News for 09 February 2017
All the news for Thursday 9 February 2017
Spain and Poland lead the way into quarter finals
The third day of the Valencia Hockey World League Round Two ended with Spain and Poland topping their respective pools. The competition now moves to the quarter-final stage, where fans can expect some exciting matches as the competing nations chase that World Cup dream.
Poland v Ghana 3-0
This was a crucial game in the race to top Pool B. After an early loss to Scotland, Poland knew that to top the pool, they had to defeat a Ghana team that was high on confidence after beating Ukraine on shoot out in their previous match. After a hotly disputed first quarter, Poland went ahead through captain Marlena Rybacha. After the break, Poland increased their lead through goals from Monika Polewczak and Daria Skoraszewska
Spain v Turkey 6-0
The home side extended their unbeaten run with a clinical performance against Turkey. Spain took an early lead with two goals from Berta Bonastre. After the break, the Redsticks increased their lead with goals from Alejandra Torres-Quevedo, Carlota Petchame, Maria Lopez and Begoña García.
Czech Republic v Russia 3-2
In a tense contest to secure second place in Pool A, Czech Republic and Russia really put each other under pressure with some thrilling hockey attack and counter-attack. Veronika Decsyova opened the scoring for the Czech Republic but Russia quickly responded with a penalty corner scored by Bogdana Sadovaia. The Russian player, who is currently top scorer in the tournament, scored again in the second quarter to double Russia’s lead. After the half-time break, the Czech Republic responded strongly through goals from Barbora Haklova and Jindriska Reichlova.
Ukraine v Scotland 2-1
A goal in the dying seconds of the game gave Ukraine a 2-1 victory over Scotland and moved the east European team to the top of Pool B. Scotland had taken the lead through a penalty corner from Sarah Robertson. The game looked to be Scotland’s as Ukraine could find no way through the blue defence, but in the last quarter that changed. First, Oksana Ponomarenko levelled the scores and then, with time up, Yana Vorushylo scored from a penalty corner. The result meant Poland overtook Scotland at the top of the pool.
Quarter finals take place on Thursday 9 February (all times are CET)
10:30 Scotland vs Russia
13:00 Spain vs Ghana
15:30 Czech Republic vs Ukraine
18:00 Poland vs Turkey
Follow all the action via the event page on the FIH website
FIH site
Germany set sights on Tokyo 2020 with restructuring of backroom team
Germany have turned to Stefan Kermas to lead their men to Tokyo 2020 Photo: DHB
Where club hockey is all about seasons, international hockey is all about cycles – four year cycles – with the ultimate aim an Olympic medal.
The German Hockey Federation (DHB) is busy preparing for the next four years and the national body has called on an internationally experienced set of coaches and backroom staff in its quest to go a step further than the two bronze medals the teams brought back from Rio 2016.
Among the appointments are Russell Garcia, who was the youngest player to represent Great Britain men at an Olympic Games, has coached Scotland’s men and worked as Assistant Coach to the Dutch men; and Aditya Pasarakonda, who coached the Swiss national team for four years, as well as enjoying a successful spell with the German Under-16 boy's team. Both join as Assistant Coaches to the men's national team. Jimmy Lewis, the former Great Britain goalkeeper, will act as Goalkeeper Coach to all teams.
Stefan Kermas has stepped into the shoes of Valentin Altenburg to take control of the men’s national side. His appointment means the four top coaching positions – Head Coaches to the men’s and women’s senior sides and Head Coaches to the men’s and women’s Under-21 squads – are now complete. Kermas joins Jamilon Mülders (women’s Head Coach), Valentin Altenburg (men’s Junior Coach) and Akim Bouchouchi (Women’s junior coach).
Bouchouchi has already enjoyed considerable success with the Under-18 men’s national side, so his appointment is a logical step up through the age groups. "The whole team at the DHB is very interesting at the moment, which is why I am very excited about this task," says Bouchouchi.
"I look forward to a good cooperation between the teams. With the Under-21 women, we want to see how the team reacts after the intense World Cup year. Our main tournament is the European Championships at the beginning of September, but I am quite relaxed about that.”
"With Akim Bouchouchi, we have an ambitious coach taking over the junior women,” said Britta Becker, Vice-President of the DHB. “He knows our training and talent promotion system well and is himself a participant in the coaching programme of the DHB. We have great confidence that, in close coordination with Jamilon Mülders, he will bring the best out of the women's national team.”
A wealth of experience will be sitting on the bench with Mülders as he is joined by former German international Matthew Hetherington, who has been Co-Coach to top club side RW Köln and 328-time Belgian national player Xavier Reckinger.
Reckinger has been working with the Belgium Under-21 women’s team, leading them to a sixth place finish, their best ever performance, at the Hockey Junior World Cup in 2016.
"I've known Xavier for a very long time,” said Mülders. “He is a former top player, who has mastered the change to become a coach very well. He has very high professional standards, and thus can become extremely valuable for us.”
Adding yet more experience to this team of internationally renowned coaches is former German national, the double Olympic champion Matthias Witthaus. He will be part of Team Altenburg, as the Under-21 side aims for a win at the 2017 Junior European Championships.
"Witti's commitment is also designed in the long term towards Tokyo," says Altenburg. "He is an ideal example for young talent, because he is like no other. He was a junior European champion at the age of 15 and made his debut in the senior squad at the age of 16.”
These appointments are very much in line with the International Hockey Federation's (FIH) 10-year Hockey Revolution strategy. One of the big goals aimed at making hockey a global game that inspires the next generation is to increase the degree of professionalism in the sport.
For more information about the hockey in Germany, click here.
FIH site
Mandeep Singh strikes twice in Delhi Waveriders’ 8-1 win against Uttar Pradesh Wizards 
New Delhi: Delhi Waveriders finally earned their maiden victory in the fifth edition of the Coal India Hockey India League with a sensational 8-1 home game win against Uttar Pradesh Wizards. It was double goals by Mandeep Singh (4′ and 30′), Parvinder Singh (57′) and Austin Smith (58′) who ensured the home team bagged five points from the game.
Desperate to register a win in the league, Delhi Waveriders began on a positive note vying to dominate early on and they did exactly that. Mandeep Singh, who played a key role in creating as many as eight circle entries for the home team on Tuesday against Jaypee Punjab Warriors, struck in only the 4th minute of the game. He made a rapid entry into the circle, beat the defenders to take a powerful strike at the goal. There was little Uttar Pradesh Wizards’ celebrated goalkeeper PR Sreejesh could do to deny the home team a 2-0 lead.
Almost immediately, Delhi Waveriders earned their first PC, thanks to Mandeep Singh who was in great nick but Justin Reid-Ross was unable to convert it. Meanwhile, the visitors earned two back-to-back PCs in the 11th minute, however, the Argentine Olympic gold medalist Gonzalo Peillat was not at his impressive best as his attempts were padded away by Delhi Waveriders keeper Vincent Vanasch. But they didn’t make the same mistake when they bagged another PC in the 14th minute of the match. This time it was the Uttar Pradesh Wizards skipper and most experienced dragflicker VR Raghunath at the strike and he was absolutely on target, sending the ball like a bullet into the left top corner of the net, ending the first quarter with a 1-2 deficit.
The visitors kept up the pressure into the second quarter by winning a PC in the 24th minute. A near-perfect injection by Agustin Mazzilli saw VR Raghunath take the flick again but the fiercely struck ball was brilliantly saved by Vincent Vanasch denying the visitors a chance to equalize. The quarter, however, ended on a great note for the home team as they fetched a 4-1 lead in the 30th minute of the match. It was Junior World Cup hero Mandeep Singh again, who continued to be impress when he overcame a tense scramble in the circle to convert a field goal beating Sreejesh.
The third quarter witnessed the home team defend their lead, playing a structured game giving little chances within the circle. Though the visitors won another PC, a poor attempt by Raghunath and Peillat with an innovative set-piece dented their chance of scoring.
The visitors made desperate attempts to come back into the game in the final minutes of the match, but the Delhi Waveriders were relentless in their efforts to stay on course to their first ever win in the fifth edition of the Coal India Hockey India League. A great work in tandem between Junior World Cup winning teammates Parvinder Singh and Mandeep Singh who showed class when they scored a sensational field goal in the 57th minute that sealed the winning points. Austin Smith scored his second field goal in the league with a splendid strike in the 58th minute taking the home team’s winning score to 8-1.
Mandeep Singh of Delhi Waveriders was awarded with a prize money of Rs 50,000 for scoring the Coal India Goal of the Match from Shri B.K. Panda, Director (Personnel), BCCL, Coal India Ltd.
Harjeet Singh of Delhi Waveriders won the prize of Rs 25,000 for being the Hero Young Achiever of the Match from Mr. Harbinder Singh, Olympian.
The Airtel Most Entertaining Player of the Match was awarded to Vincent Vanasch of Delhi Waveriders that came with a prize money of Rs 25,000 and presented by Brigadier H.J.S Chimney, International Hockey Player.
Mandeep Singh of Delhi Waveriders was declared the Man of the Match and was awarded a prize money of Rs 50,000 by Captain J.S Randhawa, Director, Wave Group.
On 9 February, Jaypee Punjab Warriors will take on Ranchi Rays in Chandigarh at 1900hrs.
Matches will be shown live on Star Sports 2 & HD 2 and Star Sports 3 & HD 3 and live streamed on Hotstar.com
Official HIL site
Delhi bounces back into reckoning
s2h team
Delhi Waveriders struck four field goals, a brace in each half, to bounce back into reckoning today at the Shivaji Stadium, New Delhi when it registered a thumping 8-1 victory over UP Wizards for their fist win in five matches of the fifth Hockey India League.
While Raghunath stuck the lone goal (14th min) for the visiting side, Mandeep Singh (4th and 30th min) twice, Parvinder Singh (57th) and Austin Smith (58th)apiece posted goals for the hosts.
A brace of field goals by Mandeep Singh,each at the fag end of first and second quarters, kept the revival hopes of Delhi Waveriders alive, as visiting Uttar Pradesh Wizards could just manage a solitary penalty corner goal in the entire game.
UPW got three more chances to score in the first half, but once Ramandeep Singh and twice Gonzalo Peillat in the penalty corner drills could not beat DWR's goalie Vanasch.
VR Raghunath converted the team's third penalty corner to keep the hopes of team's revival.
However, Delhi Waverider's goalie Vincent Vanasch stood between the visitors forward and goal. Some the stops the confident Vanasch made were mercurial and meticulous, lesson for other goalies in the world, if not in the HIL.
Fittingly, he was declared Man of the match.
Mandeep Singh who was found missing many goals despite more energetic on the field the other day against Punjab, was his usual self today.
His first goal, a perfect reverse taken from top edge of D, despite surrounded by three players close to him and the speed with which he angled his carpet sweep to the other corner than where goalie PR Sreejesh was positioned, speaks volume for Mandeep's magic.
His other goal came in a melee
In two minute's spell, the game was made to render unequal with goal apiece emanating from the stick of Parvinder Singh and Austin Smith.
However, in a melee Mandeep Singh could place the ball in collecting a short rebound from goalie near goaline to douse the hopes of UPW (4-1).
AWARDS
THRILLING GOAL Rs.50K: Mandeep Singh
YOUNG ACHIEVER AWARD 25k: Harjeet Singh
MOST ENTERTAINING PLAYER: Vincent Vanasch
MAN OF THE MATCH Rs.50K:Mandeep Singh
Stick2Hockey.com
Waveriders bounce back into contention
Mandeep Singh (right) celebrates after scoring for Delhi Waveriders against Uttar Pradesh Wizards on Wednesday. Photo Credit: Sandeep Saxena
Delhi Waveriders finally opened its account in this edition with a comprehensive 8-1 win over Uttar Pradesh Wizards at the Shivaji Stadium here on Wednesday, lifting itself up off the bottom place in the process.
Emphatic
This was, incidentally, more than the team had managed to score in its four games so far, as the former champion emphatically bounced back into contention.
Mandeep Singh was once again the star of the home side, scoring two field goals of his own and also creating a couple of penalty corners that went waste.
Mandeep was always at the right place at the right time.
Mandeep’s speedy runs
His speedy runs to snatch possession was a testament to the supreme levels of fitness of the Indian players, especially the juniors, outrunning most of the foreign stars.
One of those runs saw him racing Seve van Ass for the ball across the length of the field and winning, taking control of a diagonal pass from Talwinder Singh, turning and slotting the ball under P.R. Sreejesh’s legs in the third minute of the game itself.
Delhi had made its attacking intentions clear in the previous game against Punjab, but was off-target and misfiring.
Against UPW, the finishing was far better and the team looked decidedly far superior.
Delhi’s defence had already been among the most compact this season and it lived up to its reputation as Rupinder Pal Singh and Iain Lewers kept the UPW strikers at bay and Vincent Vanasche cleared anything dangerous, including two penalty corner attempts by Gonzalo Peillat.
In contrast, UPW attacked in bursts but was unable to make its chances count. P.R. Aiyappa and Shamsher Singh missed sitters each, as did Ramandeep Singh and Akashdeep Singh.
Reducing the margin
Raghunath did manage to reduce the margin, putting the ball into the net through PC but a second field goal by Mandeep five seconds before half time put the host in command.
As UPW stepped up the pace in search of goals, it left its defence open and Parvinder Singh, put through by Mandeep, and Austin Smith, set up by Talwinder, added their names to the scoresheets in the last four minutes as Sreejesh cut a lonely figure in the striking circle.
UPW seemed to have given up the battle towards the end but for a team desperate for its first win of the tournament, Delhi would be pleased with the result.
The result:
Delhi Waveriders 8 (Mandeep Singh 4 FG, Parvinder Singh 2 FG, Austin Smith 2 FG) bt Uttar Pradesh Wizards 1 (V.R. Raghunath 1 PC).
The Hindu
Delhi Waveriders thump Uttar Pradesh Wizards to register maiden win
Delhi Waveriders celebrate as they beat UP Wizards 8-1. Twitter/@HockeyIndiaLeag
New Delhi: Striker Mandeep Singh scored two beautiful field goals as Delhi Waveriders produced their best performance of the tournament so far to spank Uttar Pradesh Wizards 8-1 and register their first win in the fifth edition of the Hockey India League, in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Mandeep found the net in the fourth and 30th minutes while Parvinder Singh (56th) and Austin Smith (58th) also scored from field efforts late into the game to hand Waveriders the handsome victory at the Shivaji Stadium.
UP Wizards' lone goal came from the sticks of skipper VR Raghunath, who converted one of the five penalty corners they secured in the game.
By virtue of this win, the Waveriders jumped to the fifth position in the six-team tournament while UP Wizards slumped to the bottom of the standings.
It was action-packed first quarter with both the teams displaying attacking hockey, which in turn resulted in goals.
Unlike their previous matches, the Waveriders came out of their shell from the onset and attacked the opposition goal.
Their efforts bore fruit as early as in the fourth minute when Mandeep Singh found the back of UP Wizards net past star goalkeeper PR Sreejesh with a strong reverse hit after receiving an open pass from Satbir Singh to go 2-0 up as according to the new scoring rules of the tournament one field strike is counted as two.
The Waveriders soon earned two penalty corners but both the opportunities went wasted.
Relatively quite in the first 10 minutes, the UP Wizards made a comeback into the game towards the end of the first quarter. They pressed hard on the Waveriders defence and in the process secured three penalty corners in quick succession, the last of which was converted by skipper VR Raghunath in the 14th minute to reduce the margin to 2-1.
In the second quarter the first real scoring chance went to UP Wizards Ramandeep Singh in the 22nd minute but he shoot straight into the body of Waveriders goalkeeper Vincent Vanasch from close range.
The UP Wizards then soon earned their fourth penalty but Waveriders custodian Vanasch came up with a brilliant save to deny Raghunath.
But just at the stroke of half time the Waveriders extended their lead to 4-1 through another field strike from Mandeep.
Up Wizards goalkeeper Sreejesh pulled off a fine save to deny Manuel Brunet but Mandeep was at the right place at the right time to find the net from the resultant goalmouth melee.
In the third quarter, the UP Wizards took the initiative and attacked the Waveriders goal with more purpose. They managed three real scoring chances but failed to find the back of the net.
The Wizards secured two more penalty corners in the third quarter but both went abegging. In between Shamsher Singh was also denied by Waveriders goalkeeper Vanasch.
Towards the end of the quarter Mandeep came close to securing his hat-trick only to be denied by a brilliant save by an agile UP Wizards goalkeeper Sreejesh.
The UP Wizards went into an all out attack and it created spaces in their defence which the Waveriders utilised to the best of their ability to pump in two more field goals -- first by Parvinder and then by Smith in quick succession.
Firstpost
Lahore Lions were the proud winners of the 1st Pakistan Women Hockey League.
They defeated Quetta Panthers 2-0 in the final at the National Hockey Stadium, Lahore.
Ishrat Abbas scored both the goals off penalty corners.
Earlier, Karachi Dolphins defeated Islamabad Shaheen in the third position match.
It was 0-0 after the 60 minute game. Match went to penalty shoot out. Karachi won in the shoot out.
1st: Lahore Lions
2nd: Quetta Panthers
3rd: Karachi Dolphins
Mr Jahangir Khanzada, the Punjab Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports was the Chief Guest, who distributed the prizes.
Lahore Lions Outplay Quetta Panthers 2-0 to Win 1st Women Hockey League
Final's result was no surprise. Lahore Lions had scored the highest number of goals in the league phase; hadn't conceded a single goal.
They had comprehensively defeated all the opponents during the league phase including Quetta Panthers, who they faced again today in the final.
Quetta did put up some fight in the first half though Lahore's superiority was never in doubt. They created more chances including penalty corners but poor finishing let them down. Quetta too had PCs.
It was goalless at the end of the first 30 minutes.
The second half was more one sided. Lahore entered Quetta's circle almost at will and no less than seven penalty corners came their way. Two of them were converted by Ishrat Abbas, both through forceful carpet shots.
Lahore Lions: 2 Quetta Panthers: 0
Scorer: Ishrat Abbas (40' & 46') both off PCs
Karachi Dolphins Finish Third; defeat Islamabad Shaheen on Shoot Out
Earlier the 3rd position match between Karachi Dolphins and Islamabad Shaheen went to shoot out as there was no score in the 60 minutes.
Islamabad had upper hand in terms of possession and chances but the Karachi defence stood well where the goal keeper Sadia Rahmat stood out.
In the penalty shoot out, both the teams were successful in two of the five shoot outs. Even the next round of five shoot outs resulted in a 1-1 deadlock. Finally, the shoot out went into sudden death. Off the first, Karachi's Tehmina put it in while their goal keeper Sadia saved Islamabad's attempt enabling her team finish at third place.
Karachi Dolphins: 0 Islamabad Shaheen: 0
Karachi won in shoot out.
Individual Prizes:
Best Player of Tournament: Nafeesa Anwar (Quetta Panthers)
Best Goal Keeper: Saeeda Rahmat (Karachi Dolphins)
Top Scorer: Ishrat Abbas: Six Goals (Lahore Lions)
PHF Media release
Narrow escape for league leaders Terengganu
by Aftar Singh
He’s too quick: Terengganu’s Valentine Verga (right) dribbling past Tenaga Nasional’s Muhd Firdaus Omar during their MHL Premier Division match at Kuala Lumpur Hockey Stadium yesterday. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS / The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Double champions Terengganu were lucky to escape with a 1-1 draw against Tenaga Nasional in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) Premier Division match at the Kuala Lumpur Hockey Stadium.
Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC), meanwhile, came back from a goal down to hammer Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM)-KPT 9-1 for their seventh win at the Tun Razak Stadium yesterday.
Terengganu and KLHC are tied on 23 points from nine matches but the east coast team top the eight team standings on goal difference.
Terengganu, who outplayed Tenaga 6-1 in the first-round match last week, failed to play to their true ability yesterday.
Although they took an early lead through Muhd Firhan Ashaari in the 10th minute, they failed to capitalise on their superiority.
Tenaga, with an all-local squad, gave them a good fight and equalised through Mohd Ramadan Rosli in the 49th minute.
Terengganu coach Sarjit Singh said his players wasted a number of sitters.
“Credit to Tenaga for playing well and their goalkeeper S. Kumar was in his element.
“We’re not too worried about other teams’ results. I just want my team to stay focus and do well in the remaining five matches,” said Sarjit.
Muhd Razie Abdul Rahim (9th, 44th), Mohd Syamim Yusof (11th, 57th) and Anton Poul Fritz Ebeling (39th, 60th) each scored a brace for KLHC while Muhd Haziq Samsul (24th), Muhammad Umar Bhutta (41st) and Nabil Fiqri Mohd Noor (49th) contributed the other goals.
Muhd Shahfirul Aqmal Saiful replied for UiTM-KPT in the sixth minute.
Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) maintained their third spot a 0-0 draw against TNB-Thunderbolt at the Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School pitch in Johor.
The Star of Malaysia
Webb would be great GB captain, says Keegan
By Rod Gilmour, The Hockey Paper
Hollie Webb would be an “exceptional” women’s captain for Great Britain and England, according to former assistant coach Craig Keegan.
England Hockey chiefs have yet to announce Kate Richardson-Walsh’s replacement since her retirement after the Rio Olympics.
But the Australian, who left the GB set up this month, believes that Webb, 26, has all the right attributes to lead her country towards Tokyo 2020.
In a ringing endorsement of Webb’s credentials, he told The Hockey Paper: "Hollie is the most underrated player in world hockey.
“She has the ability to go on to have a very successful career. She's already a European and Olympic gold medallist and is only just starting out in her international career.
“She has got herself out there to promote the sport and she has every attribute you would want in a leader. I can see her as an exceptional captain and if I was still involved she would be high up on the list."
Fellow GB coach Karen Dixon, who also left her position after Rio, recently expressed surprise that Webb, who played her first full game for Surbiton at the weekend since Rio, was missing from the FIH women’s player of the year shortlist. She also said that Webb was "one of the best defenders in the world”.
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The Hockey Paper
Jamie Hooper shares his story
Jamie Hooper, International umpire
"This month is LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans) history month, a month marked to remember LGBT history and how it has shaped the way LGBT people can live now and how they will in the future. It also represents the chance for England Hockey and I to help promote how diverse and inclusive our wonderful sport is.
My name is Jamie Hooper, I am a Welsh FIH International Umpire both indoor and outdoor, and I umpire in the England Hockey Men’s National League. I am a level 2 hockey coach, I helped to establish and lead the European Hockey Federation Youth Panel, and I also happen to be an openly gay man.
Alongside umpiring, I am the Men’s 1XI team captain for the London Royals Hockey Club, the UK’s largest LGB hockey club, and I am hugely proud to do so as we enter our second season in the league. We have two men’s teams that play regular league hockey, a mixed team, and we regularly organise ladies friendly games. We tour every year, once within the UK and once abroad, and would challenge the most social of clubs to a good night out!
My sexual orientation has always been a tiny part of who I am. Minuscule in comparison to how important sport is in my life. Being able to merge the two together through the sport that I love most is truly humbling. The London Royals have taught me a lot about how it is okay to be myself on and off the pitch and there is nothing more rewarding than that, except being able to play hockey at the same time. For that I am forever grateful.
I am just about to embark on kick starting my international umpiring career. I have the FIH World League Round 2 coming up in March in Belfast, EuroHockey Championships II in Glasgow in August, and dreams of the Commonwealth Games next year in Australia. To date, I have never yet received any negativity on or off the pitch about my sexuality and I do not, perhaps foolishly, expect to receive any in the future. When I am on the pitch I am there to do a job and it should not and has not ever mattered and that is something that I really believe hockey does so well.
But I am still very much learning what it is like to be an international umpire; travelling to foreign countries, performing at top level tournaments with a group of umpires and teams from across the world, some from very different cultures speaking very different languages with very different perspectives. As a new umpire on the international programme I face the challenge of whether to come out or not at every tournament. Does it matter? Should I say something? Should I go along with the banter? My sexuality is not something I am shy about but I don’t like to make other people feel uncomfortable so rarely talk about it overseas. However, we need to work with real-life role models to lead the way for LGBT people in sport, reassuring them that it is OK to play whatever your sexual orientation and this is my attempt.
I have personally seen and felt the happiness that sport and particularly hockey can provide to so many people. I would like to challenge everyone reading this to push themselves to make their clubs, schools, leagues and competitions as inclusive as possible not only to LGBT people but to absolutely everyone.
We must continue to work together to eradicate homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in sport and allow everyone the opportunity to have a love of the game like you and I both do."
We want to thank Jamie for this blog piece and wish him the best of luck on his umpiring journey!
If you would like more resources around LGBT subject please see the LGBT foundation for more information. You can also purchase Rainbow laces for your club and team mates as part of Stonewalls national campaign to stamp homophobia out of sport.
England Hockey Board Media release