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All the news for Thursday 4 August 2016

Green Army Book Place In Finals


A game with no cards and a plethora of penalty corners saw Ireland score twice to secure their place in the finals against Belgium.

Two penalty corners in quick succession for the Green Army in the opening minutes set the tone for a game that saw the Irish dominant without much reward reflected on the scoreboard. Chile’s goal in the 11th minute came against the run of play as Paula Drayer Valdivia scored on the rebound to give her team an unlikely lead. More PC’s followed for the green army as they continued to break at will but it was Lizzie Colvin who eventually converted from the top of the circle. A PC on the buzzer of half time saw the girls in green line up around the circle but it was the experienced Colvin who shot on goal and a Chilean deflection saw the ball fly high into the net.

The chances came thick and fast as the second half got under way with Megan Frazer’s drag flick batted away while Deirdre Duke failed to connect with an Anna O’Flanagan pass across the circle. The only real chance for Chile was stopped by Ayeisha McFerran with a superb stick tackle-save combination in the 50th minute. 2 minutes later and the Green Army had the lead that had long since been coming thanks to Naomi Carroll. A pin-point trademark pass from Shirley McCay sent the ball the length of the pitch to Carroll who skilfully fired on the reverse, a Chilean stick was again on hand to deflect home. The pace of the ball rarely relented and Ireland were dogged in their pursuit of another goal; the final chance came as Watkins went on an inspired run to set up O’Flanagan who’s pass to Duke on the penalty spot evaded the target.

Coach Graham Shaw said “I’m very happy with that performance, the only disappointment being going in 1-0 down at half time. They’re a good team and making strides, but we out-played them today particularly when looking at the chances created. We’re delighted to be in the final and looking forward to playing Belgium again”. 

The win means Ireland book their place in the final against Belgium at 2pm on Friday in Rathdown School.

Ireland 2 (Colvin, Carroll)
Chile 1 (Drayer Valdivia)

Squad: Frazer (Captain), McFerran(GK), McCay, Tice, Pinder, Colvin, A O'Flanagan, Wilson, Duke, Mullan, Carroll

Subs: G O’Flanagan(GK), O'Bryne, Whelan, Watkins, Matthews, Meeke, Barry

Irish Hockey Association media release

Practice match whets appetite for McMahon

Lawrence West


Australian women's hockey team © olympics.com.au

HOCKEY: The Australian women’s hockey team got its first taste of the Olympic Hockey Centre in Rio with a practice match against reigning Olympic gold medallists, the Netherlands, on Tuesday evening.

While the Dutch ran out 2-0 victors courtesy of goals from Kitty van Male and Kelly Jonker in the first and third quarters of the match, the evenly contested encounter only served to whet the appetite for Australian defender Karri McMahon.

“I thought it was a very even game,” said McMahon, from Berri in South Australia.

“They finished off a little better than we did but I thought we stuck to our processes and got the job done in terms of our performance.



“We’re really excited and looking forward to what we’ve got coming. We’re in a really good place to kick off our campaign.”

After falling behind midway through a first period in which the Netherlands created the best of the opportunities, Australia’s women dominated the second quarter, demonstrating greater energy and intensity, pressing the Netherlands high up the field and creating a number of chances.

Georgie Parker’s tomahawk over the crossbar and Kathryn Slattery’s sliding deflection at the far post were amongst Australia’s best chances.

The game became stretched after half time as both sides experimented with formations and tactics. Jonker converted with a chest high volley from a cross by Ellen Hoog to increase the Dutch lead before Jodie Kenny saw her penalty corner repelled at the other end. Late on, goalkeeper Rachael Lynch saved well one-on-one with Naomi van As.



Australian coach Adam Commens said the match against the number one ranked side was an excellent opportunity to gauge his team’s standing prior to the competition.

“The girls were able to put into practice some of the things that we’ve been working on,” said Commens after the match.

“I know that we can play better than we did this evening but there were some promising signs a few days out from our first game.

“The speed that we have through the pitch has been evident in the last 12 to 18 months,” said Commens, referring to the team’s developing new style.

“Certainly, at the Champions Trophy we saw our ability to create opportunities from our defensive quarter going through.

“The Netherlands, the world number one team, are also very good at that. Tonight it was an interesting battle between two teams that have a lot of speed through the pitch and I thought it was an exciting match.

“It’s important to develop what’s important to us; what are the things that we want to get out of each game. What are the things we want to achieve as a team and what’s the brand of hockey we want to show the world hockey public; not only the Australian public but the rest of the world that are watching, and each game we go out to try and improve that. Whilst you’re doing that and focusing on that and those processes, then you give yourself the best opportunity to get a result."

With her first match at the Olympic Hockey Centre under her belt, McMahon is looking forward to the team’s opening encounter against Great Britain on Saturday evening (9:30am AEST, Sunday).

“It might be a cliché but we really do just have to take each day as it comes,” said McMahon.

“We’ve got another training session and another practice match and then we’re into it. We’re very excited for it all to start. I can’t wait for it to begin.”

Australian Olympic Committee media release

Hockey men anticipate eight grand finals

Lawrence West


Hockey men take on Ireland in Rio practice match © olympics.com.au

Eight grand finals in 13 days. That’s the height of the challenge facing the Australian men’s hockey team after their final practice match against Ireland finished 1-0 on Wednesday.

A solitary Blake Govers penalty corner strike separated the sides ahead of the beginning of their Olympic Games campaigns this weekend.

The shortened match – just two periods of 15 minutes – was a final chance for Australian head coach Graham Reid to assess his side in gameplay before Australia meets New Zealand on Saturday.

“It’s pretty much eight grand finals,” said Reid, referring to the team’s Olympic schedule. “It’s a huge campaign – eight games in 13 days – so we’ll be taking it a quarter at a time. It’s an old cliché but I think it rings pretty true in this regard.”

Reid knows the importance of starting well at the 2016 Olympic Games. With quarter finals being introduced in Rio, teams that finish higher in the pool phase will face those finishing lower in the opposite group in the knock-out quarter finals.

Familiarity could prove to be either an advantage or a disadvantage when Australia and New Zealand meet.

“We know each other back to front, which is good but also dangerous,” admitted Reid. “They are a quality team so we’ll be preparing as though we’re playing in a grand final.

“These pool games are really important because we need to try and be as predictable as we can with our results so that when the crossover finally comes we can try and get as big an advantage in that as we can.”

Govers’ unstoppable flick into the top corner came five minutes before half time, from Australia’s third of four penalty corners.

The men in green and gold came closest to extending their lead through Glenn Turner, who found space in the circle but fired over after determined work in the midfield by Daniel Beale. Jake Whetton also shot over after clever play at the top of the circle.

Ireland had their chances, too. Notably two penalty corners in the final minutes, both of which were tipped over the crossbar by Andrew Charter in the Australian goal. The goalkeeper from Canberra was earlier called upon to deny a deflected shot with Ireland putting the rebound wide.

Matt Gohdes said the team is looking forward to the start of the Games.

“We know them really well and they know us so it’ll be a tight contest,” said Gohdes. “Hopefully we can execute a bit better than them on the day.

“We’ve been here a while and now a lot of us are keen to play some games.”

The Australian men’s hockey team play New Zealand at 1:30pm on Saturday (2:30am AEST, Sunday).

Australian Olympic Committee media release

My last desire is to see an Olympic gold in hockey: Balbir Sr

Chandigarh: Hockey legend Balbir Singh Sr today said his one last dream is to see eight-time champions India win another Olympic gold in the sport.

Balbir Sr said he has serious hopes from the PR Sreejesh-led Indian men's hockey team at Rio Olympics.

"I have strong hope that we will do well this time and win a medal. My last desire in my remaining lifetime is to see Indian hockey team win an Olympic gold medal," the 92-year-old veteran told here.

Balbir Sr, who is probably India's oldest living Olympian, spoke words of encouragement not just for the country's hockey team, but wished good luck to all Rio-bound Indian athletes.

"Work hard, aim high, think positive, the spot at the top is always vacant. It's meant for the brave, those who deserve to reach there. When I was playing as captain, I used to say such things and even as chief coach and manager (of Indian hockey team), I used to say that we have go to win.

"I have believed in this philosophy throughout my life. At no stage we can negative thoughts to cross our minds. We have to give our best and aim for win," he asserted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently exuded confidence that the Indian contingent would put up a grand show at Rio.

"Prime Minister Modi has exuded confidence that the Indian contingent would put up a grand show," said Balbir Sr, who was a member of three Olympic gold medal winning teams in London (1948), Helsinki (1952), and Melbourne (1956 as captain).

The Times of India

Stats Speak: fascinating set of facts and figures  in 108 years of Olympic Hockey(part-4)

By B.G.Joshi (Sehore-Bhopal, India)

Renowned Hockey statistician B.G.Joshi has provided some fascinating set of facts and figures, you probably never knew about the game. Here are the brothers-sisters   on podium. Sisters have won Gold medals.

Thread of love is tied to the wrist of brother by every sister in India on every year on full moon day of Shravan (August). List of brothers-sisters  who have won medals in Olympic Hockey are given below:

 Fieldhockey.com

U.S. field hockey team hopes to maintain its upward trajectory in Olympic opener

By Liz Clarke


The U.S. women's field hockey team works through drills during practice at the Spooky Nook Sports Complex in Manheim, Pa. (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post)

RIO DE JANIERO — The U.S. women’s field hockey team flashed impressive skill and plenty of passion at the 2012 Olympics only to lose several matches by one goal. Then, after being eliminated from medal contention, the Americans were handed a 7-0 drubbing by South Africa and went on to finish dead last among the field of 12.

So when British coach Craig Parnham was hired to engineer a reboot the following year, he set to work sizing up the squad’s strengths and weaknesses. He loved the women’s dedication and work ethic, but felt that in order to excel over the long slog of tournament play, they needed a more even-keeled competitive temperament.

It’s a tricky balance to strike in team sports — cultivating passion while managing emotions.

“Our focus over these last three-and-half years has been instead of going through tournaments and games like this,” explained three-time Olympian Lauren Crandall, her hand porpoising in the air to illustrate, “we just try to be like this.” Her hand made a steady ascent.


After disappointing performance in London Olympics, the U.S. women’s field hockey team has found the focus and support it needs in the farmland of Pennsylvania.

That’s pretty much the trajectory the U.S. women have been on the past three years, climbing from 12th in the world rankings to fifth, their all-time high. As a result, they’re regarded as credible medal contenders in Rio.

They’re also riding the momentum of a bronze-medal finish at the Hockey Champions Trophy in London, an invitation-only tournament contested by the sport’s elites. It was in that tournament, less than six weeks ago, that the squad proved it could indeed play with passion without letting its emotions run amok.

After a teammate was leveled by a particularly flagrant foul, the U.S. bench, coaching staff and players on the field erupted. “For the rest of the game, there was this emotional charge,” Crandall recalled in an interview at Rio de Janeiro’s Olympic Park. “It was protection. We’re all very protective of one another.”

Emotions are sure to run high when the U.S. opens its 2016 Olympic campaign Saturday against Argentina, its long-time Pan American rival and a consistent world power.

As was the case at the 2012 Olympics, women’s field hockey will be contested among 12 nations, broken into two groups of six. The United States is in Group B, along with Argentina, Australia, Japan, India and Great Britain. Under the round-robin format, each nation plays each member of its group once. Only the top four from each group of six advance to the quarterfinals. The two semifinal winners will then compete for gold on Aug. 19, while the two semifinal losers will play for bronze.

The U.S. team will be tested early, with Saturday’s opener against second-ranked Argentina followed by an Aug. 8 match against third-ranked Australia.


Lauren Crandall, who will compete in her third Olympics, hooks Chile's Agustina Vengeas with her stick in the second half of a May friendly in Lancaster, Pa. (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post)

The 2016 U.S. field hockey team features a mix of veterans, such Crandall and Katelyn Falgowski, who each have 11 years of national team experience, and seven first-time Olympians.

All love the idea of opening their quest for Olympic redemption against Argentina, the rivals they’ve long measured themselves against and a squad that’s known for its quickness, artful shot-making and aggressive counter-attack.

“Our team thrives on emotions, and we love getting behind one another,” Crandall said. “We just can’t get too high after victories or too low after defeats.”

The Washington Post

Olympic tradition continues for Bissett, Canadian men at Rio Games

Shaheed Devji


Brenden Bissett (right) works his way around a U.S. player during a match between Canada the U.S. on July 7, 2016 (Photo: Blair Shier)

Canada’s men’s field hockey team is only days away from writing another chapter in its storied Olympic history.

When the Canadian men step on to the field against Germany on Saturday in the teams’ opening match of the 2016 Olympic Games, it will be the seventh time Canada’s Men’s National Team will have competed at an Olympics.

And as the team continues a tradition which has seen it compete in every other games since the first time in 1964 – or every other Games, on average – there will be another legacy being extended along the way.

Brenden Bissett is set to become an Olympian for the first time in Rio – but it won’t be the first time a Bissett plays hockey at the Olympics.

Brenden’s uncle David Bissett is a former captain of Canada’s Men’s National Team, who competed at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal and the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.

“I think he’s the main reason we got into field hockey and that my family is such a field hockey family right now,” Brenden says of his uncle’s influence. “My brothers and my sister were inspired to play by my uncle and the fact that he did go to two Olympic Games and play field hockey for so long.”

Not only was the senior Bissett’s story an inspiration, but his involvement in Brenden early field hockey career was a big influence.

“Growing up he was a big factor in helping me develop my skills,” says the 23 year-old native of New Westminster, British Columbia. “For a while there he was living in Vernon (British Columbia) and he would fly down and coach my Under-12 Vancouver Hawks team. So he has been really committed.”


Brenden Bissett plays for the Vancouver Hawks as a kid.

David is not surprised that Brenden has had success in the sport and has been able to follow in his footsteps. Seeing the youngest of three field hockey brothers grow up, he knew that the skills was there for a career in field hockey like himself.

“The things with him I was always impressed with,” David explains. “In small spaces, he is extremely good. That’s a tough skill.”

David was 22 when he first competed in an Olympic Games and Brenden is just a year older as he becomes an Olympian for the first time. And with his nephew set to make good on his Olympic dream, the elder Bissett offers up some advice …. From his experiences on the world’s biggest sporting stage.

“Try and live in the moment, soak it up,” David says. “Just stay focused on the matter at hand, which is to do the best that he can on the field and not to leave anything on the field.”

When Brenden does step on the field in Rio, he will be continuing a family tradition, and making many people – including David – proud.

“I’m thrilled that he’s on the team, I’m thrilled the team made it to the Olympics, and I’m thrilled to be able to go down there and watch him play.”

And Brenden knows there is a good chance none of it would have happened if it was not for his uncle’s influence.

“I give him credit for giving me that Olympic dream at an early age. I’ve held to that for a long time.

Canada opens the 2016 Olympic Games on Saturday, August 6 against Germany at 2:00pm PT/5:00pm ET.

Field Hockey Canada media release

Black Sticks star Anita McLaren has her sights firmly set on winning a medal in Rio

PHILLIP ROLLO


Anita McLaren, right, in action during the FIH Women's Hockey Champions Trophy match between New Zealand and the Netherlands. GETTY IMAGES

Anita McLaren doesn't want to feel the despair of finishing fourth again.

The experienced Black Sticks attacker is heading to her second Olympic Games but the memories of losing in a penalty shoot-out semifinal against the Netherlands in London and backing that up by losing the bronze medal match in their worst performance of the tournament still haunt the 28-year-old.

"I hate fourth. It's the worst feeling in the world. It still hurts when you think about it, getting fourth and getting close to an Olympic medal," the Nelson product said.


Anita McLaren trains before the New Zealand Olympic Games women's hockey team announcement. GETTY IMAGES

McLaren has two Commonwealth Games medals in her trophy cabinet, having won a bronze in Glasgow in 2014 and a silver in Delhi 2010. She said the lure of winning her first Olympic medal is fuelling her motivation.

"When I'm tired and struggling a little bit I'm sure that will pop in my head. At the time you feel tired but you wish you could have pushed through it and to get that medal."

While the Black Sticks finished last place at the Champions Trophy - their final major hit-out before Rio - McLaren was confident the fourth-ranked team can reverse that form and make it on to the podium.

"We have to be confident. We're the ones who need to believe it and buy in and be working towards it and putting everything into it.

"Of course we believe we can medal, we've got the potential for sure, it just obviously has to click at the time."

While their placing at the Champions Trophy raised questions around the team's pre-Olympics form, McLaren said the team have never doubted their ability.

"We were ready, the games just didn't fall our way. We didn't click and that's always the way leading into Olympic selections.

"You can't fault anyone for trying their hardest, because they are, it just wasn't quite clicking but we're happy with the opportunities we created and we've got a lot more to give so I'm really excited to see what we can do."

The Black Sticks have prepared for Rio with two warm-up games in Argentina but McLaren said they would head into the tournament opener against South Korea on August 8 with confidence, regardless of the practice results.

"We'll be pushing hard to make sure we get that very first win."

Looking ahead to her second Olympics, McLaren said the biggest change from four years ago is the fact her body is "a lot older."

"I've definitely taken this Olympic cycle completely different. I make sure I do the work but I make sure I'm still on the field too. My body is a lot older and it's about maintaining and trying to be smart, not do useless running.

"I'm not in the greatest shape, right now I've got a cold which I'm thrilled about, but I'm in good shape to perform and to be able to keep my body together for the tournament.

"It's all in my head now and I just have to play with confidence."

Stuff

Birthday 'joke' starts hockey star Anita McLaren on path to Olympic Games

JONATHAN CARSON


Anita McLaren (formerly Anita Punt) in action against Argentina during the London 2012 Olympic Games. LAWRENCE SMITH/FAIRFAX NZ

On October 2, 1992, Anita Punt was celebrating her fifth birthday.

Her aunty Christine Riddell bought her a gift. It was long, thin and wrapped in paper.

Inside was a hockey stick, mouthguard and shin pads.


Anita McLaren told her parents she would worry about their safety if they travelled to Rio de Janeiro to watch her play. Lawrence Smith

At the time, no one could have known that those three items would start a young Punt, now Anita McLaren, on a path to the Olympic Games.

The present was meant to be a joke.


Anita Punt (now McLaren), aged 17. This photo was taken for a Nelson Mail story about her making the New Zealand under-18 women's hockey team.

The story, according to Riddell, goes that she and her sister Adele Punt, McLaren's mother, were netball players.

Riddell said that Punt laughed when her daughter Fiona started playing hockey, rather than netball.

So she hatched a plan to get her sister back.

"I waited for Anita to be five and gave her a hockey stick, shin pads and a mouthguard," she said.

"That's how it all started really, was a joke on my sister. She thought it was hilarious."

In those days, girls couldn't play netball until they were seven. So McLaren started with club hockey in Richmond. The rest is history.

Next week, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, she will start her second Olympic Games campaign, representing New Zealand in field hockey.

Punt said she and her husband Nicky wouldn't be travelling to Rio to support their daughter "purely because of where it is".

"We discussed it with Anita last year and she gets a bit worried about us when we don't turn up on time and doesn't concentrate so the three of us agreed that we wouldn't go," she said.

"Of course you wish you could be there, but we've got to do what's best for Anita."

She said they would be "totally glued to the TV", getting up for the games that screen live in New Zealand as early as 1am.

"She'll probably hear us yelling at her when she does something wrong."

Punt said "life was hockey" for her daughter growing up, and she has sacrificed a lot of social and family occasions to pursue it to the highest level.

"It's just nice to see a child ... fulfilling a dream," she said.

"You can't get any higher than the pinnacle of your sport, playing at the Olympics."

Stuff

Chasing the Dream and Turning it into a Reality

USWNT defender and Rio Olympian Stefanie Fee took a moment to jot down her reflections from where the team has been to where they are now.



This picture was taken in innocence. I was not able to fully grasp the depths of what it would mean to me 3 and a half years later. This photo captures the magnitude of The Christ the Redeemer Statue, standing 125 feet tall, overlooking the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was taken in the very beginning of my career, on one of my first tours, with a brand new coach stepping into the program, and with a completely different squad of players from previous years. The only thing that we really had in common was a vague journey ahead of us.

USA Field Hockey’s featured slogan for the Olympic Games, “Chasing The Dream,” fits seamlessly into the significance of this photo. There we stood in awe of something so much bigger than ourselves, with arms outstretched ready to grasp what lied before us. The chase for our new Olympic Games dream began that day, and the pursuit has had both its grueling and fulfilling moments.

As I said, our journey had a vague beginning, but only because we were given a brand new slate. The wounds of the last Olympic Games hadn’t fully scarred over yet, and our new coach, Craig Parnham, was trying to learn whatever ropes he could find before implementing any plan of action. But one thing was certain; we didn’t need direction to work hard. Our never-give-up American mentality was our first anchor that was set at the very core of our being. Our next steps took a slightly more humble turn in learning and sharpening our basic skills to compete at the level we desired. Someone could have mistaken our drills during practice for a U-12 Futures session with the classic v-pulls, hitting basics and game tactics, but our foundations strengthened quickly. With a few more staff additions and advances in technology; we took hard work to depths unknown and redefined the meaning of sore muscles and a tired body. All worth it in the end, as we have seen and felt the physical gains compared to our opponents. Fast-forward into practices far advanced for any Futures session, as we acquired and mastered skills that set us comparably to the best in the world. Painstaking hours were spent off the field in numerous meetings to set our culture as a team. “How do we want to define ourselves?” Craig would ask. “When the other team is staring at us down the pitch, what do we want them to see and say about us?” After circles of countless conversations, we labeled ourselves as “UN1TED.” It recognizes that each of us individually has something unique to bring to the table, and when put together, we can accomplish anything we set our mind to. We have pledged to give everything we have for our teammates beside us as we represent our country, and aim to be the best in the world.

As in every chase, there comes a moment where you stand within the depths of your purpose. A moment where everything you worked for, yearned for, can either be yours or slip past into what could have been. We have been chasing our dream to stand on the podium at the Rio 2016 Olympics Games, and now, it is our moment to catch it.

USFHA media release

India hockey players determined to rekindle glory days and inspire a new generation

By Sarah Juggins/FIH


Goalkeeper Sreejesh Parattu (right) believes India's men's hockey team can regain its medal-winning form (Photo: FIH/Getty Images)

India's men's and women's hockey team say they are on the brink of a return to greatness at these Olympic Games
India hockey players determined to rekindle glory days and inspire a new generation

There was a time when India was synonymous with hockey success, winning eight Olympic gold medals over a 60-year span from 1920 to 1980. In recent years, other hockey teams have dominated the medal podium, but the Asian country feels it's close to regaining its former glory.

India's men's hockey team has steadily moved up world rankings in the past year and the women's side qualified for the Olympic Games for the first time since 1980.

Men's goalkeeper and captain Sreejesh Parattu hopes the Rio 2016 Games will prove to be a watershed moment in Indian hockey history.

"I think the mental make-up of the team has changed tremendously," he said. "We have started to believe in ourselves that we have the capability to beat the top teams in the world.” Parattu says the team is bubbling with excitement, especially now they are actually in the athletes' village.

“For several players in the team, it’s their first Olympic Games and naturally they are quite nervous but we have soaked in the mood ever since we checked into the Olympic village and each one of us are upbeat and motivated.” 'Golden Girls of Hockey' return after 36-year gap

The women's side is equally enthusiastic. “Since this will be the first time in 36 years that a women’s team is participating from India, the mood and excitement is incredible back home," defender Sushila Pukhrambam said.

"Most of us come from modest backgrounds and hockey in many ways has provided us with a new lease of life. The fact that people take notice of us, come take selfies with us and that we are in the news many times brings a lot of pride to our families and friends.


India defender Sushila Pukhrambam (Photo: Getty Images/Lintao Zhang)

“Our qualification will do a world of good for women’s hockey in India. Our efforts here in Rio will motivate thousands of young girls in small villages across India to take up the sport. We have shown that one can make a career out of hockey in India.

“If we win a medal, it will mean bringing back the glory days of hockey in India," Sreejesh said. "A good result here at the Olympic Games, I am sure, will ensure the younger generations will pick up the sticks.”

Rio 2016

Wanted: A chak de moment for Indian women’s hockey

Boria Majumdar



Contrary to men’s hockey, which was first introduced in the Olympics in 1904 and thereafter was played in 1920, women’s hockey had to wait for long and was first introduced in the Moscow Games of 1980. In fact, when women’s hockey was first introduced at the Moscow Olympiad in 1980 as a medal sport, India were one of the six teams that contested for honours. The other nations in the fray were Zimbabwe, USSR, Czechoslovakia, Poland and Austria.

India began their campaign by defeating the Austrians 2-0. Interestingly, the Indian girls began with the battle cry ‘Sat sri akaal’, as their men compatriots had done at In their second match, the Indians beat the Poles 4–0. Yet again, however, their performance was below par, a fact attested to by their coach, Kartar Singh. “Frankly, they played worse today than against Austria.” Despite their unconvincing performances, they had won a large number of fans evident from the following observation by K Datta in the Times of India, ‘The Indian girls’ performance might not have satisfied the team officials or a few other critics. But it cannot be denied that their two wins so far have won them increasing respect of many a visitor to Moscow’s hockey stadiums.’

India’s campaign was derailed in round three when, in an unexpected result, the Indians lost a close contest to Czechoslovakia 1–2. The defeat, more than the performance of the Czechs, was a result of some atrocious umpiring errors. The Indians were shocked at the two penalty corners awarded to the Czechs, one of which resulted in the winning goal nine minutes from finish. Kartar ballistic against this decision and suggested that an umpire from a country very much in the race for honours had been posted for the match although there were several umpires from ‘neutral’ countries available. However, in a show of sportsmanship, the Indians did not lodge a formal complaint with the organisers.

Following this defeat, the Indians rallied brilliantly and put up a fighting performance against eventual winners Zimbabwe, drawing the contest 1–1. This left the Indians in second place, with just one match to be played. In their last encounter against the Russians, the Indian girls frittered away all the good work done the loss meant that they were out of medal contention. Eventually they finished fourth in the competition.

It is after a period of 36 years that the Indian women’s team has once again made it to Rio, itself an achievement of sorts. And the last minute controversy over Ritu Rani, the captain was dropped, notwithstanding, many expect a decent performance from them this time round. While they are not in medal contention, the preparations suggest that the Indians are well capable of pulling off a surprise or two. The fact that the team landed in Rio on 29 July, a week and more in advance of the first match, will help them acclimatise. A good performance in Rio will do much for the future progress of Indian women’s hockey. It may spur Hockey India to think of a league for women’s hockey, similar to that of the men – a league that has significantly helped the development of men’s hockey in the last few years.

In every sense, Rio promises to be a watershed moment for the future of the women’s game.

Economic Times

Connecting on and off the field

Uthra Ganesan


IN LOVE WITH INDIA Neil Hawgood at Oudh restaurant in New Delhi’s Ashoka Hotel Photo: R. V. Moorthy

As the Indian women’s hockey team gears up for the Olympics, coach Neil Hawgood tells us what he brings to the table

Neil Hawgood is certain his wife and daughter were Indians in past life, and are almost there this time as well. The chief coach of the Indian women’s hockey team may be an Australian but when it comes to food, he admits he is kind of an outcast in his own family.

“My wife loves India, she loves Indian food, she cooks Indian food a lot. When I go home, the first thing she makes for me is Indian dishes. She can have anything here, my daughter Amelia can pick up anything here and they just don’t seem to have any problem. Me, I was in hospital the first month I was here with a bad stomach and lost 10 kg,” he declares as we settle down for a lunch fit for the Nawabs.

We are at the Oudh restaurant at Hotel Ashok and, in keeping with the royal antecedents of its namesake, the place boasts of a style of cuisine that embellishes royalty and a passion for culinary excellence. It is all decidedly Indian and Hawgood is game for it, no holds barred.

The restaurant manager Mukesh Rana suggests we start with the Mulligatawny soup and it gets a thumbs up from Hawgood. “The soup is brilliant, I could travel this country just having different kinds of soup,” he declares before sharing his experiences. This is Hawgood’s second tenure with the team –– he served out his two year tenure in December 2014, took a break and worked with the Malaysian men’s hockey team for a while before rejoining here late in 2015.

“Trish (his wife) was really annoyed when I left because she hadn’t finished visiting everything in India! She was like, ‘you need to go back’, and she was the happiest when I rejoined the team. She is hoping I stay here till at least the winter so that she can look around the country,” he shrugged, sipping his soup as if to say, such is life.

The Oudh-e-khas, flavoured with cumin seed, mint and lemon juice, is there as a permanent accompaniment throughout the lunch and for a teetotaller like Hawgood, it is as good an Indian drink as they come. “The flavours you get in food here is like a story –– something kicks in first then something else and so on. Like people who have wine talk about how they get different tastes,” he tries to explain.

Hawgood is unlike most other foreign coaches that dot the Indian sporting spectrum. He loves reading the history of the country, he is aware of the caste system and the idea of untouchables even though he is completely against it –– “untouchables in Australia are the ones who have lots of money, they are so rich you can’t touch them”, he explains, still trying to come around to the dramatically contrasting meaning here –– and he is flexible enough to work around the peculiarities in the Indian system with a wry humour.

Like the idea of a strict vegetarian international hockey player despite being aware of the need for a nutrient rich diet. “Someone like Monika (in the Indian team), she is so close to actually being anaemic! She wouldn’t touch chicken or eggs or anything, so basically it is the same limited diet every single day. She has a good stamina and a natural threshold higher than many others but she is one of those athletes who will hit a plateau and won’t push past it despite having potential because of the diet. But I understand we can’t do anything about it other than look for about alternative sources to at least keep her at that threshold,” he says.

The starters arrive and Hawgood loves the minced mutton and spicy galawat kabab and the saffron flavoured cottage cheese rolls. “My tastes have actually changed, I really like Indian food now but I haven’t yet reached the spice levels in this country and I don’t think I ever will,” he says.

As the coach of a team that has players stretching from Manipur to Haryana and Jharkhand to Karnataka, Hawgood has travelled quite a bit and can reel off unending stories. He is a master story teller and he admits it helps make the girls both comfortable and open enough to talk to him. Like when he and his wife went to Amritsar with Kirandeep Kaur and then visited her house, spending “two amazing, beautiful hours” with people who knew no English and hadn’t seen a “white woman” in person.

Preferring to pick his food from the buffet –– “I like to look at what I am having before getting it on my plate” –– Hawgood settles for boneless mutton Oudhi qorma, naan and murg biryani and says all this on the plate at the same time would give his family a shock. “They already are in shock. I was one of those people who would have a piece of meat and nothing else. My plate is a system where I sit down go about finishing one thing at a time. But it is not like I am picky about what I eat. I explore restaurants, I don’t have a favourite cuisine –– I eat everything but I have to be happy with it,” he says. He doesn’t cook, though, leaving it to his wife or trainer Matthew Tredrea’s girlfriend Christie during camps.

Coming back to the team, Hawgood has been working on ways to make them more worldly wise on foreign exposure tours. “We were in Holland at a grocery shop and the girls were divided into groups of three, asked to pick a trolley and fill it with snack food for their rooms. When they came back, Matthew picked out all that was bad for diet and sent them back to pick up stuff again. Such exercises help them understand what to eat and what not.

“You live more than half your life overseas travelling, you need to be flexible. Take the Olympics. They prepare 18000 meals thrice a day with every possible cuisine represented. I try to tell them, go check out the Brazilian food, try the French, the Italian, the Asian stuff away from home. But it is difficult to break habits,” he explains.

From there to now, when the girls can actually keep up with most of the teams throughout a match, the Indian women’s hockey team has come a long way. And Hawgood admits it has been a two-way street, learning about the country and its people and cultures and falling in love with all of them.

“The Manipur girls are the best in experimenting with food. The girls from Orissa, how do I say it? They’ve got more fat on the bones and all that is turned into muscles. There are so many different ethnic influences within the society only in India. Karnataka is very different from Manipur, Orissa is completely different altogether. It is only the girls from Haryana who fit the typical Indian mould, you question how a country like this can be typecast into one frame,” he wonders. The one thing he has understood though is his family’s love for India.

The Hindu

'This is what we've been pushing for' : Irish hockey is finally having its Olympic moment

After near misses in 2008 and 2012, the Irish hockey team are ready to make their mark in Rio.

Sinéad O’Carroll

THEY WALKED INTO the Athletes’ Village in Barra de Tijuca last Thursday in awe of those around them.

Sitting beside Rafael Nadal and Sonny Bill Williams at lunch – champion sportsmen and bona fide celebrities both. Then, Katie Taylor asking can she borrow your weighing scales.

“Surreal” is the word that Eugene Magee, one of Ireland’s most experienced hockey players, uses.

    It was incredible walking into the Athletes’ Village and being around so many famous people.

After more than 200 caps (including two near-misses of Olympic qualification in 2008 and 2012) with Ireland, the Banbridge 30-year-old has earned his place in the Village as much as the Rafas and Sonnys of this world have.

And that moment of realisation came as he and his teammates entered the Olympic Hockey Centre in Deodoro at the weekend.

The striking blue surface, a familiar field in the centre of the madness of the Games. There is a job to be done.

    I think the biggest kicker was walking into this arena, into the hockey pitch and seeing where you were going to be playing your Olympic Games. It really hit home for us, what we have been trying for and what we have been pushing for. Now that we’re here, it’s just amazing.


Ireland prepare to take on Australia in a warm-up game Source: inpho.ie

The initial excitement was quickly tempered, its energy channelled into a bigger cause.

Bronze medallists in last year’s European Championships, this summer’s second Boys in Green are not in Rio for the Carnival.

Irish men’s hockey – one of the most experienced yet exciting set of players any field sport could put together – is having a moment.

They are the first Irish hockey team to qualify for an Olympics since 1908 and the first team from Ireland to make the cut in any sport in almost 70 years.

As they came off the Olympic field on Wednesday night after an (intense) practice match against favourites Australia, there was a palpable atmosphere of belief and a subtle vibe of the ‘Yes We Cans’.


Peter Caruth in action during a warm-up game against Australia on Wednesday night. Source: inpho.ie

Speaking to The42, Peter Caruth explains that a plan was put in place and the team adhered to every tactic.

“We did some good things, we need to work on a few others, but overall we put in a very good performance there,” he continued.

With an average age of just over 28, the experience of the 16-man squad is telling. (At just 24 years of age, Dubliner Kyle Good has racked up 66 caps for his country. Shane O’Donoghue, 23, has 50 goals from 99 caps. And Kirk Shimmins at 22, the youngest of the pack, has played 68 times since his debut four years ago.)

All those years and all those caps add up to a stable set-up, an ability to see what’s important as Usain Bolt passes you in the corridor and a will to make your talent count.

The road to Rio was paved with fundraising drives and – for some – ‘normal’ working weeks. The team has a now oft-talked about ‘No Excuses’ mantra which has brought the group closer together despite the obvious obstacles facing those excelling in a so-called minority sport.

“It’s not an ideal situation but it’s something we have got used to. Not that we want to get used to but we’ve got used to it and we’ve overcome that barrier,” says Caruth.

Irish hockey is having a moment. The world might find out about it on Saturday.

Ireland play India on Saturday at 3pm and the Netherlands on Sunday at 10pm (Irish time).

The42

From adversity to the pinnacle of their sport


Helen and Kate Richardson-Walsh celebrate during HCT2016

Kate and Helen Richardson-Walsh are among the most famous names in the world of women’s hockey. Both are heading into their fourth Olympic Games with the action underway in a matter of days. Before they flew out to Rio to battle for the most coveted medal in hockey they took some time to reflect on what has been an arduous journey to the pinnacle of their sport, the Olympic Games.

Helen Richardson-Walsh, the skilful attacking midfielder had feared for her chances of selection having had to overcome not one, but two back operations in the last few years. She admits that there were times when she feared she might not play again but her strength of character and support from Kate has led to her not only returning but playing the “best hockey of her life.”

Despite being the captain and the most capped player in her country’s history, Kate Richardson-Walsh admits to frantically refreshing her emails on the day of selection to find out the news as to whether or not she would go to her fourth Olympic Games. Now, both are raring to go for the big show in the hope that they can upgrade their bronze medal from four years ago to gold this time out.

Helen and Kate were speaking to Sky Sports and you can watch the full interview here.

Not long to go until the action gets underway. Be sure to visit the hockey pages on the official Rio 2016 site.

Great Britain Hockey media release

Pakistan owes its Olympic glory to hockey teams

Anwar Zuberi

THE nation remembers and acknowledges its heroes on their feats whenever the Olympic Games are held after every four years. Pakistan has reached the zenith at the Olympics thrice – at Rome in 1960, at Mexico in 1968 and at Los Angeles in 1984.

Incidentally, the greenshirts have performed Grand Slam thrice by winning back-to-back titles – Asian Games (1958) and Olympic Games (1960); Olympic Games (1968), Asian Games (1970) and World Cup (1971); World Cup (1981-82), Asian Games (1982) and Olympic Games (1984).

It is pertinent to mention that the Hockey World Cup was introduced in 1971.

In all, Pakistan has won eight medals – 3-3-2 in field hockey since the country made its debut at the London Games in 1948. The remaining two bronze medals have been won in wrestling and boxing.

After failing to win any medal at the London and Helsinki Games, hockey team overcame the jinx by capturing silver at Melbourne in 1956. Since then there was no stopping them. With one exception when the country boycotted the Moscow Games in 1980, Pakistan has always been on the podium for 36-years – from 1956 to 1992.

Unfortunately, the standard of hockey has really deteriorated for quite some time in the country which is evident from the fact that the national hockey team has not won an Olympic medal since the last two decades, what to speak of other games.

And this year, the country experienced the darkest hour of its sporting history when the national hockey team, for the first time ever, failed to qualify for the Rio Olympics.

Pakistan’s smallest ever Olympic contingent comprising just seven sportspersons including two athletes, two swimmers, two shooters and one judoka recently left for Rio to accomplish their dreams, accompanied by as many as 10 officials.

While nations around the world whose hockey teams are competing at Rio Games are celebrating their participation, hockey crazy Pakistanis are sad on the blow.

“It’s unbelievable”. “No Pakistani can think that the greenshirts will fall such low and create history of sorts,” a dejected Rome Olympic gold medallist Abdul Waheed Khan told Dawn.


THE Pakistan hockey team for the 1960 Rome Olympics: Standing (L-R): R. Gardner, Bashir Ahmed, Khurshid Aslam, Mushtaq Ahmed, Abdul Rashid, Zakauddin, Munir Dar, Motiullah and Zafar Hayat. Middle row (L-R): Anwar Ahmed Khan, Naseer Bunda, Chaudhry Ghulam Rasool, Abdul Hamid (Captain), A.I.S. Dara, Niaz Khan, Habib Ali Kiddi, M.H. Atif and Zafar Ali Zafri. First row (L-R): Noor Alam and Abdul Waheed Khan.

Rome Olympics

“We had undergone rigorous three to four months training in the camp at Lahore where the morale of players was very high and the slogan “Victory at Rome” was written all over the walls of our bedrooms and elsewhere which infused a fighting spirit among the players,” recalled the former hockey spearhead.

He added that then camp commandant and manager retired Col A I S Dara had worked hard and emphasised more on individual practice in the camp.

The 82-year-old Waheed, who retired from Customs, narrated how Pakistan defeated Australia 3-0, Poland 8-0, Japan 10-0, Germany 2-1 (quarter-final), Spain 1-0 (semi-final) and India 1-0 in the final. Inside left Naseer Bunda scored the decisive goal that put an end to India’s unbeaten era.

Records show that the Indian hockey team by then had played 30 Olympic matches without losing any, scoring as many as 197 goals while conceding only eight. Their record of winning eight Olympics in 1928, 1932, 1936, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1964 and 1980, however, remains unsurpassed.

Waheed, who also has a passion for tennis and is associated with Modern Club as administrator since his retirement, said President Ayub Khan invited the victorious team at the President House in Karachi and it was then that he declared hockey as the national game.

Mexico Olympics

Pakistan’s national anthem was played at the Olympics again when its hockey team defeated Australia 2-1 in the final at Mexico in 1968. Asad Malik scored the decisive goal against Australia in the final.

“The team had entered the competition with a resounding 6-0 victory over Holland and kept the tempo by winning one match after the other,” member of the victorious team Jehangir Butt told Dawn.

The probables had undergone training in back-to-back camps set-up at Lower Topa, Muree, with late Brigadier Atif then serving as camp commandant. The probables used to cross a hill to go for daily practice at Gharial camp. An 18-member team was picked after the final trials that were also held at Muree and Tariq Aziz was named as captain.

Recalling those days, the former Olympian said after the triumph, the team went to visit New York by road where they saw the impressive UNO building and later also visited the Niagara Falls.

“Pakistan hockey team got heroes’ welcome upon arrival in the country and travelled from Karachi to Peshawar by train besides playing exhibition matches in different cities in between,” he added.

Jehangir disclosed that each member of the victorious team was awarded Rs10,000 and a piece of land at Muzaffargarh.


THE Pakistan hockey team for the 1968 Mexico Olympics: Standing (L-R): Laeeq Ahmed, Anwar Shah, Gulraiz Akhtar, Riazuddin, Farooq Khan, Jahangir Butt and Ghazi Salahuddin. Middle row (L-R) Saeed Anwar, Khalid Mahmood, Tariq Aziz (Captain), Brig S. M. H. Atif, Asad Malik, Tariq Niazi and Fazal-ur-Rehman. First row (L-R): Ashfaq Ahmed, Abdul Rasheed Jr, Tanveer Dar and Riazuddin.

Los Angeles Olympics

“It took Pakistan 16-years to recapture the Olympic title at the Los Angeles in 1984 but it was not an easy task. At one stage, Pakistan had to depend on Kenya’s margin of defeat against Holland in order to qualify for the semis which they eventually did” recalled Pakistan’s ex-Olympian centre-half Ayaz Mahmood.

“Pakistan had an unimpressive run in pool B. They opened their campaign by playing 3-3 against New Zealand, defeated Kenya 3-0, shared points with Holland after being tied 3-3, overwhelmed Canada 7-1 and held Great Britain to a goalless draw in the last league match, Ayaz told Dawn.

Ayaz said he together with full back Tauqir Dar went to watch the Kenya-Holland match while the others players stayed at the Olympic Village to pray. “After overcoming early hiccups, Pakistan team clicked in the last two matches when it mattered most.

Spearhead Hasan Sardar’s decisive goal helped Pakistan beat Australia 1-0 in the semi-final. Pakistan’s victim in the final was Germany whom they defeated by odd goal in three (2-1) to clinch the title third time. Hasan Sardar scored Pakistan’s first goal while right winger Kalimullah slammed the second in the final against Germans. The former emerged top scorer of the competition.

He said Inside left Saeed Khan, who accompanied the team on the preceding European training tour, had knee injury and on his refusal Mushtaq was selected in the LA-bound team.

He added that the team and the management had undergone severe criticism before departure to LA but it did the nation proud.

He attributed the team’s success to the vision of PHF president retired Air Marshal Nur Khan and the secretary retired Brig M. H.Atif. They had started preparations for the LA Games soon after Pakistan had won the World Cup at Buenos Aires in 1978 and boycotted the Moscow Games two years later, he maintained.

The former Olympian said launch of the PIA colts yielded fruitful results as its 10 players were among 16-member team that won the gold at LA. The 10 players were Manzoor Hussain Jr (Captain), Moinuddin, Qasim Zia, Saleem Sherwani, Shahid Ali Khan, Ayaz Mahmood, Naeem Akhtar, Ishtiaq Ahmed, Nasir Ali and Khalid Hameed.

He went on to add that President Zia-ul-Haq handed over the letters of residential plots to members of the winning team in G10 II sector in Islamabad at a reception that also bade farewell to the 1988 Seoul Olympics bound hockey team.

Ayaz, now serving PIA as sales manager, pointed fingers at some technocrats of the game who, instead of repaying the debt, damaged the national game besides misappropriating millions of rupees during the last one decade.

“All the good work that was done over many decades in the past has been destroyed and it will now take a long time to repair the damage,” he lamented.

Pakistan at the Olympics:

— Like father like son

Mahmood-ul-Hasan (1948, 1952) and Ayaz Mahmood (1984)
Munir Dar (1956, 1960, 1964) and Tauqir Dar (1984)
Chaudhry Ghulam Rasool (1956, 1960) and Akhtar Rasool (1972, 1976)
K. M. Aslam (1952) and K. M. Junaid (1992)
Saeed Anwar (1968, 1972) and Anjum Saeed (1992)
Col Zafri (1960) and Amir Zafar (1988)

— Brothers who played in the Olympics

Abdul Hamid “Hamidi” (1948, 1952, 1956, 1960) and Abdul Rasheed junior (1968, 1972)
Shahzada Shahrukh (1948) and Shahzada Khurram (1948)
Munir Dar (1956, 1960, 1964) and Tanvir Dar (1968, 1972)
Mohammad Amin (1956) and Khurshid Azam (1964)
Khurshid Aslam (1960) and Akhtar-ul-Islam (1972)
Manzoor-ul-Hasan (1976) and Rasheed-ul-Hasan (1984)
Samiullah (1976) and Kalimullah (1984)
Mohammad Sarwar (1996, 2000) and Mohammad Zubair (2008)

Note: It was the first stance that two brothers – Shahrukh and Khurram – played in the same team at the London Olympics in 1948. In 1956, the former represented Pakistan in cycling.

— Players who donned Indo-Pak colours

Retired Col A I S Dara (1936 India, 1948 Pakistan); P. P. Fernandes (1936 India, 1948 Pakistan); Akhtar Hussain (1948 India, 1956 Pakistan); Latif-ur-Rehman (1948 India; 1952, 1956 Pakistan)

— Rare honour

Retired Brig S. M. H. Atif is the only Pakistani who was involved in all the three Olympic gold medal winning campaigns of the country. He was a member of the Rome Olympics gold medal winning team and managed the victorious teams at Mexico and Los Angeles.

— Four Olympics

Retired Brig Abdul Hamid “Hamidi” (1948, 1952, 1956, 1960) and retired Brig S. M. H. Atif (1952, 1956, 1960, 1964) stood tall having represented Pakistan at four Olympics apiece

— Achievements at a glance

(Tabulated under: year, city, gold, silver and bronze)

1948 London - - -
1952 Helsinki - - -
1956 Melbourne - 1 -
1960 Rome 1 - 1
1964 Tokyo - 1 -
1968 Mexico 1 - -
1972 Munich - 1 -
1976 Montreal - - 1
1980 Moscow did not participate
1984 Los Angeles 1 - -
1988 Seoul - - 1
1992 Barcelona - - 1
1996 Atlanta - - -
2000 Sydney - - -
2004 Athens - - -
2008 Beijing - - -
2012 London - - -

NOTE: Wrestler Mohammad Bashir won bronze in 74kg freestyle at the 1960 Rome Olympics and boxer Syed Hussain Shah won bronze in 1988. All other medals have been won by hockey teams.

Dawn

9-a-side tournament: PHF to reward goal scorers

By Nabil Tahir


Hockey players train at the Gaddafi field hockey stadium in Lahore, Pakistan July 11, 2016. PHOTO: REUTERS

KARACHI: In order to tempt the players to score more often, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has decided to offer a cash bonus of Rs5,000 to all goal-scorers for every strike in the 9-a-side hockey tournament, which will be played from August 7 at Karachi’s Abdul Sattar Edhi Hockey Stadium.

The decision to reward the scoring of goals is the latest in a series of moves the federation has made in order to revive the ailing national game and lure disinterested crowds back to stadiums.

“The prize money for each goal scored in the tournament will encourage players to up their goal production, which in turn will increase attacking maneuvers and make the game more entertaining,” PHF secretary Shahbaz Ahmed Sr told The Express Tribune. “This will also help the players financially.”

The reward also has the blessing of National Bank of Pakistan captain Tousiq Arshad, who said, “Every player is happy and excited about the goal prize money, which means that everyone will be desperate to score goals.”

Another national player, Arslan Qadir added, “In our recent training camp we analysed that our goal-scoring and attacking is weak. We have worked a lot to improve this aspect and the prize money on offer will surely keep everyone motivated in front of the goal.”

In addition to introducing individual prize money, the PHF has also significantly boosted the total prize money, with the number expected to be somewhere between Rs2 million and Rs2.5 million.

Meanwhile, the opening ceremony of the 9-a-side tourney will double as the official renaming ceremony of the Abdul Sattar Edhi Hockey Stadium and will be conducted by PHF president Brig (R) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar — also the chief guest for the occasion.

In all, six teams will take part in the inaugural tournament, Army, Navy and Air force being the notable absentees due to their engagement in the Inter-service Hockey Tournament. The final competing teams are PIA, Wapda, SSGC, NBP, Custom as well as a sixth PHF Development team, which will be composed of young and promising players.

The Express Tribune

AHL Teams Announced

League to take place in Perth

Holly MacNeil



The team list has been announced for the 2016 Australian Hockey League (AHL) which will take place at the Perth Hockey Stadium from September 29 – October 9.

Along with teams from each State and Territory, invitational teams from India, Malaysia and New Zealand will also take part in the two week long tournament.

Players from the national teams, the Hockeyroos and the Kookaburras including Kathryn Slattery, Aran Zalewski, Fergus Kavanagh, Tyler Lovell and Edwina Bone are set to take part in the league for their home states.

Hockey Australia Chief Executive Cam Vale said: “Hockey Australia is excited to be able to extend the opportunity to take part in our national league to India, Malaysia and New Zealand.

“It will add great depth to the tournament, which will be the first time the men’s and women’s competition has been held at the same time, and will give our State and Territory teams a fantastic opportunity to experience international competition.

“This will also be the first time both the boys and girls U/13’s competition will be hosted in conjunction with the men’s and women’s league, which is an exciting opportunity for young hockey players to play the sport they love alongside their hockey heroes.  It is a credit to our State and Territory hockey associations for leading and supporting this sort of initiative."

The men’s and women’s competition will be hosted at the same venue for the first time in league history when the competition takes place in Perth later this year.

Peter Churack, Hockey WA’s CEO, said: “This year’s AHL in Perth will undoubtedly go down in history as the biggest and best event in the tournament’s history. 

“A fantastic family-friendly event, this year’s AHL will give Hockey WA the perfect opportunity to grow the game of hockey throughout the State and showcase our fantastic athletes, outstanding facilities and progressive programs on the international stage.

“Thanks to the Department of Sport and Recreation and Curtin University for their support which will ensure that this event will be a success and I look forward to welcoming everyone to Perth as we look to establish who will be the best in the west.”

The invitational countries all expressed their delight at being included in the tournament to not only strengthen ties in the international hockey community, but to give teams the chance to compete on an international stage.

Terry Evans, High Performance Director of Hockey New Zealand commented: “Competing in Australia’s premier domestic hockey competition alongside teams from India and Malaysia not only provides unique opportunity for developing athletes and coaches against quality opponents, but also signals the start of a strategic relationship involving all four countries that grows the exposure of the sport, and improves the opportunities for each countries national teams.”

Logan Raj, CEO of the Malaysian Hockey Confederation said: "We are extremely pleased to receive the offer to play in what we perceive to be one of the world's most competitive leagues. This remains a milestone for Malaysian Hockey. We believe this will strengthen our already close relationship. We thank Hockey Australia for extending this offer and will aspire to do our best in the tournament."

Indian Junior Men Hockey Team Coach, Harendra Singh said: “We are extremely pleased to be one of the international teams to be invited for the first time by Hockey Australia for the Australian Hockey League.

“The tournament will present a good set of diverse talent from different teams. It will be very beneficial for our team to face this challenge building up towards the Junior World Cup which will take place in a few months to follow.”

The participating teams are as follows:

Ten Women’s Teams
1. NT
2. SA
3. WA
4. ACT
5. VIC
6. QLD
7. NSW
8. TAS
9. Malaysian Tigress
10. NZ Futures

Twelve Men’s Teams
1. NT
2. SA
3. WA
4. ACT
5. VIC
6. QLD
7. NSW
8. TAS
9. India Junior Men
10. Malaysian Tigers
11. Malaysian Blues
12. NZ Futures

Hockey Australia media release

Schopman Establishes Half of the Jr World Cup Roster While Remaining Slots are Fiercely Fought After

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - It's not a roster, it's the roster. Every ball, every shot, every dive, drive and dodge during a U.S. U-21 Women's National Team training session now holds a higher importance. All athletes are vying for a single line, a place on the women's Hockey Junior World Cup 2016 (JWC) roster set to take place in Santiago, Chile. And with half of the team now confirmed and the other half to be announced at the end of September, the team is 112 days away as the intensity continues to climb at a fast pace.

“After a summer full of training the U-21 Junior World Cup selection is coming together slowly," said Janneke Schopman, U-21 USWNT Head Coach. "After a camp in May where the team outlined their goals for the upcoming months and played Chile Women's National Team, we played as a team in the Young Women's National Championship (YWNC). During this tournament we were able to train together and play a couple of games in which we worked on specific areas such as transition from attack to defense and circle attack."

After claiming gold at the YWNC, the U-21 USWNT held two training camps in July, one at Princeton University in Princeton, N.J. and the other at Spooky Nook Sports in Lancaster County, Pa. At these camps, the team worked hard on penalty corner attack execution, defending skills and transition in different game situations. Team USA ended their summer training with a scrimmage against India's National Team. Though the team was competing against an Olympic Games contender, they got a lesson in international hockey which is beneficial to the team's progress moving forward.

"It wasn’t easy making the final selection as the players are improving and providing the team with different strengths," added Schopman. "That’s why I have decided to select 14 players and at the end of September pick the last four players based on their performance at their schools and the camp we have scheduled for early September. All and all it has been a great training block for us and although the timing of the JWC isn’t ideal, I am confident that we can play our game and to our strengths in Chile."

The U-21 USWNT hit the ground running in 2016 as they hosted Great Britain in January for a five-match test series in Lancaster County, Pa. This series showed Team USA exactly what they had to refine in the coming months leading into training camp weekends and multiple scrimmages against college teams. Ready to put their dedicated training to the test, Team USA traveled to Trinidad & Tobago in March for the Junior Women’s Pan American Championship, the qualifying tournament for the women's Hockey Junior World Cup. All the grit and grind paid off as Team USA had an impressive showing and cruised through pool play while outscoring their opponents 24 to 1. Knowing that the top-two event finishers qualified for the JWC, they went on the defeat Barbados 11-0 in the quarterfinals and Chile 5-0 in the semifinals. The U-21 USWNT then faced Pan Am rivals Argentina in the final where they claimed silver and the qualification.

The U-21 USWNT is eager to tackle the upcoming months of preparation and ready to show their potential on the world stage November 23 - December 4, 2016 wearing red, white and blue. Consider supporting their Rally U.S. to the Cup campaign. All funds raised will be used to help supply coverage of travel, meals, medical treatment and more for the U-21 USWNT. Click here to donate.

Follow the progress of many of the U.S. U-21 Women's National Team athletes during their school and collegiate season as well as stay tuned to usafieldhockey.com as the the final roster for the women's JWC will be announced at the end of September. #rallyUStothecup #SQUAD

U-21 USWNT JWC Selections:

1 Kelsey Bing
2 Ashley Hoffman
3 Laura Hurff
4 Amanda Magadan
5 Erin Matson
6 Gab Major
7 Lauren Moyer
8 Margaux Paolino
9 Jenny Rizzo
10 Julianna Tornetta
11 Sophia Tornetta
12 Tara Vittese
13 Nicole Woods
14 Julia Young

From the list of following players, four will be selected for the remaining spots:

1 Maddie Bacskai
2 Kristy Bernatchez
3 Cat Caro
4 Linnea Gonzales
5 Carrie Hanks
6 Sarah Hegleson
7 Meg Miller
8 Brooke Deberdine

Athletes that are not selected to the JWC will be invited for the U-21 program continuing in January 2017.

USFHA media release

At Peak Named The Official Strength and Conditioning App of USA Field Hockey

USA Field Hockey and AT PEAK Sports Launch Mobile App, Strength and Conditioning Training Developed with USA Field Hockey Performance Science and National Team Athletes

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. and NEW YORK, N.Y. - USA Field Hockey and AT PEAK Sports announce the launch of AT PEAK Field Hockey, “The Official Strength and Conditioning App of USA Field Hockey.” The partnership will benefit USA Field Hockey member clubs, plus people who play field hockey around the world, a mobile app dedicated to enhancing coach, athlete and team accomplishments through strength and conditioning training, skills development and more. The Official Strength and Conditioning App of USA Field Hockey will help power player performance through medically-backed workouts and decreased injury.

Dave Hamilton, USA Field Hockey Director of Performance Science, led development of the workouts, and the workouts were filmed with four athletes on the U.S. Women’s National Team: Caitlin Van Sickle, Julia Reinprecht, Melissa Gonzalez and Michelle Vittese.

Coaches and athletes who add The Official Strength and Conditioning App of USA Field Hockey to their training regimens will get access to some of the best field hockey performance science, enjoy the challenges of leveling-up through progressive workouts led by national team athletes and have fun while learning to excel playing the sport.

“We are excited to announce our relationship with USA Field Hockey,” said Will Metzger, AT PEAK CEO. “They are a fast-moving, innovative organization, focused on providing the best resources to their member athletes, coaches and parents. “We have worked very closely with them to provide the best of field hockey-specific sports medicine and athletic training in a convenient mobile app. AT PEAK Field Hockey will enable field hockey coaches, and players at all ages and abilities, to compete at a higher level, with fewer injuries.”

"We feel that AT PEAK Field Hockey will further our mission to serve our members, grow and game and succeed internationally,” said Simon Hoskins, USA Field Hockey Executive Director. “Any club, coach or athlete using AT PEAK Field Hockey will have a powerful boost to achieve great success in our sport and we encourage members of the field hockey community to adopt its use.” 

“I believe that one reason for the recent success of our U.S. Women’s National Team on the international stage is that we have fully embraced a rigorous strength conditioning program,” added Hamilton. “The team is fitter, faster, has great endurance, and is less prone to injury. As a result, they are playing at a whole new level. I urge every coach looking to have a successful season to use AT PEAK Field Hockey to prepare their team for the special rigors of field hockey.”

For information on AT PEAK Field Hockey, the Official Strength and Conditioning App of USA Field Hockey, please click here.

About AT PEAK Sports:
AT PEAK Sports’ mission is to bring the best of sports medicine and athletic training to the rest of us, through its innovative mobile technology platform.   AT PEAK Sports brings medically-backed, age-, gender- and sport-specific strength and conditioning exercises to enhance an athlete’s sports performance, develop skills and reduce injury.  AT PEAK Sports partners with sports-governing bodies, youth sports organization, sports medicine doctors, athletic trainers and professional athletes to make training with AT PEAK, to level-up your performance in sports, fun, and effective.  For more information on AT PEAK Field Hockey, visit us at http://fieldhockey.atpeaksports.com/  Sports leagues, clubs and schools interested in receiving more information in our training programs for soccer, lacrosse, baseball, field hockey, ice hockey and more should send us a note by visiting https://app.atpeaksports.com/requestInfo.

USFHA media release

Women’s Junior Development Squad roster refreshed following completion of National Championships

Shaheed Devji



Canada’s Women’s National Program has updated its Junior Development Squad (JDS) after the completion of the 2016 Field Hockey Under-16 and Under-18 National Championships.

The updated list of athletes will focus on the upcoming four-year junior cycle which culminates with the Junior World Cup in 2020.

“I thought the level of competition (at the Nationals) was impressive,” says Women’s Junior National Team Head Coach Steph Andrews. “The level of development of the year since the last Nationals was good. I think the talent pool is definitely growing.”

Many members of the previous Junior Development Squad competed in the recent National Championships and a handful – including Margaret Pham, Hannah Eborall, and Jaslan Stirling – took part in the previous World Cup cycle, which came to an end for Canada this year at the Junior Women’s Pan American Championship in Trinidad and Tobago.

Other athletes have made their way onto the 30-woman roster for the first time.

The squad will convene in Vancouver, British Columbia for a Junior Development Camp in August.

2016 Women’s Junior Development Squad

Field Hockey Canada media release

Fiji Hockey Federation's financial woes again threatening World League participation

As sports fans in Fiji brace themselves for the Rio Olympics and what they hope will be the ultimate prize of a rugby sevens gold medal, the nation's hockey teams' hopes of competing on the international stage hang in the balance.

Once again both men's and women's squads have qualified for round two of the World Hockey League, but last year time they never made it to their respective tournaments, because there was no money to pay for the trips.

Now national coach Hector Smith is deeply concerned that history is about to be repeated, because he says there's no consensus at board level after the recent annual meeting, and the deadline for a decision is only two months away.

ABC

Schools hockey returns to Levuka

Pravin Narain

LEVUKA will host the 2016 Tuckers Fiji Secondary Schools Hockey Association Super 10 tournament from August 11-12.

Association president Immanuel Prasad said they were happy to have a tournament in Levuka to mark the 100 years of existence of hockey in Fiji.

"Levuka was a place where hockey in Fiji originated and it is very fortunate for us to take a tournament to a place from where it all started. We have four teams from Suva and four from Nadi, Lautoka and Ba while two teams will be from Levuka.

"Levuka Public School and St John's College will be competing in the tournament. We also managed to secure a sponsorship from Tuckers and thank them for their support towards the tournament."

The schools will be fielding a boys and a girls team in the under-16 and under-19 grades.

"Three schools are making a return after a lapse of a year with Ratu Latianara College, Suva Grammar School and Lelean Memorial School will be competing this year. Lelean had commitments in rugby while the other schools most probably did not had students. We have noticed that there is a decline in the number of clubs and players in Suva and we have to develop more players. We'll also have Inter-District Championship going on with the girls playing for the Sophia Raddock Cup and boys playing for May Cup."

The tournament will be played at Nasau Park and St John's College grounds at Cawaci.

The Fiji Times

Second artificial hockey turf to be laid in Nairobi

The country is set to have a second artificial hockey playing surface.

By BRIAN YONGA


Ann Mbugua of Kenyatta University drives the ball during their Kenya Hockey Union Women's Premier League match against Chase Amiras at City Park Stadium on July 23, 2016. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU |  NATION MEDIA GROUP

The country is set to have a second artificial hockey playing surface following the signing of an agreement between Chase Bank, Sikh Union Club (Nairobi Simba) and Hurley Club of the Netherlands.

According to the tripartite agreement signed this week, the Dutch club has agreed to donate an artificial turf which will be put up at the Sikh Union grounds at a cost of €700,000 (Sh79 million).

Chase Bank will foot the cost.

The artificial turf is expected to arrive in Kenya sometimes this month with Canada-based Raicon Contractors contracted to lay the turf.

According to Chase Bank Director of Regulatory and External Affairs, Parmin Olenarikai, the playing surface will be ready by the end of the year.

“This is a move aimed at growing the sport of hockey and we hope this new surface will enable more young people to take up the sport,” Olenarikai told Daily Nation Sport.

HOME SIDES

Under the agreement, Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) league sides Amira Sailors (women) and Chase Sailors, sponsored by the bank, will use the ground during their home league matches alongside the 2012 champions Sikh Union.

The three clubs will also benefit from exchange programs to improve their game. Chase Sailors was started last year and earned promotion to the top flight league this season after winning the second tier men’s competition last season. The new surface will ease pressure on the overused City Park.

“This turf will also help ease the congestion of matches at City Park Stadium and ensure more competitive matches are played,” Sailors team leader Collins Asimba said.

Daily Nation

New turf for hockey teams

By Alex Isoe


Kenyatta University's Edith Obunyasi, left, and Jedida Zawadi of Amira Sailors during Kenya Hockey Union Ladies Premier League match at City park Stadium on Saturday, July 23,2016. [PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO/STANDARD]

Kenya Hockey league newcomers Chase and Amira Sailors will have their own pitch donated by Hurley Club from the Netherlands. It will be ready before the end of the year.

The ground will be set up at Sikh Union grounds at a cost 700,000 Euros. The ground-breaking took place on Saturday July 30, 2016 and clears path for Raicon contractors to begin the work. The turf left Netherlands at the start of July and is expected to arrive in the country within the month.

This will be the second turf in the region, besides the one at City Park. The one at City Park was laid eight years ago. Kenya Hockey Union Chairman Nashon Randiek has praised the move, saying it is useful for the game.

“We welcome the move by Chase Bank and we will support them because this is a sign that hockey is growing in Kenya and this second turf will help even develop the game further” he said

Chase Bank, the sponsor for the two clubs, have entered into a tripartite deal with Hurley Club and Sikh Union that will see the three clubs not only benefit from the turf but also exchange programmes. Upon completion of the ground, Amira Sailors, Chase Sailors and Sikh Union will be playing their League home matches there.

The Standard Online