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All the news for Friday 8 September 2017

FIH confirms Odisha Men’s Hockey World League Final, Bhubaneswar 2017 schedule


India could come up against European champions Netherlands in the quarter-finals Photo: FIH/Getty

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has announced the Pools and schedule for the Odisha Men’s Hockey World League Final, Bhubaneswar 2017.

Seven teams who qualified through the Hockey World League Semi-Finals plus hosts India will go head to head to be crowned champions of season 3, which started back in April 2016.

Pool A is comprised of Olympic champions Argentina, European champions Netherlands, Olympic silver medallists Belgium and Spain.

Reigning World Cup and World League champions Australia will begin their title defence in Pool B as they take on Germany, hosts India and England.

This end of year showpiece is set to send sports fan's pulses racing with a number of hugely exciting matches schedule for the event taking place at the Kalinga Stadium between 1-10 December 2017.

European rivals Germany and England get the event off to a flier at 16:45 (India Standard Time - UTC +5.30) before World League season 2 champions Australia go up against hosts India, who will be looking for a large home crowd to inspire them to success, at 19:30.

In what is being billed as ‘Super Saturday’, the 2nd of December is set to be a thriller with some eagerly anticipated matchups scheduled.

A rerun of the 2016 Olympic gold medal match between Argentina and Belgium gets the day underway at 12:00 in a match that is bound to rekindle some fond memories from that special night in Rio just over a year ago.

India against England (19:30) will round the day off in what will be one of the most anticipated matches for home fans as they take on one of their oldest rivals.

At least two matches per day have been scheduled starting at either 17:15 or 17:30 (except December 1 at 16:45) and 19:30, with Saturday 2 December the only day with four matches.

The Pool stages will run from 1-5 December and will be followed by the Quarter-Finals on 6-7 December. Following that classification matches and Semi-Finals will take place over the next two days before the bronze medal match at 17:15 and the Final at 19:30 on Sunday 10 December.

To see the full schedule, visit the official event website on FIH.ch.

Following confirmation of the schedule, ticket sales for the event are expected to commence over the next few days. To be first to find out about their launch, visit the official website and follow FIH on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Fast-paced and action-packed, this is the tournament that gives hockey fans the chance to see their team go all the way to the World Cup and Olympics.

Composed of four rounds and played over two years, the Hockey World League shines a spotlight on the sport around the world. Even the smallest hockey-playing nations have the opportunity to write their own chapter in hockey’s history books.

In addition to battling for the title, vital FIH Hero World Ranking points will also be on offer which could prove crucial in terms of qualification for future events.

To keep up to date with all the latest news from the Finals – search the hashtag #HWL2017.

FIH site

India to take on Australia in Bhubneswar HWL Final

s2h team

India will open its campaign against Australia on Friday the first December in its opening day of the Bhubneswar Hockey World League Finals. Next day India will face off England followed by Germany two days after.

India is in Pool B whereas the other pool consists of Rio finalists Argentina and Belgium. Netherlands and Spain, other QFs of Rio make up the pool.

Indian Schedule

India Vs Australia on Friday, First December
India Vs England on Saturday, Second December
India Vs Germany on Monday, Fourth December

Pool matches will take place till fifth of December after which a rest day later the knockout matches (QFs onwards) will take place.

Its second time the city of temples is hosting a major tournament after Champions Trophy was held two years ago. Raipur hosted the previous HWL Finals in 2015, India made history by winning bronze, first medal in top level FIH tournament after 1982 Champions Trophy.

Ticket sales for the event will start shortly.

Exactly 84 days remain for the curtains down in the holy city.

Stick2Hockey.com

India placed in tough pool ‘B’ at HWL Final



Pool A consists of Argentina, Belgium, Netherlands and Spain while pool B Australia, India, Germany and England.

Hosts India are placed in a tough Pool B along side current world champions Australia and reigning Olympic bronze medallist Germany in the men’s Hockey World League (HWL) Final to be held in Bhubaneswar from December 1 to 10.

Besides India, World League champions Australia and Germany, Pool B also features seventh placed England, who are the reigning bronze medallist in the Euro Hockey Nations Championship.

According to the schedule announced by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) today, India will open their campaign against the mighty Kookaburras on December 1 before taking on England (December 2) and Germany (December 4).

Pool A, meanwhile, consists of Olympic champions Argentina, European champions Netherlands, Olympic silver medallists Belgium and Spain.

European rivals Germany and England will get the event off to a flier at the Kalinga Stadium before the India-Australia duel.

In what is being billed as ‘Super Saturday’, December 2 is set to be a thriller with some eagerly anticipated matches scheduled.

A rerun of the 2016 Olympic gold medal match between Argentina and Belgium gets the day underway in a match that is bound to rekindle some fond memories from that special night in Rio just over a year ago.

The Pool stages will run from December 1-5 and will be followed by the quarter—finals on December 6-7.

Following that classification matches, semi-finals will take place over the next two days before the bronze medal match and Final on December 10.

Pools:

Pool A: Argentina, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain
Pool B: Australia, India, Germany, England

Schedule:

December 1:

Pool B 16:45 (IST) GER — ENG
Pool B 19:30 (IST) AUS — IND

December 2:

Pool A 12:00 (IST) ARG — BEL
Pool A 14:00 (IST) NED — ESP
Pool B 17:30 (IST) GER — AUS
Pool B 19:30 (IST) IND — ENG

December 3:

Pool A 17:30 (IST) BEL — ESP
Pool A 19:30 (IST) NED — ARG

December 4:

Pool B 17:30 (IST) AUS — ENG
Pool B 19:30 (IST) IND — GER

December 5:

Pool A 17:30 (IST) ARG — ESP
Pool A 19:30 (IST) BEL — NED

December 6:

QF 17:15 (IST)
QF 19:30 (IST)

December 7:

QF 17:15 (IST)
QF 19:30 (IST)

December 8:

Losing Q/Finalists Match 17:15 (IST)
Semi Final 19:30 (IST)

December 9

Losing Q/Finalists Match 17:15 (IST0
Semi Final 19:30 (IST)

December 10:

Bronze Medal Match 17:15 (IST)
Final 19:30 (IST).

The Hindu

England men schedule announced for World League Finals


England celebrate against Korea

England’s men will face Germany, Australia and hosts India in their pool at the Odisha Men’s Hockey World League Finals in Bhubaneswar.

The FIH have announced the schedule and timings for the tournament taking place in India from the 1 to the 10 of December as the world’s best battle it out in what promises to be a mouth watering spectacle.

In pool B reigning World Cup and World League champions Australia, world number three Germany and world number six India will provide England's opposition who are currently ranked seventh.   

European Champions the Netherlands, Olympic champions Argentina, Belgium and Spain make up Pool A.

England took third place at the World League Semi-Finals in London in June where they defeated Malaysia to secure bronze and their spot for the finals in India.

All matches from the tournament will be shown live in the UK on BT Sport. For the full schedule and fixture timings of the tournament click here.

England fixtures:

1 December: Germany - 11.15am UK Time
2 December: India – 2.00pm UK Time
4 December: Australia – 11.45am UK Time

England Hockey Board Media release

Kookaburras World League Finals Draw Revealed

Ben Somerford



The Kookaburras have been drawn against hosts India, England and Germany for the 2017 FIH Hockey World League Final in December.

The draw took place on Thursday, with Australia drawn in Pool B and to start their campaign on December 1 against India in Bhubaneswar.

Germany are currently ranked third in the world and finished third at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.

India’s current rank is sixth, with England coming in at seventh.

World number one and 2016 Olympics gold medal winners Argentina are in Pool A along with Rio runners-up Belgium, fourth-ranked Netherlands and ninth-ranked Spain.

Australia qualified for the World League Final after finishing third at the Semifinals held in South Africa in June and July.

The Kookaburras will play in the Oceania Cup in October and International Festival of Hockey in November as part of their preparations.

Australia fixtures:

December 1 2017 - Australia v India
December 2 2017 - Germany v Australia
December 4 2017 – Australia v England

Pool A

Argentina, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain

Pool B

Australia, England, Germany, India

Hockey Australia media release

Early movement in the National under 21 IPT’s

The 2017 under 21 Men’s and Ladies Inter Provincial Tournaments are underway in Potchefstroom where the best young talent in South Africa are taking each other on in a challenge for domination. There is added excitement around the youngsters after the U21 Men’s performance at the Junior Hockey World Cup last year, finishing in 10th place.

Starting with the ladies tournament the Northern Blues, winners in 2015, have shown their determination to win again this year with a massive statement of intent in triumphing 3-1 over Western Province inspired by a brace from skipper Natalie Esteves. They followed this up with a convincing display against Mpumalanga to remain an undefeated team in Group A. Western Province Pens are also undefeated so far but missed out on a 100% record when they were held 0-0 by the host province North West.

In Group B its Southern Gauteng, under the guidance of 2004 Olympian Tsoanelo Pholo, who have started the early charge thanks to emerging victorious from a bruising encounter against KZN Coastals. Lezaan Janse popped up with a goal on the stroke of half time that would be the only goal of the game. They too had an easier second game against EP but today find themselves facing the also unbeaten Free State. The Free State ladies were disappointed to draw with the Invitational side in a match with lots of tactical defence and very few goal opportunities.

The Men’s tournament features some very exciting up and coming players of South African hockey. Goals are also more prominent with the trio of Eastern Province, Western Province and Northern Blues combining for 40 goals at an average of 5 goals a game. Border were the unfortunate team to be on the receiving end of a rampant display by Luke Schooling and Max Pike both netting hat-tricks.

Incredibly in five consecutive games in the tournament, not a game was decided by more than a goal before WP beat their “B” side Pens 3-1. This just highlights how closely matched so many of our teams are and to win this tournament and impress SA U21 coach Garreth Ewing will not be a foregone conclusion.

The game of the tournament for me so far was the EP game against the KZN Coastals as the back and forth game was eventually sealed by a dramatic 58th minute field goal from Arno van Jaarsveld to the delight of Gerrard Noah and his coaching staff.

You can follow the tournament on the Tournament Management Events site here https://saha.altiusrt.com/ 

SA Hockey Association media release

Arminen to begin EHL prep with Austrian Super Cup date



SV Arminen begin their new Austrian club season this weekend with the first ever edition of the Austrian Super Cup being played against WAC at 6pm on Saturday evening.

The competition is inspired by many other preseason sporting events, offering a top quality tie between the two most successful men's teams of last season to raise the curtain on the campaign.

Austrian’s record champion SV Arminen - who will play at EHL ROUND1 in October - and Austrian’s cup winner WAC will meet each other during the opening ceremony as WAC’s homeground is unveiled.

The WAC project has been a unique and saved the future of one of the oldest hockey clubs in Europe. For many years, WAC attempted to secure funding from the public purse but all attempts were thwarted.

So the club switched to exclusively pursuing a crowd-funding and project platform. Generous benefactors and many smaller sponsors contributed to the WAC FUNDERS’ CLUB (http://www.wac-funders.club/).

Following an intense marketing campaign within the Austrian hockey community and beyond, the project costs of about €500,000 finally were successfully raised within 20 weeks.

Media attention was remarkable as it was one of the highest backed and successfully closed sports crowd-funding projects around the world.

Euro Hockey League media release

Naise in race against time for Nations Cup duty

By BRIAN YONGA


Amira Sailors forward Pauline Naise controls the ball during their Kenya Hockey Union Women's Premier League match against Sliders at City Park Stadium on July 23, 2017. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU |  NATION MEDIA GROUP

Hockey player-cum-footballer Pauline Naise faces a race against time to be fit for next month’s Africa Cup of Nations to be held in Ismailia, Egypt.

The 23-year-old forward, who plays for Kenya Hockey Union Premier League side Amira Sailors, is currently recovering from a minor surgery that saw a non-functional ovarian cyst removed from her body on August 18 this year.

Naise has three weeks left before completing the six weeks she was asked to stay out of intense sporting action.

The talented forward, who returned to the sport this year after a three-year absence, had been in non-residential training alongside other players for the last one month before undergoing the surgery.

“Hopefully, I should resume training in the last few days of the month and it will be a real battle to be ready for the Africa Cup of Nations but we shall see how it goes,” Naise told Nation Sport.

Naise, who last featured for the national hockey team in 2015 during the World League Two series in Uruguay, has impressed on her return to the sport.

She is currently her side’s top scorer after netting 10 times in as many matches in the first half of the season.

“I am really looking forward to play for the national team once again but I have to put my health first and ensure I follow the doctors’ instructions,” she added.

The continental showpiece will run from October 19-29 and will feature champions South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Botswana, and Zambia alongside the hosts.

The winners of the men’s and women’s competition will qualify for next year’s World Cup.

Naise is tipped to partner Telkom Orange’s Audrey Omaido upfront as the women’s team looks for a maiden World Cup slot under the tutelage of new coach Willis Otieno - who has taken over from Nixon Nyangaga.

Naise, who also plays for Football Kenya Federation Women’s Premier League side Soccer Queens after ditching Vihiga Leeds, was the top scorer during the 2014 World Hockey League One Series held in Nairobi.

She was called up to the national women’s football team Harambee Starlets last year.

Daily Nation

Marijne set to be appointed men’s hockey coach, Harendra likely for women
    
Harpreet Kaur Lamba

Holland’s Sjoerd Marijne is all set to take over as the national men’s hockey team coach following the sacking of countryman Roelant Oltmans, it is learnt here.

The 43-year-old Dutchman, who was appointed as the Indian women’s coach in February earlier this year, it is learnt has given his nod for a switch to the high-profile role after intense talks and lot of deliberation.

Sources suggest that Hockey India was keen to have someone on board who was familiar with the Indian system and at the same time, enjoyed a good working relationship with the authorities, and Marijne came good on both accounts.

He, however, it is understood, had a few apprehensions before giving his affirmation, given that he has had no experience in coaching a national men’s team before. Besides, the Dutchman is well aware of the demands and expectations that come with the men’s team role in India.

Says an insider, “Rather than bringing in a new overseas coach who will require at least a few months to understand the working system and settle, it is best to utilise someone who is already here.

“There are important assignments next year — the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games — and with the men’s World Cup at home in 16 months away, this seems the best decision.”

In the present scenario, former junior India coach Harendra Singh — who was also being considered for the men’s role — will, in all probability, be handed the women’s team job making it his first independent charge with the national team.

Harendra has been among the most successful Indian coaches in recent times, leading the junior men’s team to the World Cup triumph last year. Add to it are his man-management skills and an amicable working relationship with most of the players.

“It is very important to have an Indian coach working within the system and Harendra brings with himself a lot of experience. His knowledge of the home conditions and having worked with all these players is a plus,” the source said.

Marijne is currently guiding the women’s team on their ongoing Europe tour in the Netherlands, which ends September 18.

Meanwhile, analytical coach Hans Streeder of Holland has resigned following Oltmans’ ouster, saying he could not “work in an environment with no clarity and lack of open communication”.

HI sacked Oltmans last week, following a string of lacklustre performances ending the 63-year-old’s two-year regime. The body later advertised for the men’s position on its website, also announcing that high performance director David John will take over as interim boss.

The Asian Age

Coach conundrum continues

With just one year to go for World Cup, HI’s sacking of Oltmans defies logic

Indervir Grewal


Roelant Oltmans

Even though Indian hockey fans are used to foreign coaches being fired without notice, Roelant Oltmans’ exit would have come as a big surprise. Among all the foreign coaches Hockey India (HI) has hired in the recent past, the Dutchman had the best relationship with the federation. After over four years, he was becoming used to the workings in the country, and had worked in various capacities — he was HI’s high performance director, worked with the senior women’s and men’s junior teams, apart from being the men’s coach.

The explanations offered by HI’s review committee for firing the 63-year-old are questionable. But even if HI believes the reasons are justified, the timing of the Dutchman’s departure is beyond reason; and the way in which such a renowned coach was fired was disheartening.

Odd timing

The committee said that it was not satisfied with the team’s performance in 2016 and 2017. In that case, why was Oltmans not fired last year after the Rio Olympics, where India finished eighth?

Harbinder Singh, chairman of HI’s selection committee, said that in the review meeting after the Olympics, Oltmans didn’t have any clear explanation about the performance. What were Oltmans’ targets for the future? “There were none,” Harbinder said.

Then what saved his job? Harbinder had no answer; instead, he justified sacking Oltmans now by saying it had to be done “sooner than later”. What was the logic behind offering him a contract till the 2020 Tokyo Olympics if HI was going to fire him within nine months?

Finding a coach now — a year into the next Olympics cycle and with 15 months left for the World Cup — will be tough as most top coaches will already be busy.

High performance director David John, who has been appointed interim coach, has said that it could take up to three months to find Oltmans’ replacement. That means a year left for the new coach to make the changes before the World Cup. But what has not been talked about, and what Oltmans reminded in a television interview recently, is that the Asian Games is in August next year. India must win the title to get an automatic qualification for the 2020 Olympics.

Running out of ideas?

Having not taken this “hard decision” last year, HI should have waited till after the World Cup to fire Oltmans. But the federation ran out of patience, saying that the Dutchman was not producing results. The tipping point was India’s sixth-place finish at the World League Semifinal in London, where they suffered defeats to lower-ranked Malaysia and Canada.

However, India’s performance wasn’t as alarming as the federation believes. India was among the top teams in terms of chances created and dominated most matches. However, the committee wasn’t satisfied with India’s dominance in Asia alone, and wanted better results against the top nations.

The committee said that “the current format of coaching was not showing results beyond a certain level”. Oltmans came under criticism that he was running out of ideas; that the last couple of tournaments showed that the team was becoming somewhat predictable.

But Oltmans said he was making changes. After the defeats in London, he expressed his dissatisfaction with the team’s defence. In the last camp, he tried out a new system. A player in the national camp confirmed that the team was trying out something new, with more emphasis on zonal marking rather than man-to-man marking. The player said that the recent Europe tour was the first time where the team tried out the new tactics.

Contention over young blood

The “noteworthy performance” by a “much younger team” on the tour, which included two wins over the Netherlands, was another reason that made HI feel it was time to “recalibrate”.

In the days following Oltmans’ sacking, news emerged about John’s disagreement with the Dutchman over team selection. While the Australian wanted the induction of more young players into the team, Oltmans was against the idea. Sources said that John forced many junior players into the team for the Europe tour, which led to Oltmans not signing on the final team list. Sources also said that John flew to Europe without informing Oltmans, so that he could see the team’s performance himself.

The team performed well, giving HI a reason to question Oltmans’ methods. Even after being let go, Oltmans stuck to his “utmost belief” that youngsters should be introduced gradually at the senior level. “They need time to start performing at the senior level,” he said in the interview.

HI should have supported his belief. One tour should not have made them question him. The team’s performance on the tour — all warm-up matches for the European teams before their continental championships — cannot be considered a benchmark.

Even if the Belgian and Dutch teams were full strength, they would still not have revealed their main strategies so close to such an important event. And the pressure level at major tournaments is much higher. Despite being a junior sensation, Akashdeep Singh was a late bloomer in the senior squad. He once said that the big change in level was unsettling at the beginning and he took a long time to find his feet.

Two power centres

What also went against Oltmans was the accusation of favouritism. The players present at the committee meetings accused Oltmans of shielding a few players. They said that it was affecting team morale. Players getting involved in selection matters leads to politics in the team. This is where HI and the selection committee should have stepped in and had a discussion with Oltmans.

Instead, HI let John, whose field of expertise is fitness, meddle in team decisions, undermining Oltmans’ authority; thus setting a wrong precedence. Ironically, the trend started when Oltmans was himself the high performance director, but his role in team selection was never this obvious.

HI should have supported Oltmans, given him time till at least the World Cup. He deserved it because of the team’s success under him. Unfortunately, the committee termed the success over the last two years as “more incidental than deliberate”. Winning medals at two global tournaments — bronze at World League Final and silver at Champions Trophy — and rising from 12th rank to sixth should not be considered incidental.

Work on development to get consistency

Despite his shock exit and the committee members belittling his achievements, Oltmans has been gracious, if a little diplomatic, in his interviews. HI demanded consistency in the team’s performance under Oltmans. Just like all his predecessors from abroad, Oltmans left while emphasising on the need for setting up a proper system. He stressed on youth development. He said that consistency came from consistent development, citing the rise of Belgium and Argentina over the last decade. He added that countries such as Germany and Netherlands have had a programme in place for a long time, which is why they were so consistent. There has even been talk over whether India needs a foreign coach. But the disappointing fact is that the country doesn’t even have a coach development system matching the level of the top nations.

The committee termed the success over the last two years as “more incidental than deliberate”. Winning medals at two global tournaments — bronze at World League Final and silver at Champions Trophy — and rising from 12th rank to sixth should not be considered incidental

The Tribune

Malaysia to open SoJC campaign against Britain

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will open their Sultan of Johor Cup (SoJC) hockey campaign next month against Britain.

The tournament will be held at the Taman Daya Hockey Stadium in Johor Baru from Oct 22-29.

The week-long tournament will also see former champions India, Australia, the United States and Japan in the fray.

The Malaysian team, coached by Wallace Tan, will then face India on Oct 23, followed by Japan (Oct 25), US (Oct 26) and Australia (Oct 28).

Although the US are making their debut, it will be reigning Junior World Cup champions India and defending champions Australia who will be the star attractions.

Johor HA deputy president Datuk Manjit Abdullah said the tournament would see the introduction of the four-quarter format, in line with the requirements of the International Hockey Federation.

Britain will be the first team to arrive in Johor Baru – on Oct 17 – to play some matches against the Johor Razak Cup squad.

Besides Wallace, the other coaches handling the national team are Mohd Amin Rahim, Nor Saiful Zaini, Madzli Ikmar and M. Nadarajah.

“I have 30 players in the team and we have held several phases of training in preparation for the tournament,” said Wallace.

“Looking at the teams, it will be a tough tournament and the opening two matches will surely be a stern test for us.

“We will assemble the team again in late September and hold our final week of training in Johor a week before the tournament. Hopefully, we’ll get to play some friendlies.”

The Star of Malaysia

100,000+ ticket applications for Women's World Cup


Danson in action v Germany

England Hockey is very proud to announce that more than 100,000 tickets were applied for in the ballot for the Hockey Women’s World Cup London 2018, which closed on Wednesday night.

With the capacity at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre to be more than doubled, all of England’s pool matches, potential quarter final, semi final and final are going to completely sell out, some eleven months before the event takes place. This is another demonstration of hockey’s rapidly increasingly profile in recent years, which shows no signs of slowing down.

This level of demand is truly astounding, both for hockey and crucially for women’s sport. With 2017 rightly seeing England’s women’s cricket and rugby teams capture the nation in their world cups, 2018 is set to see England’s women’s hockey team once again take centre stage in the public consciousness. In context, these 100,000 applications come on top of the 20,000 tickets already sold to the Hockey Family in a priority window earlier this year.

England Hockey chose to run a ticket ballot as the fairest way to allow as many people as possible to experience the event, and 50% of applications have never been to an international England Hockey event before, demonstrating the broad appeal of both the sport and events on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

With children’s tickets from just £1, 24% of tickets applied for are for under 18s. The event will have a true family focus, with the biggest Fan Zone that England Hockey have ever staged. With special midweek school sessions, and two-thirds of ticket applications from females, it will be arguably London’s most inclusive and family-friendly sporting event of 2018.
We have received applications from more than 30 countries, and with non-England sessions making up 23% of demand, there will a fantastic atmosphere every day between Jul 21 and Aug 5 2018.

With England / Great Britain women’s teams having won major international medals for nine years in a row, and with 10,000 new players in hockey clubs since the gold medal in Rio, hockey’s rise continues apace both on and off the field.

England women’s team captain Alex Danson said, "As a team we absolutely cannot wait for the World Cup on home soil, and to have this much demand with almost a year to go is amazing. To know that every England pool game is already sold out is a huge fillip for the squad and we cannot wait to put on a show for our supporters."

FIH (International Hockey Federation) CEO Jason McCracken commented, "We are delighted to hear about the huge demand for tickets for the Hockey Women’s World Cup London 2018. As part of our 10-year Hockey Revolution strategy we are constantly striving for all of our events to be 'Big, Bold, Packed and Loud’, and with 100,000 ticket applications as part of the public ballot it is clear that the competition at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre next summer looks likely to be all of those things and more."

England Hockey Commercial Director Jonathan Cockcroft said, “This level of demand is truly unprecedented, and we are delighted to be in this position with eleven months to go, especially with England games, quarter final, semi final and final all sold out after a very well-delivered marketing campaign. In particular, we are very pleased to have reached so many people who have never been to our events before. The scale of the tournament and the atmosphere created by supporters will be exceptional and not to be missed. We are also seeing increased demand from brands who recognise the size of the platform, and we are hugely excited about the opportunities ahead for our sport.”

Supporters who have applied for tickets in the ballot will be notified by the end of September whether they have been successful or not. Later in the year, a general sale will take place around the announcement of the complete tournament schedule, dates to be confirmed.

Hospitality packages will be available from September, and this will now be the only way to secure England, semi final or finals tickets. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to register interest in premium tickets for the event.

Partnership opportunities are currently available, offering an association with this massive world level event in front of a huge global audience – contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

In order to successfully deliver the ticket ballot campaign, England Hockey worked with all of our event partners; the FIH, Lee Valley Regional Authority, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Mayor of London’s Office and UK Sport. England Hockey led its marketing with a 'Pure Hockey Gold' campaign, developed by creative agency Matta. Alongside targeted email marketing and social media activity, the campaign featured outdoor advertising in London and an online advertising campaign delivered by digital agency WePlay. See Tickets has also developed an effective long term partnership with England Hockey as its ticketing provider.

England Hockey Board Media release

AHL - VIC History

The last 3 years of VIC's AHL

Holly MacNeil



The Victorian Vikings finished first in the men’s 2016 Australian Hockey League tournament. They had a close grand final match up against WA Thundersticks, winning 5 – 3. Although they finished the tournament strong, they didn’t win all of their matches as they finished second in Pool A losing one game against NSW Waratahs. Chris Ciriello finished top goal scorer with 10 goals for the whole tournament.

Victoria finished fourth in the 2015 AHL tournament where they versed the Tassie Tigers in the Bronze Medal match where they lost by 1 goal, 4 – 3. In the 2014 AHL tournament where Victoria finished equal 3rd as they came a draw with Queensland Blades 4 – 4. Chris Ciriello was the top scorer for the Victorian side in 2016, 2015 and 2014.

The Victorian Vipers finished second in the women’s Australian Hockey League tournament. They competed in a close grand final match against Queensland Scorchers where they trailed by one goal, 3-2. They finished top of Pool B where they lost one game against SA Suns, 3 – 1. Emily Hurtz had a major contribution to this tournament as she finished top goal scorer in the whole tournament not only in 2016 but also 2015.

In the 2015 AHL tournament, the Vipers finished second again in another grand final match against Scorchers where they went down by one, 2-1. The Vipers actually beat the Scorchers 2 – 0 in a match in Pool B but were unsuccessful later on in the tournament. The Victorian Viper’s goal keeper, Rachael Lynch won Player of Finals as well as Best Goal Keeper during the 2015 tournament.

In 2014, Vipers came third in the bronze medal match against WA Diamonds where they achieved victory, 3 – 0. Georgia Nanscawen got Victoria’s top goal scorer for the 2014 AHL tournament with a solid 3 goals.

Hockey Australia media release

National league one gets underway this weekend


Grange’s Cameron Fraser keeps the ball from Kelburne’s Adam Bain – Photo Duncan Gray

The men’s and women’s National League 1 season gets underway this weekend as Scotland’s top hockey teams take to the pitch for another exciting league campaign.

Bromac Kelburne embark on their quest for an unprecedented 14th consecutive men’s league title with a home encounter against newly promoted Inverleith at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre.

It has often been remarked at the start of previous National League seasons that the Paisley side cannot sustain this level of success, and will falter, only for such pundits to eat their words at the conclusion.

But it was a close run thing at the end of last season, with Kelburne on the brink of surrendering their title to Grange, the Edinburgh side failed to hold onto a lead and went down 3-2 to Western Wildcats in the final match. Gordon Shepherd`s charges then took full advantage of their good fortune and grasped the silverware with a 2-0 win over Edinburgh University.

And Shepherd has an ominous message for the chasing title aspirants, his target for the season is “to keep winning.”

But the Paisley side will have to fulfil that ambition without the services of the mercurial striker Lee Morton, he has moved to join top English side Reading, and also foreign imports Jonus Nommensen (Germany) and Nick Finlayson (New Zealand), both are not returning.

However, after some time out, former Scotland player Michael Christie returns to grace the midfield this coming season.

For Inverleith, after two seasons in the lower echelons the Edinburgh side return to the National League top flight. Coach Stuart Neave said: “This season is all about consolidating our place in division one, and continuing to build for the future.”

Like most other sides in the division Inverleith have experienced some player movement, but their main gain could be the return of Great Britain Olympian Stephen Dick to the ranks.

So who will be the challengers to Kelburne`s hegemony? The most likely suspects are Grange, who finished second last season, Grove Menzieshill and Western Wildcats…but others may cast their hat into the ring.

Grange coach David Knipe was equally reluctant to pin his targets to the mast. Asked about his aspirations, Knipe remarked, “We aim to continue to develop our style of play.”

There are not too many changes to Knipe`s line-up, Duncan Riddell has departed but in compensation international defender and set piece expert Dan Coultas has moved to the Raeburn Place side from neighbours Edinburgh University.

Last season`s National League 1 runners-up are away to Clydesdale in their opening encounter, who were unpredictable last year. New coach Callum McLeod might bring some stability to the ranks this time – Saturday could provide an early indicator.



Grove Menzieshill, third last year, will start their campaign with an all-Dundee affair against a Dundee Wanderers side that made an immediate return to the top flight by winning National League 2.

With the departure of Chris Anderson as coach, Gavin Byers and Gavin Tomlinson assume the role jointly. There have been some changes in the Grove Menzieshill ranks, Ciaran Crawford, Adam Fallis and Hamish Galt move on while the Taysiders have attracted Ryan McCurry, Guy Rowson and Jamie Carnegie.

After an indifferent start to last season Western Wildcats clawed their way into the top four with a late burst of victories, it is to be assumed that they will start this season where they left off. Wildcats start their campaign with a home fixture against Hillhead.

Harry Dunlop, Wildcats` coach, said: “Our aspirations are a top four finish again, with a serious chance of winning a European ticket this year.”

Hillhead had the reverse experience to the Wildcats last season, a promising start with a top four place in their sights, but to be followed by a disappointing second half with few points gathered.

Former Scottish and GB internationalist Mark Ralph continues in the coaching role at Hillhead and is hopeful of a better outcome.

“This is my second year at Hillhead and I`ve had a season to get to know the club, so I`m aiming to improve from last season,” said Ralph. “We were disappointed with the second half of last season which came down to injuries. With new players coming in and younger players stepping up to the level, this will strengthen the squad and makes it more competitive for places.”

Although there have been some departures from the Hillhead ranks, including New Zealander Craig Patterson who is to move to the USA, Ralph has quoted several newcomers to the ranks, principally Ross Jamieson from Edinburgh University along with Euan Cochrane and Euan Menzies who are promoted from the youth section.

Uddingston and Edinburgh University don’t feature in the first week of matches in Men’s National League 1, both take to the pitch next weekend with Uddingston taking on Western Wildcats and Edinburgh University playing Inverleith.


Laura Swanson runs at the Clydesdale defence – Photo by Duncan Gray

Sam Judge, coach to Scottish women`s National League 1 champions Edinburgh University, has the mammoth task of rebuilding her squad after the departure of several key players, and the process starts with a home game against GHK.

The Edinburgh students have won the league title for the last three years, as well as the Scottish Cup, and have played successfully in Europe, but this season they will have to repeat that success without their two experienced international players. Great Britain striker Sarah Robertson is returning down south while Becky Merchant has had shoulder surgery and may be out for the season.

In addition, the champions will be without Captain Becky Dru and Maisie Morris while Susan Graham, Waverley Millar and Kirsty Abraham have graduated and moved on. Judge said: “So you can see it will be a rebuilding season for us, so we will take each game as it comes. Obviously we would like to make the play-offs and then anything can happen.”

It is not all doom and gloom for Judge, Claire Hill is returning from long-term injury and will captain the side, also youth internationalists Ella Watt and Hanna Mckie will join the ranks.

As in previous seasons the main challenge is likely to come from Milne Craig Clydesdale Western and Grove Menzieshill, although Wildcats could show more of their teeth this season.

Western start their campaign with a home game against newly promoted Grange, but without the experience of Susan McGilveray, she is now coaching at GHK, striker Fiona Bruce who goes down south, and goalkeeper Mairi Fletcher, now at University in America.

Alison Westwood, who has just returned from America, takes over between the posts and Martha Lawson joins the ranks at Titwood from CALA, but coach Derek Forsyth is looking to promote some players from the second team which is part of the club`s development programme.

Forsyth said: “We are looking to be in the position of challenging for the league title at the end of the season, although we appreciate there are other teams with the same aspirations. We feel we can go one better this year having lost the play-off final last season.”

At Auchenhowie player/coach Kaz Cuthbert boasts of some significant additions to the “Cats” pack, principally Scotland defender Becky Ward from Dundee Wanderers. Others include goalkeeper Danie McMurray from the Australian under-21 set up, Rachel Bain from Kelburne, and Watsonians` Emily Cross.

Cuthbert said: “Our aspirations are to secure our European play-off spot again, but to make it into the final this year.”

A home win against Hillhead would start the ball rolling for the Auchenhowie outfit, though the visitors may have other ideas.


Grove Menzieshill versus Kelburne – Photo by Mark Pugh

Grove Menzieshill start their National League 1 season with a tricky fixture against local rivals Dundee Wanderers, perhaps less of a challenge if the latter will be without Becky Ward and playmaker Vikki Bunce.

The final fixture in a full card brings together Kelburne and Watsonians at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre. This one could be a tasty fixture to get the season started in an east-versus-west showdown in Glasgow.

Scottish Hockey Union media release

Weekend College Games



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

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8

DI: Ohio State vs Miami (OH) | 2 P.M. ET
Last Friday, Ohio State upset No. 9 Louisville in a 2-1 overtime thriller before falling to Kent State by the same score this past Tuesday. The Buckeyes will try to move up in the national rankings by notching two more victories this upcoming weekend to improve on their 2-1 overall record so far this season. Miami will be looking to get another big win over a ranked opponent when they take on the Buckeyes. They have previously upset No. 18 Albany 2-1 in overtime during the opening weekend. This will be a great game to watch since both teams have showed how resilient and tough they are in the state of Ohio.



DI: No. 1 Duke vs No. 10 Virginia | 5 p.m. ET
No. 1 Duke will be looking to remain undefeated when they take on No. 10 Virginia this Friday. Duke is 3-0 overall this season with two wins being against nationally ranked opponents. The Blue Devils have yet to have a goal scored against them this season as goalkeeper, Sammi Steele, was named ACC Defensive Player of the Week. The Cavalier’s threatening offense is likely to put an end to Duke’s three-game shutout streak. Virginia is 3-1 overall this season with their only loss being against No. 7 Penn State. Their offense is led by senior Tara Vittese, who scored all five goals in the 5-3 victory over Monmouth last Sunday on her way to being named ACC Offensive Player of the Week. Tune in to find out if the Blue Devils tough defense can outlast Virginia's threatening attack!

DII: Franklin Pierce vs Merrimack | 7 p.m. ET
Franklin Pierce has started off the 2017 season strong by completing a season-opening weekend sweep with two shutout victories. Last weekend, they defeated New Haven 5-0 and Molloy 5-0 as they are led by juniors Dayna Kowesky and Raegan Moulton. The Ravens are now 2-0  and will look to continue their winning streak against a strong Merrimack team this Friday. Merrimack is 0-1 after losing its season opener against No. 2 East Stroudsburg. Their 2-1 defeat was a very close and hard fought match and will be looking to get back on track with a win over Franklin Pierce.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9



DI: William & Mary vs UC Davis | 4 p.m. ET
After losing to Duke in their season opener, William and Mary bounced back with three straight wins. The Tribe is now 3-1 overall this season and are coming off a big 3-0 win against Columbia. The win marked the first victory for William & Mary over an Ivy League team since 2008. UC Davis will be looking for its first win of the 2017 campaign this Saturday when they take on William & Mary. The Stallions have been improving each game and were excited about their performance against No. 17 Iowa last Monday. Even though they lost, they stayed within striking distance in the first half. Stay tuned to see if William & Mary can continue their winning streak or if UC Davis will be able to get their first win.

DII: No. 1 Shippensburg vs No. 8 Bloomsburg | 12 p.m. ET
This top ten match-up will be the game to watch in Division II field hockey this weekend. Both teams are undefeated so far with Shippensburg ranked No. 1 and Bloomsburg ranked No. 8 in the NFHCA Coaches Poll. Shippensburg has 18 returning players, nine of whom are seniors. Last season, the Raiders led the NCAA Division II in winning percentage, goals-against average, save percentages and shutouts. Bloomsburg also returns 15 athletes from last year’s roster and in just three games, they have notched 19 goals for and only 3 goals against. Expect this game to be close in skill level and exciting to watch!

DIII: Haverford vs Eastern | 11 a.m. ET
Unranked Haverford defeated No. 18 Alvernia 2-0 in their season opener last Friday, improveing to 1-0 on the season. The victory was Haverford’s first win over a ranked opponent since September 6, 2012. They outshot Alvernia 24 to 8 and goalkeeper Danielle Rette logged her sixth career shutout. Eastern meanwhile split the opening weekend losing last Friday to Montclair State University and rebounded on Saturday to defeat Albright, 3-1. Eastern will be looking to continue its positive energy with another win this Saturday versus Haverford.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10



DI: No. 3 Penn State vs. No. 12 Princeton | 12 p.m. ET
Since opening weekend, Penn State jumped four spots to No. 3 in the NFHCA Coaches Poll. They remain undefeated with a 4-0 overall record this season with three of those four wins coming against opponents ranked in the top 20 nationally. The Nittany Lions showed their offensive power last weekend defeating No. 19 Wake Forest, 5-0. No. 12 Princeton suffered back-to-back losses in their opening weekend starting them with a 0-2 record with their two defeats coming against No. 4 North Carolina and No. 6 Delaware. Although the Tigers lost their first two games, they are still tough competitors that should not be underestimated.

DI: No. 16 Boston University vs Massachusetts | 1 p.m. ET
Boston University started off the 2017 season strong with four consecutive wins. The Terriers downed Bryant and UNH on opening weekend to claim the Terrier Classic Title. The back-to-back shutout victories in the Classic was the first for the program since 1992. They will look to use their deep bench as an advantage when they take on Massachusetts this Sunday. Massachusetts will look to get back on track with a pair of wins this weekend. The Minutewomen are 2-2 overall after suffering close margin back-to-back losses this past weekend. The match-up against Boston will be part of a two-game home stand for the Minutewomen.



DIII: Lynchburg vs Albright | 1 p.m. ET
Lynchburg made a statement opening weekend with two high scoring victories. On Saturday, they defeated Washington College 4-0 and the following day they racked up the goals in a 7-1 victory over Wittenberg. The Hornets will try to continue their two-game winning streak this Sunday when they take on Albright. In the season opener, Albright lost to Eastern 1-3 last weekend but they will be looking to bounce back with a win over Lynchburg this Sunday. Check out this game to see if Lynchburg can remain undefeated.

* DI Rankings are based off NFHCA Division I Coaches Poll (Posted September 5, 2017)
** DII Rankings are based off NFHCA Division II Coaches Poll (Posted August 29,2017)
*** DIII Rankings are based off NFHCA Division III Coaches Poll (Posted August 29, 2017)

USFHA media release

Maryland field hockey’s winning formula starts in the first three minutes

By Scott Gelman


Head coach Missy Meharg gives instructions to players from the sideline during Maryland's 3-1 victory over Rutgers on Nov. 3, 2016. (Marquise McKine/The Diamondback)

As the Maryland field hockey team reviewed game film Tuesday from its loss to Boston College, its aggression in the opening moments stood out to coach Missy Meharg.

The pace of that game immediately sped up. The new-look Terps routinely made eye contact with each other. Conversations among the backline and attack were evident.

In every contest, Meharg challenges her team to play with intensity through the opening three minutes, which she said set the tone for the remainder of the match. After reviewing film from their 2-1 loss to the Eagles, the Terps reached a consensus.

Their best three minutes to start a game through the first three contests this season came against then-No. 12 Boston College, and it's a start Meharg is hoping to replicate as No. 11 Maryland hosts Towson to begin the Terrapin Invitational in College Park on Friday.

"Within the first three minutes, it was on," defender Marissa Cutry said. "Within the first three minutes of any game, you can tell if it's going to be on or a little [bit of a] struggle."

Neither Maryland nor Boston College attempted a shot through the game's first three minutes, but Meharg admired the opportunities Maryland created off a high press. Still, the Terps trailed by a goal entering the intermission, in part because the attacks didn't create space by spreading across the field.

By focusing on players being in the proper place at the game's start, Meharg led a drill that aimed at correcting that technicality during Wednesday's practice. The team participated in a 3-on-2 exercise, where an additional forward and defender ran toward the arc from a different side of the field.

"You look at any game of invasion, and you've got segments of super high volatile actions," Meharg said. "In hockey, in games that are low-scoring and games [in which] you can't hold onto the ball, you have to be super real that goals happen in those segments more than others."

Although the Eagles scored roughly eight minutes into the matchup, Maryland used its momentum from the contest's start to adopt a more aggressive approach. The Terps outshot the Eagles, 11-3, after halftime and rallied by scoring in the 51st minute before ultimately falling short.

"We all felt connected even though we were down 2-0," midfielder Brooke DeBerdine said. "I felt on the field we were going to come back, so that was a little heartbreaking at the end when we didn't."

While evaluating game film, Cutry said the Terps emphasized the Eagles' "specialized" players — those who are most likely to be involved with game-changing plays. They initially limited their influence, a tactic Meharg uses to motivate her team to play aggressively and disciplined from the outset.

The Terps also hope to limit Towson's difference-makers.

"We all know how to play, but sometimes we forget in an overwhelming moment," DeBerdine said. "It helped me a lot just focusing on those three minutes and then everything kind of comes from that."

The Diamondback

Indoor hockey provides new opportunities

Sarah Juggins   

Fast, furious and great entertainment, indoor hockey is the lesser-known relative of the outdoor game, but with the advent of the seventh Pan American Indoor Cups in Georgetown, Guyana, in October, this is a chance for some of the nations who are still at the developmental stages of the outdoor game to really make a challenge for a podium place.

Seven women’s teams and six men’s teams are declared for the Indoor Championships, with both Canada men’s and women’s teams the current holders of the title. The prize for the winning team is a place at the Hockey Indoor World Cup, taking place in Berlin, Germany, in February 2018. It is an event that Canada men have been to every year while USA men have appeared twice. Of the PAHF women’s teams, Canada have played at the World Cup twice, including the last edition in 2015; Argentina have made one appearance in 2009; and Trinidad and Tobago played at the first edition in 2003.

While some countries taking part in the showcase event are old hands at the sport, for debutant countries such as Barbados men and Barbados and Guyana women, this is a step into the unknown. Like so much about PAHF hockey at the moment, the impact that the up and coming nations can have on the sport are very exciting.

So just what is it about indoor hockey that makes it so exciting? Surely it is just a mini version of the outdoor game?

In fact nothing could be further from the truth, indoor hockey is a sport that calls for skills and abilities that can be very different from the outdoor game and, perhaps surprisingly, not all outdoor players make good indoor players. The fundamentals are the same: players use sticks, albeit lighter and flatter; the ball is the same dimension as an outdoor ball, although slightly lighter; the aim is to score goals past a goalkeeper padded in protective clothing; there are penalty corners and penalty strokes. But the game is lightening fast; it is usually high scoring; the ball is not allowed to leave the ground unless it is a shot at goal so it skids at high speed across the polished surface; and one mistake or bad touch will almost certainly result in lost possession and possibly a goal-scoring chance.

The sport first became popular in the PAHF region at the turn of the century, with the northern nations, Canada and USA, the driving forces behind its development. For Canadian players particularly, it offered a chance to continue to play their sport during the harsh winter months. But it is a sport that has become popular in other PAHF countries for a very different reason – a lack of outdoor facilities mean that indoor hockey has become the perfect vehicle for hockey development. A nation such as Guyana, which is hosting the 2017 Pan American Indoor Cups, has a dearth of outdoor hockey facilities but sports halls can offer the perfect venue. In Haiti, indoor hockey was one of the sports that served as a means of improving the health of children and young people after earthquakes had devastated areas of the country.

Recognition of indoor hockey as a global sport came in 2003 when FIH organised the inaugural FIH World Indoor Hockey Championships in Germany in 2003. These Championships took place a year after the first PAHF Pan American Indoor Hockey Cup.

This year’s event will throw up some interesting meetings. Both the men’s and women’s events are round robin tournaments, meaning that every team will play each other. The most competitive games are likely to be between Argentina and Canada – both in the men’s and women’s competition – and the host nation Guyana. Guyana are an ambitious team and they have the added advantage of home support. They beat Argentina to the bronze medal in the 2014 men’s edition and have been concentrating their efforts this year to ensure they give a good showing, both as hosts and players.

Philip Fernandes is President of the Guyana Hockey Board and a month before the event bursts into action, he took time out of a busy schedule to talk about his national association’s adoption of indoor hockey and the plans that are in place for this year’s Indoor Pan American Cups.

“The upcoming Indoor Pan  American Cups is the first competition at this level for Guyana,” says the President. “Prior to this, Guyana has only held competitions encompassing teams from Central America and the Caribbean.  As a result, a great deal is going into the preparation to ensure that the event is a success.

“Among the priorities is of course to have a facility that is at the standard of a tournament of this caliber.  Our local federation has made great strides in preparing the facility, including the installation of a floor that is better suited to indoor hockey than that which was previously being used.”

To run the event, the Guyana Hockey Board has enlisted the help of a large team of volunteers drawn from the hockey community. Fernandes is determined that players and spectators at the event will have a great time and really appreciate Guyanese hospitality.

The challenge will be coping with a lack of experience among the volunteers. It has been 25 years since Guyana hosted a major international competition, although many of the volunteers have been involved in running a successful regional indoor tournament that takes place annually in Georgetown.

Fernandes explained why indoor hockey has become so popular in Guyana. Much of the reason centres around facilities. “There are no artificial pitches in Guyana, for hockey or any other sport. The grass pitches, which serve as playing areas for outdoor hockey, are cricket grounds and, with cricket the number one sport in the country, hockey has to fit around the cricket schedule.”

The problem is exacerbated by the heavy rainy season. The resulting flooded pitches limits the months during which cricket can be played, meaning there is even less time for hockey. Most hockey teams are centred around the capital city of Georgetown, and this built up area suffers worse flooding than most areas of the country.

The conditions and lack of facilities have driven the players indoors. Fernandes says there are only so many indoor facilities, but these are utilised whenever possible. “Our players rely heavily on playing indoor hockey to keep active in the game. Quite often, even our national outdoor teams have to train indoors due to the unavailability of our fields.”

Being forced indoors does have its advantages however. “Some of the skills of hockey, plus the ability to work in small spaces has really improved many aspects of the players’ outdoor game,” says Fernandes. “It has really helped us tremendously with the quality of our national program.”

The thing that strikes me as Fernandes talks about Guyana’s situation is the ability of the President and his team at the Guyana Hockey Board to always look to turn what could be seen as a negative into a positive.

On such example is the introduction of an annual indoor competition. The Board was aware that no outdoor facilities meant that Guyana could not attract outdoor teams, so they initiated an international indoor tournament – the Diamond Mineral Water Indoor Hockey Festival, which invites club teams from all around the Pan American region. As Fernandes says: “This tournament has been a huge success and has contributed greatly to the popularity of hockey and especially indoor hockey.”

Grass roots growth is important to the future of the sport and the Guyana Hockey Board has started to run mini indoor tournaments around a number of schools. Most schools have an indoor space where hockey can be played, be it a sports hall or a general-use auditorium, so this is proving a successful way to introduce youngsters to the sport.

On the whole schools are welcoming the arrival of hockey onto the curriculum, with teachers seeing it as a sport that ticks many boxes. Fernandes explains: “Our hockey playing family consists of people from all economic levels and ethnicities. The sport has a good reputation and teachers see the benefit of a team sport like hockey, which encourages children to stay active, and also to interact with their peers. In this modern world, there are so many distractions including electronic gadgets that can consume the time and attention of children without interaction or physical exercise. And parents also see hockey as a welcome addition to their child’s life.”

While the Diamond Mineral Water festival and the mini tournaments are drawing in new players and spectators, there is still an enormous mountain to climb to really get hockey into the national sporting psyche. Most hockey is played in or around Georgetown. There have been efforts to spread the game to outlying areas but the cost of transportation for  teams based outside the city to travel into Georgetown for competition is prohibitive. 

Looking to the future, there are ambitions to place professional coaches in outlying areas and develop leagues and tournaments within those communities, but this is a long way from fruition.

While there are many challenges to overcome before Guyana can start to compete regularly on the international hockey stage, there is no doubting Philip Fernandes and his team’s determination that the Pan Am Indoor Hockey Cup will be both a rip-roaring success for the participating nations but also a signal to the Guyanese population that hockey is here to stay.

Pan American Hockey Federation media release

USA Field Hockey Family is Supporting Those Affected by Hurricane Harvey



COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Hurricane Harvey has created and still creates much devastation across the local Houston, Texas community, state and nationwide. The amount of tragedy done by the wettest tropical cyclone on record in the contiguous United States remains unknown for thousands of people. The economic cost it will take to restore the damage will take a long time to calculate, and that doesn’t even touch upon the emotional price of lost homes, heirlooms, pictures, worry and stress.

From the moment news spread that Hurricane Harvey was going to hit and throughout the tragedy, many have dedicated countless hours of relief in terms of rescuing those in need or holding local donation drives to replenish items that have been lost. USA Field Hockey has reached out to a long-time Member Club, Texas Pride Field Hockey Club, who is based out of Houston to ensure that all families are safe. As we received word that all involved in the club had made it out, many families have lost everything they own including cars, homes and personal belongings. Along with that, some families had flood insurance while others did not. The devastation is unimaginable.

Join the USA Field Hockey Family in supporting the Texas Pride families who lost everything by donating to their GoFundMe page by clicking here. This fund will support those affected families in this great time of need. All proceeds raised will go directly to the Texas Pride Field Hockey Club families to help them over the next few months while they get back on their feet and rebuild their lives.

As one, the USA Field Hockey Family stands together.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO TEXAS PRIDE'S GOFUNDME PAGE

USFHA media release