A

1-Australia (AUS)

World Ranking: 01.Coach: Graham Reid, Captain: Mark Knowles,
Current Titles: World Cup (2014); C’wealth Games (2014); Oceania Cup (2015).
 In Hockey World League

Season

Round

MP

W

D

L

GF

GA

Rank

2012-14

2

12

7

1

4

44

24

4

2014-15

2

7

7

0

0

34

5

?

 

Most feared striker: Chris Ciriello –Matches Played: 177, Goals Scored: 114. Most experienced: Jamie Dwyer- Matches Played: 345, Goals Scored: 232.Player to watch: Chris Ciriello in 52 matches scored 44 goals since Jan 1, 2014.

2-Great Britain (GBR)

World Ranking: 04.Coach: Bobby Crutchley, Captain: Dan Fox,
In Hockey World League

Season

Round

MP

W

D

L

GF

GA

Rank

2012-14

2

12

8

3

1

30

16

3

2014-15

2

7

4

2

1

23

11

?

 

Most feared striker: Ashley Jackson (not in Raipur’s squad) –Matches Played: 217, Goals Scored: 124. Most experienced: Simon Mantell- Matches Played: 194, Goals Scored: 54. Player to watch: Nick Catlin  in 19 matches scored 7 goals since Jan 1, 2014.

3-Belgium (BEL)

World Ranking: 07.Coach: Shane McLeod (New Zealand), Captain: John-John Dohmen,
In Hockey World League

Season

Round

MP

W

D

L

GF

GA

Rank

2012-14

3

17

10

4

3

71

26

5

2014-15

2

7

5

1

1

21

8

?

 

Most feared striker: Tom Boon–Matches Played: 193. Most experienced: John-John Dohmen- Matches Played: 308. Player to watch Tom Boon in 48 matches scored 37goals since Jan 1, 2014.

4-Canada (CAN)
World Ranking: 14.Coach:  Anthony Farry(Australia), Captain: Scott Tupper
In Hockey World League

Season

Round

MP

W

D

L

GF

GA

Rank

2012-14

1

5

3

0

2

16

13

18

2014-15

3

13

6

1

6

24

29

?

 

Most feared striker: Scott Tupper–Matches Played: 215. Most experienced: Scott Tupper- Matches Played: 215. Player to watch: Scott Tupper in 44 matches scored 21 goals since Jan 1, 2014.

Pool B
1-Netherlands (NED)
World Ranking: 02.Coach: Max Caldas (Argentina), Captain: Robert van der Horst
Current Titles: Winner of Hockey World League (2012-14), Europeans Cup (2015)
 In Hockey World League

Season

Round

MP

W

D

L

GF

GA

Rank

2012-14

2

12

8

2

2

43

25

1

2014-15

2

7

5

1

1

24

7

?

 

Most feared striker: Mark van der Weerden–Matches Played: 86, Goals Scored: 58
Most experienced: Robert van der Horst- Matches Played: 247, Goals Scored: 13. Player to watch: Mark van der Weerden in 43 matches scored 29 goals since Jan 1, 2014.

2-Germany (GER)
World Ranking: 03.Coach: Valentin Altenburg, Captain: Tobias Hauke
Current Titles: Olympics (2012); Champions Trophy (2014).
In Hockey World League

Season

Round

MP

W

D

L

GF

GA

Rank

2012-14

2

12

7

2

3

39

19

7

2014-15

2

7

6

0

1

29

7

?

 

Most feared striker: Florian Fuchs–Matches Played: 263, Goals Scored: 111. Most experienced: Tobias Hauke- Matches Played: 271, Goals Scored: 24. Player to watch: Florian Fuchs in 47 matches scored 28 goals since Jan 1, 2014.

3-Argentina (ARG)World Ranking: 06. Coach: Carlos Retugei, Captain: Pedro Ibarra

Current Titles: Pan Am Games (2015); Pan Am Cup (2013)
 In Hockey World League

Season

Round

MP

W

D

L

GF

GA

Rank

2012-14

3

17

11

3

3

68

25

8

2014-15

2

7

6

0

1

16

9

?

 

Most feared striker: Gonzalo Peillat–Matches Played: 92.
Most experienced: Pedro Ibarra- Matches Played: 203. Player to watch: Gonzalo Peillat in 55 matches scored 64 goals since Jan 1, 2014.

4-India (IND)


World Ranking: 06.Coach: Roelant Oltmans (Netherlands), Captain: Sardar Singh, Current Titles: Asian Games (2014),
 In Hockey World League

Season

Round

MP

W

D

L

GF

GA

Rank

2012-14

3

17

7

4

6

65

43

6

2014-15

2

7

3

1

3

14

21

?

 

Most feared striker: Rupinderpal Singh –Matches Played: 126, Goals Scored: 50;VR Raghunath- Matches Played: 197, Goals Scored: 126.
Most experienced: Sardar Singh- Matches Played: 230, Goals Scored: 14
Player to watch: Rupinderpal Singh in 49 matches scored 24 goals since Jan 1, 2014.

Fieldhockey.com



The world's fittest women are coming to Rosario!


Ellen Hoog. Photo: Elmar Krop Styling: Lisa Dymph Megens

Are there many sports women who could run an average of nine kilometres during a 60 minute match? Are there many who could run that distance in addition to making a number of explosive sprints; some energy-draining changes in direction; and some powerful arm movements as the ball is flung at upwards of 60 kilometres an hour at the goal?

For years there's been much debate about which which sport produces the fittest athletes? Which training regime is the toughest? Whose legs are the most muscled, abs the most ripped and arms the most toned?

Well it seems we have found our answer, thanks to FIH Innovation Partner Loughborough University – one of the top sports universities in the world. And the good news is - you can see them live in action at the Argentina Hockey World League Final in Rosario!

The sports scientists at Loughborough University studied hours of action from the 2014 World Cup and looked at two main qualities: namely the distances run during a match and the intensity maintained while running. They then compared these to other invasive team sports, in this case rugby 7s and football (soccer).

The results will not surprise anyone who has watched or played a hockey match. On average, field players in hockey cover more metres and work at a higher intensity than both footballers or rugby players.

In an average pattern of play, all three sports involve sprinting, jogging, walking and even periods where they stand still. The data from video action reveals that where a rugby 7s player will cover an average of 94 metres in a minute, a footballer covers an average of 125 metres in the same time frame, while a hockey player outruns them all with a huge 140 metres per minute.

Remember, this includes all actions - jogging back after a sprint, or running flat out to chase down opponents and set up attacks.

Perhaps a more pertinent figure when relating to the overall fitness of a player can be seen by the amount of the game that is played at a high intensity.

Where a football player spends just nine percent of the game working at an intensity that sees the heart-rate reaching 85-90 percent of its maximum, a hockey player can sustain that work rate for 30-40 percent of the game. A rugby player works at a high intensity for 20 percent of the game.

During those periods of high intensity activity, a hockey player will be running at speeds of above 19kmh. On average, a hockey player will run eight to nine kilometres during a match. When compared to footballers, who sometimes reach more than 10 kilometres in a game, it is worth remembering that hockey is a 60 minute game where football is 90 minutes. This means hockey players reach almost the same distance with a third less time to achieve it.

These findings give an indication of just how physically demanding hockey is. One athlete leading leading the fitness revolution in hockey is 2014 FIH women's Player of the Year Ellen Hoog from the Netherlands.


Photo: Elmar Krop

She recently released a cookbook and exercise guide "In perfecte conditie" aimed at inspiring people to eat better and improve their fitness. You can check it out here: http://bit.ly/1YuhjXm


Photo: Elmar Krop

To become an international hockey player involves hours of training, as USA hockey player Paige Selenski highlighted in a recent issue of ESPN magazine. She said: “It's not like I woke up one day and I had a really athletic body and ripped-up abs. I was lucky that I was naturally gifted with an athletic body, but I also put a lot of work into it. It just comes with running and all the things I do to stay in shape, I use my body every day for my job. We constantly put our bodies through pain.”

While science is great at providing the empirical evidence we need to prove that hockey players are right up there as some of the fittest people on the planet, well, we only have to use our own powers of observation to see that hockey players look just great.

See some of the fittest athletes in the world live in action at the Argentina Hockey World League Final between 5-13 December in Rosario, Argentina. To buy tickets, click here.

For more information about FIH women's Player of the Year 2014 Ellen Hoog, visit: ellenhoog.com

FIH site



SA men’s indoor hockey team named for series

JONATHAN COOK

The South African men’s indoor hockey team has been named to face a star-studded PSi International All Stars line-up in the four-match Denbeys Indoor Series in Durban and Pietermaritzburg next month.

While five of South Africa’s national team to take on the All Stars wore the green and gold at the 2015 Indoor Hockey World Cup (IHWC) in Leipzig, Germany in February, seven of the 12 players will make their debuts. The International All Stars team has five Indoor Hockey World Cup winners in their midst.

Pierre le Roux, coach of the SA team, said there was a reason behind the selection of so many newcomers for the December 10 to 13 series.

“For the Blitzstokke, this is the start of our 2018 Indoor Hockey World Cup campaign and process. The team was picked to have a look at some new players and increase the size of the squad.

“Some of the players that attended the 2015 Indoor Hockey World Cup were deliberately overlooked for this event, as we know their capabilities. This will allow us at the next selection event to choose between a larger pool of players while also creating much-needed competition in the squad.”

Eight of the 12-man SA team were in the KZN Raiders side that won the SA Interprovincial Hockey Tournament in Pietermaritzburg last weekend, while KZN Inland and Western Province have two players apiece.

The four players in the All Stars team who struck 2015 IHWC gold with the Netherlands were Lauren Goedgebuure (voted best goalkeeper), Sjoerd de Wert, Teun Rohof and captain Robert Tigges, while Benjamin Weiss was in the victorious German side that won the 2011 IHWC.

Apart from the exciting contests on offer for the general public the international clashes will also provide a great learning experience for the boys and girls participating in the PSi Nationals in KZN next month.

SA TEAM
(Test matches in brackets)
KZN Raiders: Chris McCathie (13 Tests), Matt Fairweather (14), Justin Domleo (14), Robin Jones (0), Mohamed Mea (11), Jethro Eustice (0), Taine Paton (0), Keagan Robinson (0)
KZN Inland: Keenan du Toit (0), Matt Coombes (0)
Western Province: Matthew Becker (0), Craig Haley (11)
Pierre le Roux (coach), Ryan Hack (assistant coach), Reggie Smith (manager)

INTERNATIONAL ALL STARS
Lauren Goedgebuure, Sjoerd de Wert, Teun Rohof, Robert Tigges (Netherlands, 2015 IHWC winners); Benjamin Weiss (Germany, 2011 IHWC winner), Andreu Enrich (Spain); Tendai Maredza (Zimbabwe); Siyabonga Martins (Namibia)

DENBEYS INDOOR SERIES FIXTURES
(SA vs International All Stars)
Thurs, 10 Dec (7pm, UKZN Westville)
Fri, 11 Dec (7pm UKZN Westville
Sat, 12 Dec (7pm, St Anne’s DSG)
Sun, 13 Dec (7pm, UKZN Westville)

SA Hockey Association media release



Indoor hockey extravaganza for SA fans

JONATHAN COOK

A bumper December lies in wait for South Africa’s sports lovers as no less than 17 indoor hockey Test and international matches will be played in Durban and Pietermaritzburg.

The matches coincide with the ninth edition of the hugely popular Nolands Pro Series indoor (PSi) Nationals, which features age-group teams from franchises across the country and Namibia battling it out for title honours.

The flagship SA men’s and women’s national indoor hockey teams will be in action.

First up, the SA women’s team will take on Namibia in a five-Test series during which the first three Test matches will take place on December 10, and 11 (double header)in Pietermaritzburg, to coincide with the PSi Nationals U14 competition in the KZN capital.

The fourth and fifth Tests (another double header) are at Danville Park Girls School (in the morning) and the UKZN Westville campus (in the evening).

Thereafter, the girls in green and gold cross swords with Australia, the USA and Namibia in the Spar Four Nations, all eight Test matches at the UKZN Westville campus in Durban.

These matches coincide with the PSi U16 and U18 Nationals in Durban, as does the four-match Denbeys Indoor Series between South Africa and the star-studded PSi International All Stars. The men’s series will include three matches at UKZN Westville campus and one in Pietermaritzburg.

The U11 and U12 PSi Nationals took place in early July and if the standard of play was anything to go by, the crowds are guaranteed great entertainment next month in KwaZulu-Natal when the U13, U14, U16 and U18 boys and girls teams take on the best that their peers across the country have to offer.

Aside from the senior players, those set to benefit the most from watching the men’s and women’s internationals in action will be the boys and girls taking part in PSI Nationals.

Pro Series indoor brand manager Bruce Jacobs said Wednesday that the senior series will bring the sport of indoor hockey into the spotlight in South Africa.

“PSi feels that this senior series will really leverage not only the SA players’ profile but the indoor hockey sports code in our country.

“We want to show our PSi kids that there are role models in indoor hockey to look up to,” said Jacobs, who captained South Africa’s men’s outdoor team at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

“PSi anticipates that watching these fine players will give them something to aspire to, such as representing their country at the likes of an Indoor Hockey World Cup.”

There is no entry fee for the SA/Namibia women’s series. The ticket price for the Spar Four Nations women’s tournament is R20 for the general public, as is the men’s series between SA and the International All Stars.

FIXTURES
Women
South Africa vs Namibia five-Test series
1st Test: Thurs, 10 Dec (6pm, St Anne’s DSG)
2nd Test: Fri, 11 Dec (10am, St Anne’s)
3rd Test: Fri, 11 Dec (7pm, St Anne’s)
4th Test: Sat, 12 Dec (10am, Danville Park Girls School)
5th Test: Sat, 12 Dec (8.15pm, UKZN Westville campus)

Spar Four Nations
(SA, Australia, USA, Namibia; all at UKZN Westville)
Tues, 15 Dec: Australia vs Namibia (7pm); SA vs USA (8.25pm)
Wed, 16 Dec: USA vs Namibia (7pm); SA vs Australia (8.15pm)
Thurs, 17 Dec: Australia vs USA (7pm); SA vs Namibia (8.15pm)
Fri, 18 Dec - 3rd/4th Playoff (8.15am); Final (9.30am)
* Food and beverages, prize giveaways, Fan Zone.

Denbeys Indoor Series
(SA men vs Denbeys International All Stars)
Thurs, 10 Dec (7pm, UKZN Westville)
Fri, 11 Dec (7pm UKZN Westville
Sat, 12 Dec (7pm, St Anne’s DSG)
Sun, 13 Dec (7pm, UKZN Westville)

SA Hockey Association media release



Aussie U23s win big

The Burras earn 5-1 win over NZ in Canberra



The Australian U23 Burras recorded their biggest victory of the week on Wednesday, overcoming rivals New Zealand 5-1 in Canberra to take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the best-of-five series.

Queenslander Hugh Pembroke’s penalty corner opener on 26 minutes gave Australia the lead and two minutes later Isaac Farmillo of NSW doubled the advantage from open play.

The Kiwi visitors fought back on the stroke of half time with a penalty corner conversion from Brennan Alexander-Parker and the goals kept flowing as the third quarter began. Two goals in the opening six minutes of the period, from ACT home favourite Stuart Shepherd and Queensland's MacKenzie Warne, pulled the Burras further out in front.

A minute from full time Shepherd bagged his second of the game, Australia’s fifth, to round out the result, 5-1.

The fifth and final trans-Tasman clash takes place on Friday at 10am AEDT.

Match 4 of 5
Canberra, ACT

AUSTRALIA U23: 5 (2)
Hugh Pembroke 26 (PC)
Isaac Farmillo 28 (FG)
Stuart Shepherd 33, 59 (FG, FG)
MacKenzie Warne 36 (FG)

NEW ZELAAND U23: 1 (1)
Brennan Alexander-Parker

Australian Men’s U23 Team
National Hockey Centre, Canberra
Name (State)
Oscar Allan (VIC)
Jacob Andrade (NT)
James Benetti (WA)
Simon Benetti (WA)
James Day (ACT)
Johan Durst (VIC)
Isaac Farmillo (NSW)
Max Harris (VIC)
Ryan Jones (TAS)
Cameron Joyce (SA)
Jason Lowe (NT)
Jayden Pearson (TAS)
Hugh Pembroke (QLD)
Aiden Rintala (QLD)
Marshall Roberts (WA)
Lachlan Sharp (NSW)
Stuart Shepherd (ACT)
Jai Walker Kidd (TAS)
MacKenzie Warne (QLD)
Cameron White (SA)

Australian Staff
Brent Livermore – Coach
Ben Bishop – Assistant Coach
Mick Evans – Assistant Coach
Ben Webb – Team Manager
Suzie Goodall - Physiotherapist

Remaining U23 New Zealand Series Fixtures
Friday 27 November: Australia v New Zealand, 10am AEDT

Hockey Australia media release



Australia record big win over Future Black Sticks


Photo courtesy Hockey ACT

The Future Black Sticks Men have suffered a 5-1 defeat at the hands of the Australian Under 23s side in Canberra.

It was a disappointing result for the Kiwis in game four of the five test series, coming just a day after they beat the Burras 3-2.

The result sees Australia take an unassailable 3-1 advantage in the series with one game still to play.

Local player Stuart Shepherd starred for the hosts with a double, while MacKenzie Warne, Isaac Farmillo and Hugh Pembroke also found the back of the net.

Sam Jimmieson scored New Zealand’s only goal of the match from a penalty corner in the second quarter.

The Future Black Sticks play their final test against Australia at midday on Friday (NZ time).

Hockey New Zealand Media release



Pakistan, Australia agree hockey tours

By Nabil Tahir

KARACHI: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has agreed an exchange programme with an Australian delegation that will see both juniors and seniors sides play home and away series.

PHF president Brig (retd) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar and PHF secretary Olympian Shahbaz Senior met an Australian delegation comprising of foreign affairs and trade for South Asia director Michele Forster and first secretary economic and public diplomacy at the Australian High Commission in Islamabad Nicole Guihot at the Pakistan Army Officers Club in Islamabad.

The two sides agreed in principle that the Pakistan junior hockey team will tour Australia next year, with the Australians travelling either to Pakistan or to a neutral venue some time after that.

As per the agreement, Hockey Australia will also invite Pakistani umpires, coaches and technical staff to domestic activities and coaching education programmes in order to groom them and provide them with invaluable experience.

The junior hockey team, which has just returned after confirming their World Cup berth courtesy of their runners-up finish at the Asia Cup in Malaysia, has already begun planning for the mega event in New Delhi in December 2016.

“We have planned training programmes that include national and international matches for the juniors as they need to play as many matches as they can before the World Cup,” coach Tahir Zaman told The Express Tribune.

Zaman said the PHF will be inviting 40 new players to the training camp in order to further increase the player base.

“The junior team will most likely start their international matches with a trip to the Kookaburras under the agreed deal,” he added. “We will have to overcome the mistakes we made in the Asia Cup. We need to improve our conversion rate from penalty corners.”

The 46-year-old is excited by the current crop of players and thinks they can return the country to the echelons of the sport. “The juniors have a long way to go,” he said. “They are the future of Pakistan hockey and can bring the sport back to what it was during its heydays.”

The Express Tribune



Junior hockey team set for matches against Australia

LAHORE: The Pakistan junior hockey team will tour Australia while the Burras will either tour Pakistan or come to a neutral venue for matches in the near future.

A high-profile delegation of Australia headed by Michele Forster, Director Foreign Affairs and Trade for South Asia, along with Nicole Guihot, First Secretary, Economic and Public Diplomacy, Australian High Commission Islamabad convened a meeting with Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) president retired Brig. Khalid Khokhar and secretary Shahbaz Ahmed Senior in Islamabad on Wednesday.

It has also been decided that Hockey Australia will invite Pakistan’s male and female umpires, coaches and technical staff for their grooming in their domestic activities and coaching education programmes.

Meanwhile, according to a press release issued by the PHF, a high-profile FIH delegation comprising president Leandro Negre, CEO Kelly Fairweather and Asian Hockey Federation CEO Tayyab Ikram will visit Pakistan on Thursday.

The delegation will meet Punjab chief minister, governor and POA president retired Lt. Gen. Syed Arif Hassan for the revival of Pakistan hockey.

Dawn



Pakistan junior hockey team to play in Australia

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) on Wednesday announced the national junior team would play matches against Australia.

A delegation of Australia – headed by Michele Forster (Director Foreign Affairs and Trade for South Asia) along with Nicole Guihot (First Secretary of Economic and Public Diplomacy at Australian High Commission Islamabad – met Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Muhammad Khalid Sajjad Khokhar and PHF Secretary General Shahbaz Ahmad Senior here and agreed in principle that the Pakistan junior hockey team would visit Australia and play matches there.

“Under the exchange of visit programme, the Australian hockey teams will also play matches in Pakistan or at any neutral venues,” said a spokesman for the PHF.

Hockey Australia will also invite Pakistan men and women umpires, coaches and technical staff for their grooming in their domestic activities and coaching education programmes.

Meanwhile, a delegation comprising Leandro Negre (President of the International Hockey Federation FIH), Kelly Fairweather (FIH CEO) and Tayyab Ikram (CEO of the Asian Hockey Federation) will visit Pakistan on November 26 (Thursday), today. The delegation will meet with the Punjab Chief Minister, the Punjab Governor and Lt Gen (r) Syed Arif Hassan, (President of the Pakistan Olympic Association) for the revival of Pakistan hockey.

The Daily Times



Islah urges PHF to organise European tours for juniors



KARACHI: Former Pakistan Olympian Islahuddin Siddique Wednesday urged the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) to organise youth team tours to Europe in order to prepare them for next year’s Junior Hockey World Cup in India.

“After watching the performance of the junior team in the recent Asia Cup, I can say our team are second in Asia as they lost the final to India. But they still have a long way to go to be a contender at world level,” said Islahuddin. “The Pakistan junior team will have to put up a lot of hard work against European sides,” he added.

Islahuddin felt the PHF needed to arrange matches against the likes of Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and strong European teams in order to groom Pakistan hockey talent.

Islahuddin, who represented Pakistan from 1967 to 1978, was critical of the junior side’s performance in the final.

“Our goal-keeping was very poor and needs improvement,” he suggested, advising the PHF to set up a goal-keeping camp.

“The PHF should call in the expertise of former Olympians Shahid Ali Khan, Mansoor Ahmed and Ahmed Alam for the camp.”

The former Pakistan captain called on the PHF to also focus on the improvement of the senior team, currently ranked 10th in the world.

The Daily Times



Samiullah asks PHF to invest heavily on players

Mohsin Ali

ISLAMABAD - Former Olympian Samiuallah termed Pakistan junior hockey team performance in the recently-concluded Junior Asia Cup as disgraceful, as the team was among top two Asian nations and they should have won the event.

Talking to The Nation, Samiullah said: “Pakistan had the services of six senior team members and they should have performed exceptionally. All six players completely failed to give even satisfactory performances in the entire event. It is good that at least Pakistan had made it to the next year’s Junior Hockey World Cup in India, but now lies the bigger test of obtaining top four position in junior hockey rankings and give more than 100 percent in the world cup, as for the last decade or so, Pakistan hockey is at his lowest ebb and no one else but same persons were responsible for the debacle.”

Samiullah said the team had played under enormous pressure in the entire tournament and conceded too many goals as well. “The 6-2 defeat at the hands of arch-rivals India is not acceptable to masses nor the Olympians. It was real bashing by the Indians. The team should have entered final with a game plan, which was not witnessed. Despite having highly experienced players in their ranks, Tahir Zaman completely failed in getting best out of them.

“I completely disagree with Tahir Zaman's claim that he was not given much time and Indians were training for the last two years. The matter of the fact is that Tahir is blessed he had highly experienced and tested squad. Instead of making lame excuses over 6-2 drubbing, Tahir must accept his failures with open heart and try to rectify those errors as early as possible,” he added.

Samiullah said: “Now lies the biggest test for Tahir and others, as they have to work really hard on those six players, who flopped miserably. These players have to work hard on their fitness levels and come up with goods. If Pakistan junior team stands any chance of doing well in the world cup, they have to play as a combined unit,” he added.

The former Olympian said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had released special grant to Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) which must be invested heavily on the players by starting full-fledged training camps, arranging international tours for junior team and conducting nationwide talent hunt progamme at grassroots level, transforming them into best in the business. “Now almost four months have gone since Brig Khalid Sajjad has taken over as a PHF president, there is completely no work witnessed on seniors, who have been ignored completely. They are highly concerned about their futures, now money is in the hands of the federation and it is national and moral duty of PHF president to immediately announce panel of senior team coaches and start training camp at different centers of the country.

“This is golden time as Pakistan senior team has no international assignment, and they are out of next year’s Olympics, which is quite pinching and hurting.”
We were once proud Olympic champions and now we didn’t even qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics. If given priority and suitable coaches are hired, I am sure the senior team can excel at the top and day is not far, when green shirts regain lost hockey glory,” he believed.

“I hope present PHF president and secretary will not commit same old mistakes and must have a proper plan to improve fortunes of Pakistan hockey. They must involve both senior and junior players in maximum national and international hockey events and also arrange special training camps for them if they want to get desired results within short span of time. I must urge fellow Olympians to give new management some time to settle down,” Samiullah concluded.

The Nation



Penalty Corner expert Harmanpreet savours Asia Cup success

Dhananjay Roy

MUMBAI: The last year has seen Harmanpreet Singh go from strength to strength on the hockey pitch. The 19-year-old from Gurdaspur, who emerged the top-scorer in the Junior Men's Asia Cup on Sunday , with a whopping 15 goals has had a dream run during this period.

What's more, four of these 15 strikes came against arch rivals Pakistan in the final, a game that India dominated and won 6-2. Harmanpreet is back from Kuantan in Malaysia, after the hugely successful outing, and believes the goals have been a result of the hard work he has been putting in during the camps.

"I have been working really hard on all aspects of my game in the camps and am thankful for the encouragement and knowledge that our coach Harendra Singh has been providing," the softspoken drag-flicker told TOI on Wednesday .

Harmanpreet first caught the eye of hockey lovers in the country last October when his brace helped India beat Great Britain in the final of the Sultan of Johor Cup at Johor Bahru. He ended the tournament with nine goals. Soon, Hockey India League (HIL) franchise Dabang Mumbai paid $51,000 for him, and although the team struggled during the competition, the lad from the Surjeet Singh Academy in Jalandhar, justified his price tag, scoring five goals and emerging fourth in the list of top-scorers.

Recalling the game against Pakistan on Sunday , Harmanpreet claimed that there was no additional pressure on the shoulders of the young players.

"Before the match, our coach told us to just play our normal game without worrying about the eventual result. That's what we did and I am glad I was able to score those four goals."

However, Harmanpreet has not been able to celebrate his success post his return from Malaysia owing to bereavement in the family .

He believes the Asia Cup could not have been won on the back of a solo effort. "All of us were assigned roles in the team and we stuck to that. I scored most of the goals, but for that we needed to win penalty corners from the opponents which other team members did very well to get."

Speaking about his ambitions in the near future, Harmanpreet said: "I just want to continue working hard and doing well for whatever team am playing. I want to become a better defender and a better drag-flicker. As of now, that's what matters."

Meanwhile, Harendra is immensely satisfied with the progress that Harmanpreet has been making.

"He is obviously a very good player. But, what separates him from some others is his ability to take the sort of work load he has been handling. He is keen to improve every day and is very humble.

"That probably is the reason why he's having such an impact on the team," said the coach who is already charting plans for the Junior World Cup in 2016.

The Times of India



Mexican team made long trips to Moorpark for field hockey league

By Rich Romine


The Baja Field Hockey Club made the drive from Mexicali, Mexico, to play in the Moorpark Field Hockey Fall League. Baja won the Division 2 Mixed championship on Sunday with a 9-6 victory over the Moorpark Coyotes.

The Baja Field Hockey Club made 11 trips every Sunday to play in the Moorpark Field Hockey Fall League.

Last Sunday's trip was well worth the long drive from Mexicali, Mexico, as the Division 2 Mixed squad defeated the Moorpark Coyotes 9-6 for the championship.


Baja Field Hockey Club head coach and manager Francisco Benedith (left) greets Phil Schofield of the Field Hockey Federation at Moorpark College.

"The association has about 200 members," said Ralf Heuser, from Hidden Hills, who helps promote the sport. "The nearest Mexican regional association is in Sonora, some nine hours driving one way due to the great distance to other states that play field hockey. Moorpark is the closest and provides competition.

"There is one artificial turf field in Mexicali, inaugurated over Labor Day this year, and the trip is being made to get exposure to competition."

Tom Harris, a longtime field hockey enthusiast, has been to the Mexicali complex.

"It's a very nice facility," said Harris. "We had players from here play down there."

The trip takes 4-5 hours depending on the time of processing each time through U.S. Immigration.

The club started making the trip Sept. 13. The club fields one team in the Moorpark league and 15 individual players played on local teams.

For the season, manager Francisco Benedith's team finished 7-2-2 overall. The Moorpark Coyotes were 7-3-1.

Jessica Revilla, from Baja, plays on the Mexican National Team and also played in Germany for a club team. Omar Benedith plays for the Mexico National Team.

Benedith said the Baja club's goal is to organize a tournament in 2016 for California teams to participate.

Baja ended the fall season with 70 goals and allowed 5.7 Moorpark scored 54 goals and allowed 36.

Baja plays in a regional association in Baja California.

Harris expects the Baja club to play in the 2016 California Cup International Field Hockey Tournament over Memorial Day Weekend.

Ventura County Star



Sarah Wilson wins Scottish Women in Sport Official of the Year



Scotland & Great Britain umpire Sarah Wilson had further cause for celebration as she was crowned The National Official of the Year at the Scottish Women in Sport Awards last Friday.

Following a year in which she was selected among the 15 umpires to officiate at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, took charge of the Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship final, was upgraded by the FIH to the World Panel, and featured in the Women's European Club Cup final, the award is a fitting end to a great year.

Board member and technical official Barbara Morgan was also nominated in the same category, while Rachael Ewing-Day was nominated in the Coach of the Year category.

Scottish Hockey Union media release



Hockey family mourns Thomas Ayad


The hockey team from the Racing Club de Paris taking a clear stance

FIH has learnt that the shocking attacks in Paris have also cost the life of Thomas Ayad, former field hockey player in Amiens, France. Thomas Ayad died aged 32 when working at the concert in the Bataclan music hall on the evening of 13 November.

Thomas began playing hockey aged seven with the Sporting Club d'Amiens (S.C.A), following in the footsteps of his grandfather who played hockey in Algeria. With Amiens he won the French Junior Championships.

The Paris attacks are an act of horrifying brutality and they also affront the very values of our sport. Friendship and respect are core values on the field of play and the basis for the unifying character of hockey and sport in general.

The entire hockey family has joined me in condemning the Paris attacks and in mourning Thomas Ayad. Our hearts go out to his family, friends, hockey team mates and the French Hockey Federation.

In this difficult time, our thoughts are also with the other families and friends of those who have been killed or wounded.

FIH site

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