News for 23 January 2016
All the news for Saturday 23 January 2016
England shortcomings exposed
By Mike Haymonds
ENGLAND’S shortcomings at the indoor game were confirmed as their women lost both matches on the opening day of the second tier EuroHockey Indoor Championship in Cambrai, France.
Defeats by 2-6 to Russia and 2-3 to hosts France left them bottom of their group with no chance of gaining a place in the promotion pool today (Saturday).
The other two home nations in Cambrai fared little better as Wales, also in England’s pool, lost both games to France and Russia, while Scotland did manage a 2-2 draw with Switzerland after a loss to Lithuania.
England opened with a 2-6 defeat by Russia. They were two down before University of Birmingham’s Hannah Martin scored a field goal in the ninth minute but fell back to 1-5 by half-time. They played a tighter, more controlled game in the second half which only produced two more scores, with England’s coming from a 28th minute corner strike by Canterbury’s Grace Balsdon.
Against France they again went behind to two corner goals by Gwenaelle Dutel , a minute apart, on 15 minutes. Balsdon reduced the deficit with a corner strike three minutes after the interval only for Emilie Begue to restore the two-goal lead three minutes later.
Surbiton’s Giselle Ansley’s corner conversion in the 34th minute was as close as they got to an equaliser.
England head coach Andy Halliday said: “We have struggled to adapt to the indoor game against well drilled international indoor teams. I always knew that the weekend would be a steep learning curve for all. The girls are committed and the spirit in the group is high. The two defeats leave us needing two wins from our last 3 games to avoid relegation
Wales are in third place in Pool B after 1-3 and 2-4 defeats by France and Russia respectively. East Grinstead’s Xenna Hughes was their scorer against France while Izzy Webb and Katrin Budd, both of Swansea, were on target against Russia.
Scotland are in third place in Pool A after a 1-3 defeat by pool leaders Lithuania with Vikki Bunce their scorer and a 2-2 draw with Switzerland thanks to goals by Bunce and Amy Costello. They play Croatia today (Saturday), needing a big win and for Lithuania to beat Switzerland.
Daily Express
England beaten by Russia in opening game
Susie Gilbert takes on the Russia defence
A devastating display of clinical first half finishing from Russia condemned England to a 6-2 defeat in their opening match of the 2016 EuroHockey Indoor Championship II in Cambrai, France.
Valeriia Borisova helped herself to two early goals, adding to a brace for Svetlana Eroshina and one from Ekaterina Stepanenko making the half time score 5-1 to Russia. Hannah Martin struck England’s opener in the ninth minute but the deadly accuracy of the Russian strikers left Andy Halliday’s side with a mountain to climb in the second half.
England’s slow start allowed the more experienced Russian side to take control of the game and although England built some pressure and momentum int eh second half, the damage had already been done. Canterbury’s Grace Balsdon registered a penalty corner in the second half to reduce the arrears but Eroshina completed her hat-trick with moments to go in the match.
Head Coach Andy Halliday told England Hockey afterwards:
“I always knew we would need a tough game against a solid international indoor team to sharpen our. Although we were naive in many areas and guilty of too many outdoor habits, there was enough in the game to encourage me that we can fare well here. I was pleased with our resilience and control of second half. The game against the hosts tonight now becomes pivotal.’
England 2 (1)
Hannah Martin 9 (FG)
Grace Balsdon 28 (PC)
Russia 6 (5)
Valeriia Borisova 1, 15 (FG, FG)
Ekaterina Stepanenko 7 (FG)
Svetlana Eroshina 12, 15, 39 (FG, FG, FG)
England Hockey Board Media release
Improving England fall to France
England Women's Indoor side sing the national anthem
England put up a much improved display in their second match of the EuroHockey Indoor Championshsips II but were defeated 3-2 by the hosts, France in the last game of the day.
Having slipped to a heavy defeat in their opener against Russia, Andy Halliday’s side created a number of excellent chances against the French but were unable to convert them, leaving them searching for their first win of the competition after two matches.
Two goals in quick succession in the first half from France’s Gwenaelle Dutel left England trailing at the break despite Anne-Sophie Daire being arguably the busier of the two goalkeepers.
Three minutes after half time Halliday’s team hit back through a Grace Balsdon penalty corner, the Canterbury captain’s second goal in as many games. But just three minutes later, with England pushing hard for an equaliser Emilie Begue restored France’s two-goal cushion with a neat finish to beat Amy Tennant in the England goal.
Undeterred England hit back through another penalty corner. Giselle Ansley found the net to give her side hope with six minutes remaining. Despite more chances at both ends, it stayed 3-2 to the hosts, to the delight of the home crowd.
Head Coach Andy Halliday told England Hockey:
‘We had enough possession and opportunities to win the game, however the acquisition of indoor skills has been tough against two very well drilled indoor teams. We now find ourselves in a battle to avoid relegation; I hope that the positivity and the spirit within the group will contribute to some winning performances to keep this team in the division. Today’s results have really highlighted the minimal preparation we have had in the lead up to the tournament.’
France 3 (2)
Gwenaelle Dutel 15, 16, (PC, PC)
Emilie Begue 26 (FG)
England 2 (0)
Grace Balsdon 23 (PC)
Giselle Ansley 34 (PC)
England Hockey Board Media release
Scottish hopes of reaching promotion pool suffer set-back
Scotland Senior Women's prospects of reaching the promotion pool stage at the EuroHockey Indoor Nations Championship II look slim after taking one point from their first two matches today.
The first pool match against Lithuania took a while to get going, with the first goal of the contest not coming until a 12th minute Erlanda Nomeikaite goal from a penalty corner.
Scotland found themselves back on level terms shortly before the half-time interval, with captain Vikki Bunce registering on the scoresheet via a short corner set-piece.
However, Jurate Juodyte dented Scottish hopes of taking anything from the match six minutes into the second period with a goal from open play, and any chance of a comeback was snuffed out four minutes from full-time when Nomeikaite made it 3-1 for the Lithuanians.
In their second match against Switzerland this evening, the Scots raced into a 2-0 half-time lead courtesy of Bunce's second goal of the competition and Amy Costello's strike at the end of the first period.
Nevertheless, Stephanie Walti dragged the Swiss back into contention a minute after the re-start, before a tense second half battle ended with Karin Buggmann equalising sixty seconds before the full-time hooter.
Tomorrow's final pool match against Croatia is a must-win and the national side will need to score a truck-load of goals and hope Lithuania beat Switzerland by a significant margin to have any chance of progression to the promotion stage.
Scottish Hockey Union media release
Ranchi finds its mojo, registers first win of season
Uthra Ganesan
The wall: Uttar Pradesh Wizards goalkeeper P.R.Sreejesh thwarts a move by Simaranjeet Singh (left) and Barry Middleton of Ranchi Rays. Photo Rajeev Bhatt
Ranchi Rays changed its style and its fortunes in two quarters to register its first win in the fourth edition of the Hockey India League, defeating host Uttar Pradesh Wizards 4-2 here on Friday.
The defending champion registered its presence both in penalty corners and field goals in the come-from-behind victory. Despite being more aggressive and creating more chances, Uttar Pradesh Wizards faltered in its first home match of the season, unable to take advantage of the chances that came its way.
With the Guru Gobind Singh Sports College ground filled only half but with a vociferous crowd backing the home side, the host was far more on the attack, giving the supporters a lot to cheer for.
But UP was unable to make use of a more proficient forward line compared to the visitor, who went from defensive to offensive at the change of ends. Starting cautiously with only the occasional forays into the UP half courtesy Manpreet Singh and Mohammad Amir Khan, Ranchi changed its style in the last two quarters, taking a lot more chances at goal and was rewarded for it.
Akashdeep Singh and Ramandeep Singh combined well upfront and Eddie Ockenden provided the much-needed flourish to the UP attack. Using both flanks to the optimum, the host kept pushing high and went ahead early in the fourth minute through Ramandeep. The goal energised the crowd and the host, who had skipper V. R. Raghunath, Wouter Jolie and Gonzalo Peillat manning the back.
But Ranchi, which perhaps has the best midfield in the competition, remained unflustered and kept clawing back into the game.
With Ashley Jackson playing the fulcrum of the attack and Manpreet moving up and down to shore up the attack, Ranchi played more to a plan. Manpreet put through some great balls but Sarwanjit Singh was unable to convert it.
Post break, Ranchi came out more determined to get on the scoresheet. Two goals in four minutes – a penalty corner struck in on the rebound by Sarvanjit in the 45th and a peach of a goal from an acute angle by Jackson in the 48th – changed the momentum. P. R. Sreejesh brought off some impressive saves, diving left and right to ward off the Ranchi attacks, but there was only so much he could do.
Missed sitters in front of the goal by P. R. Aiyappa and Kenneth Bain also hurt its chances, as did a couple of consecutive penalty corners wasted by Raghunath. While UP went on the defensive, Ranchi found its mojo and went for the kill. A last minute penalty corner converted by Jackson ended all hopes for the host.
The result: Ranchi Rays 4 (Sarvanjit Singh PC, Ashley Jackson 2 (FG, PC) bt Uttar Pradesh Wizards 2 (Ramandeep Singh FG).
The Hindu
Ashley leads Ranchi Rays to victory in the fifth match of HIL
Lucknow: Defending champions Ranchi Rays played like champions today to edge past Uttar Pradesh Wizards, registering their first win in the 4th Coal India Hockey India League.
The match which was being played under lights for the first time ever at the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium, Lucknow saw the visitors come from behind to defeat hosts Uttar Pradesh Wizards 4-2. The defending champions who lost out in the initial part of the game against an attacking Uttar Pradesh Wizards, raised their game in the second half to strike back to back goals showcasing their class.
The match began with the hosts pressing hard to score from the first minute, and their attacking mode was duly rewarded through a spectacular field goal in the 4th minute from Ramandeep Singh, giving the home team an early lead of 2-0 in the game. The game there after saw the visitors playing an attacking game, but some beautiful saves from Uttar Pradesh Wizards Goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, ensured the home team maintained their lead right through the first half.
The third quarter began with Uttar Pradesh Wizards trying hard to extend their lead but a strong defence line of the Ranchi Rays foiled the home team’s efforts. Ranchi Rays on the other hand continued to penetrate into the Uttar Pradesh Wizards circle and their constant attacks yielded results through a penalty corner conversion in the 45th minute through Sarvanjit Singh, giving the visitors a chance to comeback in the game.
The fourth quarter began with Uttar Pradesh Wizards leading 2-1, but an exceptional field goal in the 48th minute through Ranchi Rays Captain Ashley Jackson ensured the defending champions took a much needed lead of 3-2 in a crucial juncture of the game. The visitors there after played like champions denying the home team any opportunity to score, but continued penetrating into the Wizards circle. Their efforts saw results in the final moments of the game where Ashley Jackson scored for the second time through a penalty corner ensuring a well fought win of 4-2 for the defending Champions.
The Coal India Goal of the Match award of INR 50,000 - Ashley Jackson of Ranchi Rays
Most Entertaining Player of the Match award- Akashdeep Singh of UPW
Man of the Match award of INR 50,000- Ashley Jackson
Hero Emerging Player of the Match award of INR 25,000 - Simranjeet Singh of Ranchi Rays
The next match of the 4th Coal India Hockey India League will played between the Uttar Pradesh Wizards and Delhi Waveriders at the Major Dhyanchand Stadium, Lucknow on 23rd January, 2016.
Stick2Hockey.com
Jackson leads Ranchi Rays past UP Wizards
Asheem Mukerji
LUCKNOW: UP Wizards made a disappointing start to their home matches in HIL as Ranchi Rays registered a 4-2 win at the Dhyanchand stadium here on Friday. The home side's challenge withered away grabbing an early lead with a field goal by Ramandeep Singh. A field goal counting as two according to new rules, the Wizards led 2-0 at the end of the second quarter. After that it became an uphill task for them as the Rays pressed on the gas.
A penalty corner strike by Sarvanjit Singh in the 45th minute reduced the Wizards' lead to 2-1 and then three minutes later a stunning reverse hit by skipper Ashley Jackson literally deflated the hosts. That field goal gave Ranchi a 3-2 lead. The last nail in the Wizards' coffin was hammered by Jackson as he converted a penalty corner in the final minute of the game to round up the tally. For UP, it turned out to a cold performance on a cold evening.
The Times of India
Jackson stars in Ranchi Rays come-from-behind win over UP
(TOI photo)
LUCKNOW: Skipper Ashley Jackson scored a brace as defending champions Ranchi Rays' produced a brilliant fightback to register a come-from-behind 4-2 win over Uttar Pradesh Wizards and notch up their first win in the fourth Hockey India League (HIL) on Friday.
Contrary to the final result, it was the UP Wizards who drew the first blood in the fourth minute when Ramandeep Singh found himself at the right position at the right time to deflect home and give his side a 2-0 lead as per the new scoring system, where one field goal is counted as two.
But Ranchi Rays dished out a spirited show and struck thrice in the final 15 minutes of the match to stun the home team.
After Sarvanjit Singh pulled one back for the Ranchi Rays from a penalty corner in the 45th minute, Jackson scored a stunning field goal three minutes later from a Barry Middleton assist to turn the tables around and give Rays a 3-2 lead.
Jackson then converted a penalty corner in the final minute of the match to extend their lead and hand the visitors their first success in the six-team franchise-based tournament.
By virtue of this win, Ranchi Rays have moved up the table with six points from two games. The UP Wizards, too, have same points from as many games.
UP Wizards will play Delhi Waveriders on Saturday, while Ranchi Rays also will host the Waveriders in their next outing in Ranchi on January 26.
The Times of India
UHC and HTHC battle for indoor playoff place
UHC Hamburg go into their final round of German indoor league group matches without the influential Pilt Arnold as they look to nail down a playoff place.
They face a pivotal game against EHL rivals Harvestehuder THC on Saturday afternoon before facing Klipper on Sunday in the north division of the competition. They are already without Moritz Fuerste due to his Hockey India League commitments but are improved by the availabilty of Ken Gorny. UHC probably need just a draw from their two games to advance.
For HTHC, coach Christoph Bechmann said of their challenge: "We need to get at least a point at UHC then set upan endgame against Alster."
Club an der Alster beatGroßflottbeker THGC 7-5 on Friday evening to move three points ahead of HTHC.
Four sides are in contention to advance from the East with Berliner HC leading the way on 18 points with Zehlendorfer Wasps in second, Blau-Weiss Berlin and TUS Lichterfelde covered by four points with two games remaining.
In the South, Mannheimer HC are already through with TSV Mannheim needing one win to join them from their last two games. In the West, Rot-Weiss Köln and Uhlenhorst Mülheim are through, too.
Euro Hockey League media release
Butali Sugar Warriors out to reclaim lead in weekend double header
By BRIAN YONGA
Willies Okeyo of Kenya Police controls the ball during their Premier League match against Parklands Sports Club at City Park Stadium on January 9, 2016. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Giants Kenya Police and Butali Sugar Warriors will be looking to collect maximum points this weekend in their respective Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) men’s Premier League matches.
The two rivals have two matches each this weekend with eight other league matches set to be played in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kabarak.
Leaders Police are away in Mombasa where they will take on Mvita Saturday afternoon and Mombasa Sports Club (MSC) on Sunday at the Mombasa Sports Club grounds.
The law-enforcers are confident of collecting maximum points against the two coastal sides that occupy the two bottom places in the league.
However, Police coach Kenneth Kaunda has warned his charges against any complacency in the two fixtures.
“We’ve always posted good results in Mombasa and we want to extend that record but we need to be wary of the opposition,” Kaunda told Saturday Nation Sport.
“They (MSC and Mvita) are fighting relegation and so both matches will be closely contested.”
Police, who lead the log with 41 points, will rely on talismanic striker Moses Cheplaiti who scored twice in their last match against Parklands to get the goals.
Champions Butali Sugar Warriors will be in Nairobi to face Parkroad this evening and 2012 champions Sikh Union Nairobi tomorrow at City Park Stadium.
It will be the champions’ first matches of 2016 as they seek to leapfrog Police at the top and retain their title. The lakeside team won both matches 3-0 during the first leg last year but Warriors coach Cliffe Okello believes his team will face an uphill task in taking maximum points.
“It is the second leg. Nobody wants to lose any points and that’s why we need to be in top shape and take our chances if we want to leave Nairobi with all points,” Okello said.
In the women’s national league, on-form Strathmore Scorpions will be away to MSC and a win this afternoon will see them move to within five points of leaders Telkom Orange.
Scorpions have won in their last three visits to Mombasa and will be favourites to extend their good run.
In another women’s encounter, Kenyatta University’s Titans take on Mount Kenya University (MKU) in a university derby this morning at City Park Stadium. Bottom-placed MKU are still without a win this season and have a single point from 13 matches.
In the men’s second-tier division, Wazalendo Youth take on Daystar Falcons, Chase Sailors face Thika Rovers and Kabarak University welcome Parkroad Tigers.
FIXTURES (All Matches at City Park Stadium unless stated)
Saturday
National women: MKU v Titans- 9am, MSC v Strathmore – 2pm (Mombasa)
National men: Wazalendo Youth v Daystar – 2pm
Premier men: Sikh Union v USIU -4pm, Mvita v Kenya Police- 4pm (Mombasa), Butali v Parkroad (6pm)
Sunday
National women: JKUAT v USIU – 9am
National men: Chase v Thika Rovers – 11am, Kabarak v Thika Rovers – 10am (Kabarak)
Premier men: MSC v Kenya Police- 9am (Mombasa), Butali v Sikh Union – 1pm, Parkroad v USIU, 3pm
Daily Nation
BJSS do just enough to beat PJCC 2-1
By Jugjet Singh
BUKIT Jalil Sports School (BJSS) Thunderbolts lived by the skin-of-their-teeth to beat Petaling Jaya City Council (PJCC) 2-1 in Division One of the Junior Hockey League yesterday.
However, the match of the day belonged to SSP-MSP-Thunderbolts who hammered SSTMI Juniors 9-1 to top the Division One Standings.
Second on the standings are double champions SSTMI Thunderbolts who beat Olak Tigers 7-2.
Yesterday, BJSS took the lead off Arif Sabron in the third minute and Syafiq Razak made it 2-0 in the 50th minute before PJCC narrowed the score via Azwadi Ridzuan in the 53rd minute.
"We did everything right except score more goals, but the win is a welcome from our 2-1 defeat to SSP-MSP Thunderbolts last weekend," said BJSS manager K. Rajan.
It was the same script for BJSS as they missed about 10 sitters, the same when they lost to SSP-MSP, and this is cause for worry.
"Right from the back to attack the boys did everything right, but when they enter the semi-circle they fail to nail sitters. Even though this is a worrying factor, at least we have one week before the next match to rectify matters," said Rajan.
BJSS started with a bang when they opened the JHL with a 6-1 hammering of UniKL Young Guns: "Our target is to finish top-four in the League and play in the knock-out and right now we are bang on target," said Rajan.
RESULTS -- Division One: SMKDBL Young Guns 2 UniKL Young Guns 4, Politeknik 2 Nur Insafi 2, PJCC 1 BJSS Thunderbolts 2, SSTMI Thunderbolts 7 Olak Tigers 2, SSP-MSP-Thunderbolts 9 SSTMI Juniors 1.
Division Two: Group A -- Penang-USM 4 Matri 1, MSS Kedah 4 MCKK 0, Perlis Young Lions v Kedah Juniors (Called off).
Group B: Anderson Thunderbolts 8 STAR 0, Felda Juniors 3 MISCF-UFL 1, BJSS Juniors 2 MSNPK-ILHC 1.
Group C: Pahang Hockey Academy 5 Datuk Taha 3, Malacca High 8 SM Sains Johor 0, Young Hurricanes Malacca 1 SMKDBL Juniors 0.
SATURDAY: Division One: SMKDBL Young Guns v Olak Tigers (Batu Pahat), Politeknik v UniKL Young Guns (Taman Daya), SSTMI Thunderbolts v Nur Insafi (SSTMI).
Division Two: Group A: Matri v MCKK (Kangar), MS Kedah v SM Sains Azlan Shah (Padang Serai), Penang USM v Perlis Young Lions Juniors (Sg Petani).
Group B: MSSWPKL v MSNPK-ILHC (Ministry of Education), Anderson PHA v STAR (Azlan Shah I).
Group C: TBSS Tampin v Sabah Sports School (Seremban II), Young Hurricanes Malacca v SM Sains Johor (Malacca I), Malacca High School v SMKDBL Juniors (Malacca II).
NOTE: All matches start at 5pm.
DIVISION ONE
P W D L F A Pts
SSP-MSP-TNDER' 3 3 0 0 22 3 9
SSTMI TNDER' 3 3 0 0 18 3 9
BJSS TNDER' 3 2 0 1 9 4 6
PJCC 3 2 0 1 6 3 6
UNIKL YOUNG GUNS 3 2 0 1 9 10 6
POLITEKNIK 3 1 1 1 6 5 4
SMKDBL YOUNG GUNS 3 1 0 2 4 8 3
NURINSAFI 3 0 1 2 4 16 1
OLAK TIGERS 3 0 0 3 4 13 0
SSTMI JRS 3 0 0 3 3 20 0
Jugjet's World of Field Hockey
Pahang Sports School give SSTMI Juniors a hammering
by Aftar Singh
MBPJ's skipper Mohamad Faid stumbles over BJSS Thunderbolt's Mohamad Sheimyrul in the match at the Bukit Jalil Hockey Stadium. - GLENN GUAN / The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: There’s no stopping Pahang Sports School-MSP-Thunderbolt in the Malaysian Junior Hockey League.
The east coast team continued to stamp their might by hammering Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (SSTMI) Juniors 9-1 on Friday at the Kuantan Hockey Stadium.
Pahang, who lead the Division One standings, trounced Nur Insafi 11-1 in their first match and then edged Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS)-Thunderbolt 2-1 last week.
Mohammad Hazzim Amin Hafidz (54th, 56th) and Wan Muhammad Asyraf Ahmad (45th, 84th) scored a brace for Pahang Sports School.
Muhammad Haziq Fawwaz Ramli (4th), Muhammad Ikmal Hafiz Zulkifli (8th), Zulfiqrie Zulazli (27th), Muhammad Akmal Al-Halim Abdul Hamid (52nd) and Muhammad Izham Azhar (69th) contributed the other goals.
STTMI Juniors’ consolation goal was scored by Muhammad Fikri Amer Runnizar in the 22nd minute.
Pahang Sports School coach Mohd Sufian Mohamed was delighted with the big win despite not fielding their best squad.
“We were without our penalty corner drag flickers Mohd Idris (Ahmad) and Mohd Hafiz (Zauri) as they are down with injuries.
“But it looked like their absence did not affect our game as we converted five penalty corners,” said Sufian.
Sufian was also delighted that they managed to score a whopping 22 goals in three matches.
“We have a week’s break before we play two crucial matches (Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) and Universiti Kuala Lumpur) next week,” said Sufian.
Double champions STTMI-Thunderbolt also registered their third win by outplaying Olak Tigers 7-2 at the STTMI pitch.
Muhammad Amirul Hamizan Azahar (7th, 55th) scored a brace for SSTMI. Muhammad Shahrin Izzuddin Shamsuri (41st), Muhammad Haizzat Noor Azmi (45th), Muhammad Muhibuddin Moharam (58th), Luqman Nul Hakim Ahmad Shukran (59th) and Moham Akhimullah Anuar Essok (65th) netted the other goals for SSTMI.
T. Kavinash Panicker (43rd) and Nur Najibrullah Ramie (66th) replied for Olak.
Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) Thunderbolt bounced back from their defeat to Pahang Sports School to edge MBPJ 2-1 to stay on track for the Division One title.
Former champions BJSS have six points from two wins and a defeat.
Arif Sabron gave BJSS the lead in the third minute off a field attempt before Abdul Syafiq Abdul Razak increased their advantage in the 50th minute off a penalty corner.
MBPJ reduced the deficit in the 53rd minute through Muhammad Azwadi Ridzuan’s penalty corner goal.
The Star of Malaysia
Hosts dominate indoor final
NSW U15 boys claim gold after a 3-0 victory over WA
Image: clickinfocus.com.au
New South Wales dominated the U15 Boys’ Indoor Australian Championships final after defeating their opponents Western Australia 3-0 in Wollongong on Friday.
Wade Harry’s on-target penalty corner had New South Wales carrying a 1-0 lead over their opponents as they approached the halftime break.
During the 26th and 37th minutes, New South Wales were awarded two penalty stroke opportunities. Cool, calm and collected, Lain Carr and Wade Harry slotted the ball behind Western Australia’s goalkeeper Christian Starkie, securing themselves the gold medal from a 3-0 victory.
It was a fairly even contest between Victoria and Queensland in the bronze medal final, which resulted in Queensland finishing 4-3 winners. Victorian strikes from Nathan McDonald (2) and Ben Rose wasn’t enough to outrun the team in maroon. Queenslanders Liam Hart, Kaleb Christensen, Lewis Fossey and Tate Weyer contributed to their teams’ bronze medal victory off the back of a busy second half in their attacking circle.
The Australian Capital Territory defeated Tasmania 2-0 in the 5th v 6th playoff.
Final Results
QLD 3-5 WA (semi-final)
NSW 2-0 VIC (semi-final)
ACT 2-0 TAS (5 v 6)
VIC 3-4 QLD (bronze medal)
NSW 3–0 WA (gold medal)
Final Classification
Gold: New South Wales
Silver: Western Australia
Bronze: Queensland
4th: Victoria
5th: Australian Capital Territory
6th: Tasmania
7th: South Australia
Hockey Australia media release
Shoot-out victory for WA
Western Australia’s U15 girls defeat NSW 2-0 on a final shoot-out
Western Australia claimed the U15 national indoor title after defeating New South Wales 2-0 in a dramatic final shoot-out.
A goal on either side from New South Wales’ Brooke Welsh and Western Australia’s Jo Snyman wasn’t enough to crown a winner on the final siren, sending the match into a shoot-out to determine who would take home the 2016 title.
Sitting second on the standings after the pool matches, Western Australia’s women coolly finished off the shoot-out with two on-target strikes to seal a 2-0 victory.
Victoria took home the bronze medal after finishing atop of Queensland 5-3. A hat trick from Rebecca James and strikes from Abbey O’Brien and Jenna Weingartner was all it took to seal the deal for Victoria. Liberty Humphreys, Abbey Hill and Genevieve Ferguson also hit target for Queensland, however, it wasn’t enough to outdo a strong and determined Victorian side.
The Australian Capital Territory defeated South Australia 3-0 in the 5th v 6th playoff.
Final Results
WA 4-3 QLD (semi-final)
NSW 2-2 VIC (semi-final)
ACT 3-0 SA (5 v 6)
VIC 5-3 QLD (bronze medal)
NSW 0-2 WA [shoot-out] (gold medal)
Final Classification
Gold: Western Australia
Silver: New South Wales
Bronze: Victoria
4th: Queensland
5th: Australian Capital Territory
6th: South Australia
7th: Tasmania
Hockey Australia media release
US men earning their stars and stripes
While hockey's popularity continues to grow across the the USA, members of their national men's team have been doing their part to inspire the next generation in areas new to the sport...
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 score a goal for your team? Without hesitation, absolutely. There are ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ from youngsters watching from the stand. Before the game is over, some of the young audience might have already asked his or her parent if they can ‘have a go’.
Without knowing it, the athlete that scored that goal 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.
In recent years, there has been a concerted effort on the part of the USA men’s team to grow the sport in the local communities, as USA team member Alex Grassi explains: “With so many USA Men’s National Team (USMNT) athletes based in San Diego, we have a tremendous opportunity to work together to help grow the game.
“Unlike the East Coast where field hockey is well known, some people in San Diego don't even know what field hockey is,” he adds.
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 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 a view to growing the game in his area, USA hockey star Kevin Barber started a programme a few years ago. 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 programme run smoothly.
At the end of autumn in the first year, all the young players gathered at the Olympic Training Centre (OTC) and the 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 an up and coming sport in the Chula Vista/San Diego community.
Since then, an after school programme has been introduced for the children so they could practice more regularly. Barber has since moved from San Diego but members of the USMNT have continued his vision of growing the game in the local community.
“I took over the after school programme 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 Centre because they get to see how far field hockey can take them,” continued Grassi. “Once they start playing, the kids truly enjoy 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 USA men’s or women’s national teams.”
This is just one of several examples of development taking place across the USA. To find out more, visit US Field Hockey by clicking here.
Yet again this is further evidence of FIH National Associations and their athletes embracing the Hockey Revolution which aims to make hockey a global game that inspires the next generation.
FIH site
FIH announces seven official Suppliers as part of Quality Programme for Hockey Turf
Suppliers certified to provide ‘one-stop shop’ for delivering quality hockey turf fields
The OIympic Games hockey pitches in Rio were recently certified as part of the FIH Quality Programme for Hockey Turf (Photo: Rio 2016/Alex Ferro)
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is pleased to confirm seven companies who have been appointed as official FIH Suppliers including Act Global, AstroTurf, Edel Grass, FieldTurf (now incorporating Desso), Lano, Polytan andTenCate Grass (representing the brands GreenFields and TigerTurf).
As part of the FIH Quality Programme for Hockey Turf, these suppliers manufacture hockey turf products and build hockey fields. Their service provision therefore allows customers to benefit from a one-stop approach to the construction of their new hockey field.
In addition to meeting all the criteria of FIH Certified Manufacturers and Field Builders, the seven suppliers have also demonstrated their commitment to working with the FIH around the world to provide high-quality hockey fields suitable for international, national, club and development hockey.
Only companies that are able to demonstrate their commitment to hockey are awarded this prestigious recognition. The companies contribute to the development of hockey by working with the FIH to set the industry standards and build the fields needed to grow and sustain the game.
This initiative is part of the FIH Quality Programme for Hockey Turf which is aimed at ensuring good quality hockey fields are built for all levels of play, from elite level competition to community development.
This internationally recognised quality-assurance programme provides consistent and dependable industry standards for the performance, construction and durability of hockey turf installations worldwide and ensures the appropriate quality for the intended level of play. As a result it will help inspire more people to play hockey, promote player welfare and protect the investment of those funding hockey facilities.
This programme forms an integral part of the FIH’s Hockey Revolution, a 10-year strategy that aims to make hockey a global game that inspires the next generation. As part of the overall strategy a major initiative was launched to increase the degree of professionalism in hockey. The Quality Programme is one of the first results of this initiative.
Speaking of these appointments, FIH CEO Kelly Fairweather said: “An extensive evaluation process has been undertaken to ensure that all these suppliers can provide high levels of quality to the hockey community. However, we also wanted to ensure that they would also contribute to the aims and objectives of our Federation which is to make hockey a global game that inspires the next generation.”
FIH President Leandro Negre acknowledged the progress being made by the FIH Quality Programme for Hockey Turf. He said: “We believe that the long-term success of our sport lies in the quality of hockey facilities around the world. As part of the Hockey Revolution we want to create international standards ensuring the sustainability, affordability and accessibility of hockey fields worldwide, key recommendations also outlined in the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Agenda 2020. The appointment of these seven suppliers marks an important milestone in our development of the FIH Quality Programme for Hockey Turf.”
Alastair Cox, FIH Facilities Manager, added: “We are delighted to announce these seven suppliers into our official quality assurance programme. Organisations can now be confident that by using these suppliers, their field will perform correctly, is safe, built to specification and maintains performance. As a result, this will improve the sustainability and affordability of hockey turf fields, which will have a significant impact on the long term development of hockey.”
It was also confirmed earlier this week that S&C Slatter Ltd based in England were registered as the first FIH Certified Field Builder.
This certification assures that approved contractors are specialists in the field building area - they have a proven ability to construct fields to the standards required for hockey, have appropriate in-house civil engineering expertise for the design and construction of hockey fields, operate quality management systems to ensure consistency in their work and provide comprehensive maintenance advice to their customers.
For more information about this programme, visit the new on new Hockey Turf section of FIH website by clicking here.
FIH site