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All the news for Saturday 16 September 2017

Pakistan Development Squad held to 1-1 draw by Oman in last match

After attaining three consecutive victories against Oman, the Pakistan Development Squad was held to a 1-1 draw by the hosts in the series' last match at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex hockey ground in Muscat, on the Friday night.

There was no goal in the first half. The Development  Squad's captain Shajeeh Ahmed  broke the ice in the third quarter.
The Omani equaliser arrived in the last quarter through Khalid Juma Al Shaibi.

With a total of five goals, Shajeeh finished as the top scorer of this hockey series.

The Pakistan Development Squad won the five  match series by three matches to nil; two matches ended in draw.

1st Test: 2-2,  2nd Test: 4-2,  3rd Test: 4-1,   4th Test: 4-2,  5th Test: 1-1

PHF Media release

Harbour headline Ford NHL opening day


Photo: www.photosport.nz

The North Harbour Men snatched a 4-3 win over hosts Capital Cobras in a thrilling match on opening day at the Ford National Hockey League in Wellington.

Both sides were locked up 1-1 in a closely fought first half before the game opened up throughout the second half.

Capital ran out to a 3-1 buffer at the end of the third quarter but Harbour fought back and poured on three goals in the fourth quarter to take the result.

Cory Bennett featured with a double from penalty corner drag flicks while Robbie Capizzi and Matt Symonds also found the back of the net.

Last year’s runners up the Canterbury Cavaliers secured an emphatic 10-1 result over Northland fuelled by a four-goal bag from striker Sam Lane.

The Cavaliers led from start to finish with Lane’s efforts added to with a hat-trick from Dominic Newman while Cam Hayde, Declan Keaney and David Brydon also netted.

Auckland were impressive as they warded off the Central Mavericks 3-0 in a good display of structured attacking hockey.

The blue and whites scored two goals from penalty corners through brothers Arun and Jared Panchia while Michael Ritchie netted from the field 10 minutes out from fulltime.

The Southern Dogs closed out the final men’s fixture of the day after downing Midlands 2-1 in cold and wet conditions. Both sides traded goals in the opening two minutes before Nick Ross scored the deciding blow in the 35th minute.

In women’s games on day one, defending champions the Canterbury Cats came away with a 3-0 victory against the Southern Storm.

The Cats drew first blood thanks to an early field goal from striker Rachel McCann with the remainder of the first half a tough defensive battle.

Canterbury showed their class with a great patch of play in the third quarter with goals from Emily Wium and Bridget Kiddle sealing four tournament points.

Northland managed to snatch a 3-2 win over Midlands after Stacey Michelsen delivered the winning goal with just four minutes to go in the match.

Much of the clash had been a deadlock between the two sides with Tyler Lench and Ashlyn McBurnie adding to Michelsen’s goal for Northland and Gemma McCaw and Shiloh Gloyn on the score sheet for Midlands.

Auckland Women held on for a 2-0 win against hosts Capital with a goal in each half to kick off their campaign on a positive note.

Phoebe Steele opened the scoring for Auckland before Lulu Tuilotolava iced the result with a 41st minute strike.

North Harbour grabbed a 3-1 shoot-out result after going into fulltime tied 1-1 with the Central Mysticks. Emma Rainey provided Central’s lone goal in the first quarter while Steph Dickins scored for Harbour in the 18th minute.

CLICK HERE for more on the 2017 Ford National Hockey League

Saturday 16th September

MEN’S RESULTS

Canterbury Cavaliers beat printing.com Northland 10-1
Canterbury Cavaliers: 10 (Sam Lane 4, Dominic Newman 3, Cam Hayde, Declan Keaney, David Brydon)
printing.com Northland: 1 (Nathan Fouhy)
Halftime: Canterbury 3-0

Auckland beat Central Mavericks 3-0
Auckland: 3 (Arun Panchia, Jared Panchia, Michael Ritchie)
Central Mavericks: 0
Halftime: Auckland 1-0

TigerTurf North Harbour beat RICOH Capital Cobras 4-3
TigerTurf North Harbour: 4 (Cory Bennett 2, Robbie Capizzi, Matt Symonds)
RICOH Capital Cobras: 3 (Sam Miskimmin 2, Sebastian Buddle)
Halftime: 1-1

Southern Dogs beat Bayleys Midlands 2-1
Southern Dogs: 2 (Nathan Gilbert, Nick Ross)
Bayleys Midlands: 1 (Andy Hayward)
Halftime: 1-1

WOMEN’S RESULTS

Auckland beat RICOH Capital 2-0
Auckland: 2 (Phoebe Steele, Lulu Tuilotolava)
RICOH Capital: 0
Halftime: Auckland 1-0

Canterbury Cats beat Southern Storm 3-0
Canterbury Cats: 3 (Rachel McCann, Emily Wium, Bridget Kiddle)
Southern Storm: 0
Halftime: Canterbury 1-0

Mark Cromie Holden Northland beat Bayleys Midlands 3-2
Mark Cromie Northland: 3 (Tyler Lench, Ashlyn McBurnie, Stacey Michelsen)
Bayleys Midlands: 2 (Gemma McCaw, Shiloh Gloyn)
Halftime: 2-2

TigerTurf North Harbour beat Central Mysticks 3-1 in shoot-out (tied 1-1 at fulltime)
TigerTurf North Harbour: 1 (Steph Dickins)
Central Mysticks: 1 (Emma Rainey)
Halftime: 1-1

Hockey New Zealand Media release

Quality vs quantity key to changing comp

By: David Leggat


Black Stick Sam Charlton favours the changes. Photo / Photosport

Quality vs quantity; that will be one of the major talking points to come out of the national hockey league and its new format when it starts in Wellington today.

The system where all eight teams play each other in a round-robin format has been trimmed to mirror major international tournaments.

There will be two pools of four teams, based on final placings a year ago. From there the teams drop into quarter-finals, then semifinals and finals next Saturday.

It means fewer matches, but might produce an improved standard of play. Then again, if you're a player for whom the NHL is the summit of their hockey aspirations, might they feel slightly short-changed, whereas international players would likely appreciate a less physically tiring week.

"I suppose it is hard to get the balance," classy Black Sticks defender Sam Charlton said this week.

"For those people for whom the NHL is the biggest tournament of the year it would perhaps be a little disappointing not to have as many games. But if you look at it from the international players' perspective it reflects the type of tournament we play in. So it's a good opportunity to practice that."

Charlton, one of the country's leading players with 199 caps, remembers the tiring nature of the week's hockey under the old format.

"I hadn't really thought about that," she said of the quality versus quantity argument. "But it definitely sounds like something totally viable. I know from my perspective I often end up playing big minutes throughout the tournament.

"You get totally tired by the end. [By the time of the final] it can be a matter who has got the legs, but now will come down to who has the better hockey skills. That's a good thing, you want the quality to be really high."

Charlton's Midlands will be boosted by the return of international attacker Gemma McCaw, nee Flynn, who is one of several leading players to have taken time out from the sport this year.

"That's really cool," said Charlton. "She really enjoys the national league environment and it's definitely an asset for us to have a striker of that experience."

The women's K Cup this season offers players a strong incentive to show their best form, with Auckland to host the World League final from November 18-26. The Oceania Cup in Sydney from October 11-15 is the only other women's event between the NHL and the World League final for players to state their case for selection.

"A lot of people are looking to play their best in this tournament. You never know; anyone could have a good tournament and put their hand up. We want to make it harder for coaches to select, which would be cool," Charlton said.

The opening men's games today have Midlands playing Southern and North Harbour facing Capital in pool A; Canterbury playing Northland and Auckland meeting Central in pool B. The pool A women's matches are Auckland against Capital, Southern against Canterbury, while North Harbour meet Central, and Northland face Midlands.

Change of format
•The national hockey league format has changed this year, switching from a full round robin of seven games, to two pools of four teams each for both the men's and women's competitions.
•The idea is to mimic International Hockey Federation tournaments and hopefully produce higher quality hockey, while reducing the volume of matches in the week-long tournament. Pools are based on last year's final placings.
•Wellington are hosting the Challenge Shield (men) and K Cup (women) with games starting today and the finals on next Saturday. Midlands (men) and Canterbury (women) are defending champions.

The New Zealand Herald

GTB Gold Cup: Indian Oil defeat Army XI



Mumbai: Former champions Indian Oil continued with their fine winning run of form and registered their third consecutive win defeating Army XI 6-3, after leading 2-1 at half-time, in a Pool-B league match of the 13th PMC Bank-Guru Tegh Bahadur Gold Cup All India Hockey Tournament, played at the MHAL-Mahindra Stadium, Churchgate on Friday evening.

Indian Oil’s hard-working and enterprising right outer Sukhjeet Singh played a stellar role notching up a fine hat-trick. He scored from a field effort in the 20th minute and five minutes later he scored from an indirect penalty corner conversion to double the lead. The Armymen managed to cut the lead when Chandan Aind, who also recorded a hat-trick, converted from a penalty corner in the 35th minute.

After switching ends, Indian Oil continued to dominate play and struck three quick goals to take the match away from the Armymen. Roshan Minz scored in the 40th minute and four minutes later Olympian Prabhjot Singh added the fourth before Sukhjeet scored the fifth and completed his hat-trick in the 52nd minute. Chandan Aind was successful from two more short corners in the 54th and 70th minute to help the Army outfit reduce the margin of defeat. In between those goals, Indian Oil skipper and Olympian Deepak Thakur scored the sixth in the 56th minute.

Indian Oil with nine points topped the Pool while Army XI finished second. Both progressed to the semi-final from this Pool. Their opponents in the last four will be either South Central Railway or Punjab Police who meet in the final Pool-A league match on Saturday to decide who tops the pool.

Earlier in an inconsequential Pool-A match, BPCL beat Indian Navy 1-0 with Gurpreet Singh scoring from a firm drag flick in the 44th minute.

BPCL put up a better performance and held the upper hand throughout. They could have won by a bigger margin, but wasted quite a number of chances. Both the teams earned a total of a dozen penalty corners, but only one was converted by BPCL’s Gurpreet.

Results – Pool-A: BPCL 1 (Gurpreet Singh 44th-PC) beat Indian Navy 0

Pool-B: Indian Oil 6 (Sukhjeet Singh 20th, 25th-PC, 52nd, Roshan Minz 40th, Prabhjot Singh 44th, Deepak Thakur 56th) beat Army XI 3 (Chandan Aind 10th-PC, 54th-PC, 70th-PC).

Stick2Hockey.com

AHL - SA’s History

The last 3 years of SA's AHL

Ben Somerford



In the 2016 Australian Hockey League tournament, the Hotshots finished in tenth place.

Martin Atkinson scored the most goals in the Hotshots team leading with 3 goals for the tournament.

In 2015, SA finished in seventh place and Cameron White and Luke Larwood scored 2 goals each during the tournament which was the most for the Hotshots in 2015.

In 2014, they finished eighth and Alistair Oliver finished with the most goals for the team in the tournament with 4 goals.

In the 2016 Australian Hockey League tournament, the Suns finished ninth. Miki Spano was the top goal scorer for the team with 3 goals. 2015 was a better year for the Suns as they finished sixth.

Unfortunately, they went down against WA fighting for fifth spot although, Jane Claxton got Player of the Tournament.

Karri McMahon scored 3 goals throughout the tournament making her the highest goal scorer for the team. In 2014, they finished sixth again and went down against the Strikers, 1 – 0 in their last match.

Hockey Australia media release

Tickets for Odisha Men’s Hockey World League Final Bhubaneswar 2017 now available



As India prepares itself for the Odisha Men’s Hockey World League Final Bhubaneswar 2017 to be held from 1–10 December, the organisers have opened the online sale of tickets today for all the matches to be played at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

A total of 12 matches will take place from 1 to 5 December, 2017. The opening match of the tournament will see Germany play England on 1 December which will be followed by hosts India playing Australia in the second match.

The host nation will also be in action on 2nd and 4th December, 2017 when they play England and Germany respectively in what promises to be enthralling encounters at the Kalinga Stadium.

All eight participating teams will play three matches each during the Pool stage over the span of six days before going head-to-head to be crowned Champions of the third season of the coveted League which started back in April 2016.

The tickets for the event will be priced at Rs 50 (East Stand) and Rs 250 (West Stand) and are now available online at www.ticketgenie.in

Speaking on the opening of the sales of tickets for the Odisha Men’s Hockey World League Final Bhubaneswar 2017, Mohd. Mushtaque Ahmad, Secretary General said: “Bhubaneswar is going to play host to one of the biggest events as we close the calendar year for world hockey with the Odisha Men’s Hockey World League Final Bhubaneswar 2017 taking place in December 2017. The top eight teams from around the world will be participating in some high-intensity matches at the Kalinga Stadium. The tournament has already garnered a lot of interest among hockey buffs, not just from India but around the world therefore we wanted to make the tickets available for the public at an early stage and at accessible prices so that hockey lovers can plan their trip and come in huge numbers to support their favourite teams.”

For further details or enquiry on tickets, call: +91 8041150910

FIH site

Manpreet to shoulder Dhaka Asia Cup Challenge

s2h team

New Delhi: Young but battled hardened Manpreet Singh will shoulder the responsibility of regaining Asia Cup for India. Hockey India has announced an 18-member team with the Mithapur lad at the helm for the Hero Asia Cup 2017 which takes place from 11th – 22nd October, 2017 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Recently Arjuna award winner S.V Sunil will shoulder the duties of Vice-Captain.

After giving some top junior players some good exposure in the recent Europe Tour, Hockey India named a squad with a balance of youth and experience. Goalkeepers Akash Chikte and Suraj Karkera retain their spot in the squad whereas defenders Harmanpreet Singh and Surender Kumar make a return after being rested for the Europe Tour. The 18-member team will also see the return of experienced hands in Sardar Singh, SV Sunil, Akashdeep Singh and Satbir Singh.

“I am looking forward to working with the team which has been picked to have a good blend of experience and youth. The upcoming Hero Asia Cup 2017 will be our first tournament together, and I am very excited to see how the team expresses their leadership qualities on the field. I have previously watched the team live in Netherlands, and I feel that the energy within the team and their play is very impressive. We will be focusing on performing well as a team and will be aiming to win the tournament,” expressed Chief Coach Sjoerd Marijne.

India feature in Pool A alongside Japan, hosts Bangladesh and Pakistan. They will start their tournament against Japan on October 11, 2017 before facing Bangladesh on October 13, 2017. The team will play their third and final league match of the Hero Asia Cup 2017 against Pakistan on October 15, 2017.

Ahead of their departure for the Hero Asia Cup 2017, the national squad will continue their National Camp until October 5, 2017.

Squad:
Goalkeepers
1. Akash Anil Chikte
Suraj Karkera

Defenders
3. Dipsan Tirkey
4. Kothajit Singh
5. Surender Kumar
6. Harmanpreet Singh
7. Varun Kumar

Midfielders
8. SK Uthappa
9. Sardar Singh
10. Manpreet Singh (Captain)
11. Chinglensana Singh
12. Sumit

Forwards
13. SV Sunil (Vice Captain)
14. Akashdeep Singh
15. Ramandeep Singh
16. Lalit Kumar Upadhyay
17. Gurjant Singh
18. Satbir Singh
India will play Japan in their first match on 11 October 2017 at 14:30 hours IST.

Stick2Hockey.com

Business as usual?

A look at where Indian hockey is – and where it’s headed

Uthra Ganesan


Sardar Singh dribbles through the Pakistani defence at the Asian Games in Incheon. Playing for India gives Sardar so much joy. 

European geopolitics and its intrigues are a world away from Indian sport. And yet, when Winston Churchill said, “It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma,” referring to Russia, he could well have been speaking of Indian hockey.

Such is the continued bewilderment among fans of the sport that nothing shocks them anymore. The good and the bad are taken with equanimity. A medal is celebrated, a random, abrupt change of coach discussed, and the selection (or non-selection) of a player wondered at – for precisely 24 hours. Then, it’s business as usual.

Not surprisingly, the summary dismissal of Roelant Oltmans as the national men’s coach a fortnight ago received the same treatment. “I was prepared to be sacked from day one,” Oltmans has said, and it sounds routine. In the midst of all this, however, the bigger questions on the way ahead have been rendered to the background.

Scrutinising the numbers

The numbers 23 and six have been used frequently. The first the number of coaches hired and fired in as many years, and the second the number of foreign coaches who fell foul of the Indian system. The figures, however, are slightly different, and not as unflattering. The Indian federation – whether the erstwhile Indian Hockey Federation or the incumbent Hockey India – has actually had 21 coaches in the past 37 years, since the 1980 Olympics, though some of them have had multiple stints (V. Baskaran) and some interim charge for a few months (Jagbir Singh).

Since 2009, however, when Hockey India first took formal shape (government recognition was still a year away), there have only been foreigners at the helm. Most had a genuine affection for and interest in Indian hockey. People like Terry Walsh and Jose Brasa had grown up watching or playing against India at its best and were attracted to it. Others, like Oltmans, were professionals who believed they could take the team back to the top. All suffered the same fate.

Their levels of success varied. Michael Nobbs got gold at the inaugural Asian Champions Trophy, but finished last at the London Olympics less than a year later. Terry Walsh helped win an Asian Games gold after 16 years, in 2014, but could only manage ninth place at the World Cup the same year. Jose Brasa had gone one better in the 2010 edition, but had faltered in the Asiad final. None, barring Oltmans, survived more than two years (Paul van Ass didn’t even complete six months). In this context, it would be prudent to temper expectations, tone down the rhetoric both for and against the administration, and take a good, hard look at the road ahead.

Whither the players?

The players have gone about their job with nonchalant detachment to the man in charge. Every coach brought his style and the team adjusted. To its credit, Hockey India has largely had a ‘player first’ attitude, which translates into giving them the best possible infrastructure and competition. The fitness levels have improved enormously, and the current team undoubtedly is among the fittest in the world.

Indian hockey has, in these years, flexed its financial muscle on the world stage. It resulted in major tournaments being hosted here with regularity – two World Cups (2018 will be the second in eight years), two Hockey World League Finals and two Junior World Cups – which gave players much needed exposure and the sport a fillip. The Hockey India League brought in further money and some glamour. All of this aided the slow, painful climb back to the top echelon.

Not everything is hunky-dory, though. The officialdom might have improved in some regards – it’s more open to suggestions and freer with finances – but the tendency of brooking no opposition doesn’t appear to have changed.

Free fall

Things have been in a free fall since the beginning of 2017. It’s amazing how quickly matters can deteriorate. Around this time last year, India was coming to terms with the disappointment of the Olympics, but was also hopeful after a historic silver at the Champions Trophy and confident of winning the Asian Champions Trophy (which it did). The icing on the cake was the triumph at the Junior World Cup.

This year began with the failure to reach the final of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup and disappointment at the HWL Round 3. The team pulled out of the biggest gamble in world hockey, the ambitious Pro Hockey League, starting 2019. It declared there would be no HIL in 2018. It brought on board a scientific advisor (David John) as its High Performance Director. It sacked its coach, one of the biggest names in the business, for an apparent lack of results. And replaced him with the women’s coach (Sjoerd Marijne) without any formal process despite having invited applications.

It was unfair and, more importantly, the timing was all wrong. HI has now claimed that questions had been raised soon after the Olympics, but it still went ahead and contracted Oltmans till 2020. This year was always expected to be a trial and error season, given the influx of juniors, the phasing out of some seniors and the experimentation with tactics. But the huge 24-member committee that sat on judgement sought immediate results, without explaining what had changed in a year.

Ironically, these short-term results will be even more difficult now. With a packed calendar that starts with the Asia Cup next month and continues till December 2018, with only three to four months between major tournaments, Marijne has little time to know, understand and prepare the team. Given the level India is at, the Asia Cup should not be a big concern but anything less than a title there, especially after the recent losses to Malaysia, would raise serious questions about the team’s claims of being the best in the continent. It might also kick off the countdown to Marijne’s ouster, as the later tests will only be tougher.

Marijne has learnt fast, declaring he is more result-oriented and less about the long-term process, saying what the bosses perhaps want to hear. He has also spoken about being player-driven, something that has been espoused by HPD David John as well. The players know it’s up to them now to perform and get the results regardless of who sits on the bench. As it always has been in Indian hockey. Business as usual.

The Hindu

Indian junior men’s hockey probables set the ball rolling ahead of Johor Cup

Hockey India’s high-performance director, David John and junior men’s team coach Jude Felix will select the 18-member squad for the Malaysia tournament during the course of the camp.

It turned out to be a pleasant evening for hockey fans in the state capital as they got to see the country’s top juniors training at the Padma Shri Mohd Shahid Stadium in Lucknow on Friday.

The 36-day camp for 37 probables, preparing for the 7th Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia (Oct 22-29), had commenced on Monday, but what caught the attention of onlookers on Friday was the floodlights that were switched on for the first time for the training session.

The floodlit stadium brought back memories of the team’s maiden junior Hockey World Cup title triumph here last year.

It is learnt that Hockey India’s high-performance director, David John and junior men’s team coach Jude Felix will select the 18-member squad for the Malaysia tournament during the course of the camp.

“We chose this training venue for a change as we will also be playing the All India KD Singh ‘Babu’ Tournament at this venue soon,” a team official told HT.

He said that the camp was essentially for improving speed, agility, skills and understanding of the game keeping in mind the 2020 Junior World Cup.

“We have worked very hard to identify the core group in the past few months to carry on our development process, which has given us a strong pool of players who can represent the country at the biggest stage,” coach Jude Felix said.

“We believe that these players have the attributes to represent India in international tournaments. Our main focus right now is to train them and select the best to play in Malaysia next month,” high-performance director, David John.

PROBABLES

Goalkeepers: Pankaj Kumar Rajak, Tanuj Gulia, Prashant Kumar Chauhan, AS Sentamizh Arasu; Defenders: Suman Beck, Harmanjit Singh, Mandeep Mor, Mohd Faraz, Prince, Pratap Lakra; Midfielders: Varinder Singh, Sunny Malik, Vishal Antil, Yashdeep Siwach, Vishal Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Akshay Avasthi, Sukhjeet Singh, Rabichandra Singh, Moirangthem, Dinachandra Singh Moirangthem; Forwards: Shilanand Lakra, Jai Prakash Patel, Dilpreet Singh, Mohd Saif Khan, Raushan Kumar, Abhishek, Shivam Anand, Rahul Kumar Rajbhar, Mohd Alishan, Sanjay, Maninder Singh, Rahul, Anand Kumar Bara, Rahul Shinde, Venkatesh Kenche, Kishore Arya and Iktidar Ishrat.

Hindustan Times

Jude Felix relishing more power, responsibility in new role

Felix was appointed as the head coach of the junior team last month, a role that has brought him back into the coaching limelight of Indian hockey.

Rutvick Mehta


Jude Felix

By his own admission, former India captain Jude Felix didn't have much to do in his previous coaching assignment with the national hockey team: assistant to senior men's chief coach Terry Walsh back in 2014.

Now, he has a younger team under his belt with greater power to call the shots. Felix was appointed as the head coach of the junior team last month, a role that has brought him back into the coaching limelight of Indian hockey.

"I'm really excited because I've got a bunch of youngsters who will definitely play for India. The kind of things that I want to teach them looks exciting. I have the confidence that they will turn out to be good players for India in the future," Felix said.

"When I was with the senior team, I was not really used, to be very honest. But here you have a say. You mould them the way you want them, and teach them the kind of hockey that you know. I have got a lot to offer, and I'm excited every day to train these boys," he added.

More say aside, this job also brings with it more responsibility. The junior team had become the toast of the nation last December after its Junior World Cup (JWC) victory at home, and the then coach Harendra Singh was credited hugely for doing wonders with the team.

While Harendra has moved on to bag the senior women's coaching job, Felix will have to carry juniors' success story forward with a fresh bunch.

Ask Felix if that's pressure and pat comes the reply: "Absolutely not. Even if they had not qualified for the quarterfinals of the JWC, I would still have pressure on me to win the World Cup. So, it doesn't make a difference who achieved what before. The fact is I'm on the job now. I have to deliver. Simple as that."

An ever-continuing debate in Indian hockey is whether to fast-track promising juniors into the senior set-up or ensure that they continue to put in the hard yards in the junior ranks. In fact, one of the reasons why former senior coach Roelant Oltmans was sacked was because he wasn't drafting enough youngsters in the team.

Citing the example of Harmanpreet Singh and Harjeet Singh, who were part of the previous junior team while also playing for the seniors, Felix said there was nothing wrong in promoting juniors to the next level if they are good enough to be there.

"Some of my boys are good enough to be given a chance to be called into the senior team in the next 8-9 months. So, if these guys are going to play in the senior team and come back to play the JWC, that will do a world of good for the team.

"In each position, there needs to be at least four players challenging for the place. When you have that quality of competition, you start playing well," the two-time Olympian said.

The former half-back has narrowed down on 37 probables from a six-week camp in Bengaluru, and is now training them in Lucknow till October 17 to prepare for the Sultan of Johor Cup.

Felix's first lesson to the newbies was about forgetting the tag of being a defender or forward or midfielder.

"Everyone needs to know how to attack and defend," Felix said. "Basically when you play hockey, if you're attacking, you have to outnumber the other defenders in that given situation. Likewise, when you're defending, you have to outnumber them in your circle."

While the Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia will be Felix and the team's first challenge, the coach has set his sights on long-term objectives.

"My focus is to definitely retain the World Cup title, knowing that India have had very good results over the years at the junior level. Apart from that, my objectives are to make them play some attacking and attractive hockey. The kind of hockey we're seeing right now, I'm not for it, where there is so much of back-passing and stuff like that. I'm in the process of teaching the boys many new things," Felix said.

DNA

Kilkenny and Weston the unlikely curtain-raiser for new season


Kilkenny open the Leinster Division 1 season against Weston on Saturday.

With the Irish EY Hockey Leagues off this weekend, the new season focus in Leinster is on a single game – Kilkenny’s hosting of Weston in men’s Division One.

The focus in Leinster this term for many will be to push for a place in the top three and the EY Hockey League promotion playoffs and, by extension, a spot in the 2018/19 IHL Division 2.

The entry list rises to ten following UCD’s relegation while there is a new name with Fingal joining forces with St Brendan’s/Phoenix Park – whom they shared the NSC pitch in Abbotstown last term – and Swords to form Dublin North Hockey Club. They will face YMCA in their maiden game on September 26 at Wesley College.

As for the curtain-raiser, Kilkenny will be coached this year by Rob Morris, a former Cork Harlequins who is now teaching in Castlecomer following stints in England and New Zealand.

He has played a key role in the amalgamation process with Kilkenny, bringing together the ladies, men and junior sections under one umbrella. Indeed, it will be a big year for the club with the women’s first team moving into Leinster Division 5 for the first time.

Morris, along with Howard McDonnell have presided over a comprehensive and physical preseason with skipper Emmett Hughes saying it is “probably the most we have done in years”. Following some tireless efforts as player-coach in recent years, Hughes is looking forward to focusing on just playing.

In terms of players, they await to see how much availability they will have from the likes of the recently married Lloyd Peason as well as Tom Manning and Derek O’Gorman who is injured for the forseeable future.

Dave McClure is freestyle kayaking in Nottingham and so the side will be formed by a number of youth players, especially off the back of their Under-16s run to the Leinster A league final last season with over 20 players training regularly in preseason.

“On occasion, the oldest at training has been guys at 29 or 30 years of age and training numbers are encouraging with 22 to 23 going to claim a squad berth.

“For the Weston game, we will have an average squad age of 24 and that’s without Howard who has some breed of heel problem and the three Munster Under-18 guys Evin mcclure, Ben Johnson and Declan Coffey – who also has an Under-16 county final this weekend.”

Johnson is an exciting new arrival from Waterford having played with the Ireland Under-18s.

For Weston, they celebrate their 75th anniversary this season and will hope to be more competitive in the Leinster League Division 1. Simon Filgas returns as coach, hoping to build on last year’s progress when Weston secured their first ever league points in the top flight, away to Kilkenny.

Most of last year’s squad return with Paul Lawson, Ben Epstein and Sean Butler providing the experience alongside the youthful energy of The King’s Hospital senior captain Tom Cole.

New additions include the return of Simon Pearson (from Suttonians via Railway Union) and Michael Heneghan (North Kildare) who will add much needed attacking threat in the final third.

They have had competitive fixtures against Avoca, Rathgar and UCD under the belt in preseason and they will hope to hit the ground running against Kilkenny, Rathgar (h) and North Dublin.

Men’s Leinster Division One (Saturday): Kilkenny v Weston, 2pm, Kilkenny College

** A full preview for the EY Hockey Leagues and the Leinster Division Ones will be posted in the coming weeks.

The Hook

Evans puts working life on hold for huge opportunity with German champs UHC Hamburg


Nikki Evans in her new UHC Hamburg club colours

Nikki Evans is putting her “mind solely on hockey” for the next nine months as she steps back from working life to take up a contract with German outdoor and indoor champions UHC Hamburg this season.

Following a summer switch from Hermes-Monkstown, she made her debut last Sunday on the road at Raffelburg, recovering from a goal down to win 3-1 with a pair of Sophie Mayen goals and another from German international Catherine Otte.

For Evans, the move comes at the perfect time. She recently completed of her legal studies and, with the support of her employers Mason, Hayes & Curran, will now take a year out to pursue full-time hockey in the lead-up to the 2018 World Cup in London with Ireland set to be confirmed in the qualifiers in October.

Speaking to The Hook about the move, she said playing hockey in Europe was always something she wanted to experience.

“Having just qualified as a lawyer in April and with an incredibly busy summer with the Green Army, I decided to take a year out of working and go full time,” she said.

“I thought it was a great opportunity for me to take a year out and focus my mind solely on hockey with the prospect of a World Cup in London next summer. To make the most of this year, I felt like it was the right time for me.”

Evans is one of a number of top Irish stars playing in Europe this season. Chloe Watkins and Anna O’Flanagan both made their debuts for HC Bloemendaal last weekend in the Dutch Hoofdklasse under the coaching of Teun de Nooijer – O’Flanagan won the corner for the Bloemendaal goal – while Megan Frazer is splitting her time between Mannheimer HC and Ulster Elks this season.

Evans believes the ability to play full-time in some of Europe’s top leagues can help to elevate the Green Army further in a similar way to the Green Machine.

“You have to admire what the Irish men have done over the last few year with no major sponsor and not operating in a full-time programme which most of the other top 10 nations in the world have.

“In 2014, there were 15 and now they have climbed to 10 in the world rankings. For the last few seasons, the core of their team has been playing in Europe and is playing at a high level week in, week out.

“This has really stood to them on the international stage as they are consistently getting results against top nations. It is great that players on the women’s team are also doing this and hopefully we can follow in their footsteps in the near future.

“I am looking forward to being free to spend as much time on hockey as possible. This will allow me to improve all aspects of my game, learning and playing a different style. It’s a great opportunity to try and personally develop.”

In terms of her personal development, it is a new horizon with hockey taking precedence for the time being. She does feel, though, that the combination of elite sport and personal progression are mutually beneficial.

“To date, I have managed to successfully combine my work, studies and international hockey career. I could not have done this without the continued support of my employers Mason Hayes & Curran.

“I think that there here are so many traits and skills and traits you learn from being a sportsperson that are transferable into the workplace, not least leadership skills, a positive attitude, a hard work ethic, teamwork and performing under pressure.

“In a way, I quite enjoyed the fact that hockey gave me an escape away from the work or studying – and vice versa. I am looking forward to this year and will make the most of it as I have given up my job in one of Ireland’s leading corporate law firms to be here.

“International hockey isn’t forever and you only have a finite number of years performing at it if you are lucky. I want to make the most of every opportunity I get over the next few years.

“With the talent and belief in our Irish squad, I am confident we can consistently perform on the World Stage, hopefully starting at the World Cup next summer in London and an Olympic Games.”

With Frazer, Sinead Loughran and Zoe Wilson all playing in Germany last season, Evans had been keeping tabs on the Bundesliga last term and was well acquainted with UHC who played at the EHCC in Den Bosch with Hermes-Monkstown last June.

After that event, UHC coach Claas Henkel got in contact and while there were also calls from other European clubs, she felt it was the right destination for her.

“I chatted through all my options with Graham [Shaw] and what we thought would be the best move for my hockey development. I felt it was a brilliant opportunity for me to go and play in one of the best clubs in Europe and he supported my decision to come and play here.

“It was a move that I just couldn’t turn down. I liked the coach and the fact that there were also top internationals playing at the club was also an attraction.”


Nikki Evans celebrates during the World League in Johannesburg. Pic: FIH/Getty

She joins a star-studded team, captained by German skipper Janne Müller-Wieland, Otte and Marie Mävers while Jana Teschke will return midway through the season following a spell in New Zealand, something she says was part of the reason for her move.

“German teams are always known for their structures and style of play, played with a high level of basic skills. As UHC are the reigning champions of both the outdoor and indoor, there is naturally the added incentive for every team in the league to want to try and beat us each week.

“It is a completely different style and I think it can really help to develop your technical skills and movement.

“UHC are also representing Germany in the top tier of both the outdoor and indoor European Competitions this year. I look forward to coming up against my Irish friends at UCD at the EHCC this season! Perhaps they will host it and I can bring UHC to Ireland!

“It is up to me to take this opportunity and prove myself. I will relish this opportunity and I will give it everything I have.”

The Hook

Bigwigs set to hold grip: Coach Openda says they are ready as league action resumes

By Elizabeth Mburugu


Telkom Kenya players (right) in action against Ghana Revenue Authority player in the women's Hockey Africa Championships finals held at the City Park stadium,Nairobi,Kenya.Kenya won 2-0. Photo/Jennifer Wachie

Hockey bigwigs Telkom are expected to set the Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) women’s premier league title chase pulse-racing today.

Telkom, the defending champions, are longing to resume the title defence on a high note when they take on Vikings in a KHU women’s league match at City Park Stadium this afternoon.

A record of 12 matches are on the card in Nairobi, Kakamega and Mombasa this weekend.

With an aim to strike their 20th title in mind, it is no doubt that Telkom are hungry for glory having staged a superb first leg in which they maintained a winning streak.

Banking on their tip-top form, Telkom sit pretty on top of the table standings with 30 points from 10 matches.

Without conceding, Telkom stood out in the first leg where they ran the riot to score an impressive 70 goals.

Jos Openda, the Telkom coach, said his charges were ready for opposition and would maintain the unbeaten run.

“We are ready for the second leg. And, more importantly, we have started preparations for our continental title defence later in the year. We played well in the first leg and our target is to retain the title the title,” said Openda.

In another women’s tie, second-placed United States International University of Africa (USIU-A) Spartans will meet Multimedia University.

The Spartans beat Kenyatta University 3-0 in a midweek match and will be hunting for the tenth win of the season.

Three matches are lined up in the men’s contest where Technical University battle USIU-A today.

Elsewhere Wazalendo will tackle Nakuru Hockey Club.

The Standard Online

PHL 2017 | Dates Set for 2017 Premier Hockey League

The Premier Hockey League (PHL), the ground-breaking tournament in the South African Hockey that featured 200 of the best SA Hockey players last year, today can release the dates for the 2017 tournament. PHL is a proud partnership between SA Hockey, Sport and Recreation South Africa and Supersport. The tournament will once again feature the six Franchises that competed in the inaugural tournament last year. The Blyde River Bunters will look to defend the ladies crown, while the Maropeng Caveman will try and do the same in the men’s tournament.

The PHL will this year be played over three weekends rather than four with a bumper finals weekend from the 9th -12th December, featuring the final group games as well as the Semi-Finals and medal matches on Tuesday 12 December.

The tournament will kick start on Saturday 25th November with both Men’s and Ladies tournaments taking place simultaneously. Each team will play 5 group stage games. The top four teams in the log will progress to the semi-finals. The winning semi-finalists will progress to the finals of the men’s and Ladies competitions respectively.

Week 2 will be played on 2nd and 3rd of December with the second 10 matches of both tournaments before heading to the final weekend of 9-12th December.

“We are pleased to present the second edition of the Premier Hockey League together with our partner's Sport and Recreation South Africa and SuperSport. The PHL has become a much sought after event in our calendar for players and hockey fans alike.” Shared Marissa Langeni, CEO of the South African Hockey Association

All matches will be played at Randburg Astro, with the added excitement that all tickets will be free of charge. Fixtures and broadcast details to be communicated before the tournament begins. After seeing the incredible efforts of Supersport at the recently completed World League, you can bet it will be nothing short of incredible!

Tournament Dates

Weekend 1 – 25 to 26 November
Weekend 2 - 02 to 03 December
Weekend 3 – 09 to 10 December
Semi Finals – 11th December
Finals & Bronze Medal matches – 12 December

SA Hockey Association media release

Maryland field hockey beats Indiana, 3-1, in Big Ten opener

By Scott Gelman


Midfielder Lein Holsboer passes the ball to a teammate during Maryland's match-up against UMass on Nov. 12, 2016 at the Xfinity Center. (Matt Regan/The Diamondback)

The No. 9 Maryland field hockey team endured a disjointed first penalty corner in its 3-1 win against Indiana on Friday afternoon.

After the Terps tried to create a chance from the top of the 23-meter line, a wayward pass led to an off-target shot from freshman midfielder Kyler Greenwalt. Maryland also missed on a pair of corner opportunities early in the second half.

A changed approach led to a breakthrough.

Instead of shooting from the top of the arc in the 47th minute, the Terps passed to forward Linnea Gonzales, who entered the right side of the scoring zone. She converted a shot into the lower-left corner of the net to give Maryland a one-goal advantage.

Senior midfielder Lein Holsboer added another score in the 53rd minute. Indiana goalkeeper Katie Johnson saved consecutive Terps shots following a corner, but Holsboer ultimately bested her to double the lead.

Maryland (4-2, 1-0 Big Ten) capitalized on its penalty corners and held the Hoosiers, who had scored two goals in three contests against ranked opponents this season, to single-digit shots.

"It took a little while to get into a groove," coach Missy Meharg said. "I'm super proud of the Maryland women for finding a way to get on the board and maintain structure."

Still, Maryland's attack struggled early on, as the Hoosiers (4-3, 0-1) matched the Terps' aggressive press defense for most of the opening period. Despite outshooting Indiana, 5-3, in the first half, the Terps entered the intermission in a scoreless tie.

But in the second period, Maryland altered its play by limiting sloppy passes and turnovers in the midfield.

Meharg said the numerous penalty corner opportunities were the result of Maryland's "quick restarts just outside the circle edge." Defenders Hannah Bond and Brooke DeBerdine moved the ball quickly, enabling the Terps to advance it into the circle and earn the penalty chances.

With the exception of a handful of second-half sequences, the Terps dominated. Indiana defender Elle Hempt scored in the 61st minute to cut the deficit in half, but Maryland's attack responded almost immediately.

Twenty-five seconds after conceding, Holsboer scored her second goal to make it a 3-1 contest.

"Maryland was the better hockey team," Meharg said. "It was really a matter of staying calm and doing well."

The Diamondback

No. 2 Penn State field hockey continues winning streak in win over No. 19 Iowa

Katie Smith


The Penn State field hockey team cheers after Shay Cannon (16) scores the first goal during the game against Iowa at the Field Hockey Complex on Friday, Sept 15, 2017. The Nittany Lions defeated the Hawkeyes 3-0. Aabha Vora

It took awhile for Penn State to get going, but the No. 2-ranked Nittany Lions took care of business nonetheless on Friday.

Penn State overcame a slow start to down the Hawkeyes 3-0 at The Field Hockey Complex and push its undefeated record to 7-0.

The game started off with an aggressive Iowa offense hitting goalie Jenny Rizzo hard, with two shots blocked within the first 10 minutes of the game.

Although movement across the field was accurate and swift for both teams, the first half was at a lull until forward Moira Putsch scored the first goal for Penn State with 3 minutes left in the first half.

This did not faze Iowa though, as it continued to seek out penalty corners, with four in the first half in comparison to Penn State’s one.

At the end of the first half, Penn State had eight shots on goal saved and Iowa had five saved, evidence that both teams were playing an aggressive offense.

Putsch commented after the game that although the first half started off slow, the team made changes to make a better second half.

“In the first half, I think we were still getting

used to how they were playing us.” Putsch said.

“In the second half, we definitely opened it up for each other.”

The second half of the game started with a bang, as Putsch scored within the first 5 minutes of play, making the score 2-0 Penn State.

Clearly Penn State had their offensive confidence back as they totaled thirteen shots on goal, whereas Iowa had fourteen by the end of the second half.

Midfielder Madison Morano ended the game with a third goal and first penalty stroke goal of the game for Penn State.

Coach Charlene Morett-Curtiss explained after the game that although the game began with a shaky start, Penn State was able to come back and win.

“We expected Iowa to come out strong,”

Morett-Curtiss said. “And they came at us, but we ended up 3-0.”

The Daily Collegian

For Delaware field hockey, 2017 is business as usual

By Brett Amadon


@DelawareFH

In the past, Delaware used to be underdogs.

Not anymore.

After stunning North Carolina last November to win the program’s first national championship, the Blue Hens entered 2017 with a target on their backs, a feeling that they’re still getting used to.

“It is definitely very different to last year,” said junior forward Greta Nauck. “Last season we were the biggest underdogs, teams didn’t really respect us, didn’t really consider us as one of top programs. So this year, you can really see how teams prepare, they want to beat the defending national champions.”

Currently ranked No. 6 in the country, Delaware (5-1) is traveling to Manheim, Pa., this weekend for a neutral site showdown with No. 2 Penn State (5-0), although you probably won’t convince coach Rolf van de Kerkhof that this game is bigger than any other on the Blue Hens’ schedule.

“Every game you play is big, especially if you are one of those top programs because everybody’s gunning for you,” said van de Kerkhof. “We don’t worry about who we play, we respect our opponent, but the opponent at the end of the day is irrelevant.”

Van de Kerkhof, the reigning NFHCA Division I Coach of the Year, arrived in Newark, Del., in December 2010 to revitalize the Blue Hens after spending 12 years at Michigan State, including the last five as head coach.

During his first two seasons, the program experienced growing pains, posting back-to-back losing seasons while failing to qualify for the NCAA tournament. But in year three, things began to change.

The team posted what was at the time a program record of 17-5, claiming the Colonial Athletic Association title en route to the program’s fifth NCAA tournament berth.

Since that time, Delaware has claimed the last four CAA tournament titles and earned a bid into the NCAA Tournament each season, culminating in 2016’s magical run where the Blue Hens won its last 19 games, while knocking off the likes of Duke, Princeton and North Carolina to win the title.

But all of that is in the past, and van de Kerkhof has implemented a mentality to keep the focus solely on what lies ahead.

“We have a Cinderella rule,” said van de Kerkhof. “We just have to say at midnight it’s time for us to let go of that day and focus on the next day… They’ve [the players] done a phenomenal job of staying in the moment. It’s about taking the little steps forward.”

One player who took a giant leap forward and burst on the national scene last season was Nauck.

The Krefeld, Germany native shattered program records in 2016, tallying 33 goals, including the game winner against the Tar Heels, and 76 points, both of which also led the nation. As a result, she became the first player for Delaware to earn the CWSA Honda Sport Award for field hockey, the nation’s top honor.

For her career, she currently sits fifth all-time in points (119) and tied for third in goals (51), although those records are sure to be coming down in the near future.

“She’s one of the best players in the country,” said van de Kerkhof. “She’s very humble and even though she is a traditional leader and will probably break the school record before the end of her junior year, it’s not about individual prizes. She really wants this team to do well and she will do what she can to make that work.”

“But at the same time, when the going gets tough, you can give the ball to Greta because she’ll find a way.”

Nauck, however, prefers the media to discuss her accolades while she goes out and looks for ways to help her team beyond the box score.

“I don’t really focus on individual awards, I just want to be the best player I can be for the team,” said Nauck. “So I focus on being a leader on the team, helping the younger players who are inexperienced and benefit the team that way.”

Lotte de Koning and Femke Strien, who both hail from the Netherlands like their coach, are two freshmen that have benefitted from Nauck’s presence since arriving on campus.

De Koning took home CAA rookie of the week honors Tuesday after tallying three goals and an assist in two games this past weekend. She currently sits third on the team in points with 13. Strien took home the same honor the previous week.

The opportunity to watch and prod one of the best players in the country with questions is a unique asset to have while adjusting to the pace of the college game.

“I think everyone learns a lot from her (Nauck),” said de Koning. “She’s an incredible player, has incredible technical skills. You can really learn a lot just from watching her play.”

But regardless of who’s on the field, the Blue Hens focus on the playing style of “De-ho,” a term van de Kerkhof coined for Delaware hockey. The philosophy relies on the combination of the three facets of the game: an attacking offense/defense and the irrelevance of the opponent.

If Delaware can get all 11 players on the field to execute the game plan for a full 70 minutes, at the end of the day, they believe can mirror 2016’s success.

“We are so confident that we can make it to the final four and receive our awards the same that we did last year,” Nauck said.

Gaining national respect might have taken some time for Delaware, but the Blue Hens currently have it, and they are determined not to let it slip away.

Excelle Sports

Dharmaraj's One Night in Bangkok... My Philosophy of Coaching



Malaysian women's hockey coach K. Dharmaraj has been invited to give a talk to an audience made up of badminton greats.

Yes, you read it right.

Dharmaraj, who successfully took his 22nd rankled team into the World League Semifinals in London, has been invited to the Badminton Asia Top Coaches Forum in Bangkok on Sept 30-Oct 1.

His topic would be "My Philosophy of Coaching".

"It's really a honour to be invited for this forum where I will give a talk on my coaching experience. There will be top badminton coaches there and I can also learn a thing or two from them and apply it where applicable," said Dharmaraj.

The coach was given a rag-tag team to prepare for the World League Round Two in Kuala Lumpur, in his unorthodox coaching method saw his charges beat 15th ranked Italy in the semi-finals to qualify for the World League Semifinals for the first time.

"This is the second time I have received an offer from outside hockey to talk at a forum. The first was when our national juniors beat Pakistan in the 2012 Asia Cup and qualified for the Junior World Cup in India.

"Back them I was invited by Karate to their forum but could not attend because of my commitments.

"But I will be heading to Bangkok thanks to all the support I received from the Malaysian hockey Confederation and president Datuk Seri Subahan (Kamal).

"All this would not have been possible if they did not have faith in me to coach the national women's team," said Dharmaraj.

Dharmaraj is in the midst of preparing his charges for the Asia Cup in Kakamigahara, Japan, on Oct 28-Nov 5. The tournament is a World Cup qualifier.

Among the badminton coaches invited to the forum are BA of Malaysia Technical Director Morten Frost and BA of Thailand chief coach Rexy Mainaky.

Jugjet's World of Field Hockey

People plan & science provide solid foundations for Lithuania



Hockey today is a globalised, commercialised sport, which is accountable to its many stakeholders. At the same time, it is a sport that is played with passion, emotion and high levels of athleticism and skill. To be an effective National Association, everyone involved must buy into both strands of the game – the commercial side and the sports side. It is a message that the Chief Officer and her team at the Lithuanian Hockey Federation (LHF) is driving home.

Hockey was first played in Lithuania in 1954 but it only really hit the general population’s radar in 1977. From that year onwards, there has been a slow but gradual growth in interest with hockey moving up the rankings to become the fifth most popular sport in the country. Now the LHF wants to push on and raise the profile and participation rates to new levels.

For hockey to really develop in the country there must be a much more professional attitude at all levels of the game, says Monika Ivanauskaitė, who is Chief Officer of LHF.

Ivanauskaitė has highlighted a number of areas where a more professional approach is necessary, but three stand out. The organisation of the national federation has been restructured so that now it is not simply people who love hockey who are running the sport. Committee and Board Members are also recruited for their business acumen and strategic ability. The LHF is setting out its stall as a business model as well as a sporting body.

The second area that the LHF is currently addressing is the knowledge and experience of volunteers. As Ivanauskaitė points out: “Professional and commercial sports organisations must meet customer and stakeholder demands.” But, she says this is an area that still needs much work, “We don’t have the people with the competence we need.”

Taking a scientific approach to training is the third area and it is here that Ivanauskaitė herself has been busy. The thesis for her degree looked in depth at the preparation and performance of the national under 21 team over the course of a season, culminating in their performance at the EuroHockey Youth Championships in 2015. The aim of her thesis was to examine how current practices could be tweaked to help players to reach a level where they could compete at junior and adult international level. “The young are our future,” says Ivanauskaitė, “we need to put more effort into analysing them.”

Underpinning these three strands of thought is the belief that hockey must be a sport for all. The LHF has participated in a Sports Fair every year since 2011, where hundreds of children are introduced to a range of sports. Hockey’s contribution to the Sports Fair takes place at Hockey Club Vilnius, one of the very active hockey clubs in Lithuania.

The LHF is also working hard to spread the game geographically. Every two years a new area is targeted, with the first of these, Taurus-Veršvai HC in Kaunas now running a number of teams for all ages. Kaunas was followed by Nansen HC in Duagai and the latest area to be introduced to hockey is Kaltinenai, a small village in North Lithuania.

For Ivanauskaitė, the key to success lies in people. “We are always looking to attract the right coach, manager or CEO to transform the sport from bottom of the pile to a league or world champion.”

For more information about hockey in Lithuania, visit the LHF website.

To find out more about hockey across Europe, visit EuroHockey's website.

FIH site

Vacancy- Hockey Ireland Performance Director

HOCKEY IRELAND PERFORMANCE DIRECTOR - JOB DESCRIPTION AND ROLE DETAILS

Hockey Ireland is seeking to appoint a Performance Director to support the ongoing development of the High Performance Programme.

About Hockey Ireland

Hockey Ireland is the National Governing Body for the sport of field hockey in Ireland. Governing the 32 counties of Ireland, the Association is responsible for the management and overall development of all areas of the sport.

About this role

This senior fulltime position within the organisation will involve overall responsibility for the direction and implementation of high performance with a particular focus on a consistent and integral approach of high performance. The Performance Director report to the Chief Executive Officer and work with the High Performance Committee of Hockey Ireland.   The role will involve close liaison with Sport Ireland, Sport Northern Ireland and the Olympic Council of Ireland.

This position will be primarily based in our office in UCD, Dublin, Ireland.

Application Process:

Candidates wishing to apply for this position should email applications to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Application deadline is 20th October 2017

Full details of the role can be found below:

Leadership and strategy

Develop high performance planning that ensures the continued development of the Ireland senior teams and prepares junior players to impact at senior level.

Design the high performance plan and establish the budget in line with available investment.

Work closely with Sport Ireland, Sport Northern Ireland and the Olympic Council of Ireland to continue strong relationships.

Support in the delivery of a High Performance programme at Junior Age Group level (JAG) that aligns the technical and tactical components with current trends in the world game.

Lead and manage all Hockey Ireland High Performance staff.

Oversee the development of annual plans for each team and co-ordinate these with the HI and EYHL competition committees to form national calendars.

Oversee the review of all programmes and key HP staff on an annual basis.

Technical and Tactical Direction

Ensure that each squad has a definitive tactical and tactical direction that is aligned with current trends and the senior teams.

Ensure that Anti-Doping Rules and Guidelines are integrated and understood by all those involved in the high performance programme.

Update the High Performance Plan to ensure that the JAG teams and technical areas of focus for provincial teams are aligned and progressive.

Collaborate with the provincial coaches and EYHL clubs to ensure that the technical and tactical information is disseminated nationally.

Oversee the professional development of senior coaches (through The Pursuit of Excellence Programme) and JAG coaches.

Staff Management

Lead a collaborative, high performance environment which elicits optimal input from coaches and staff across the nation to ensure sustainable success.

Lead and manage coaches and staff in line with Hockey Ireland policies and practices, ensuring appropriate support and review, including the creation of annual performance plans to ensure that targets are attained or exceeded.

In collaboration with the Hockey Ireland CEO oversee and manage the High Performance administration and operational functions.

Work with the Hockey Ireland Finance Officer and CEO to ensure the office/programs operate at, or under, pre-agreed budgets and that administration and financial reporting associated with all national programs follows HI policies and budgetary requirements.

Sports Science:

Support the management of sports science staff working at senior level. Liaise with SI Institute and SINI in the management of such staff.
Ensure that clear protocols and policies exist for sports science staff.
Develop an integrated and progressive programme of development for JAG teams in strength and conditioning, sports psychology, nutrition etc.
Employ a group of volunteer sports scientists to deliver a JAG plan.
Ensure there is alignment of fitness protocols through Hockey Ireland teams.

Personal Competencies

This position requires:

A highly motivated and skilled professional with understanding of high performance hockey and the management and leadership skills required to fulfil this role.
A high level of technical and tactical knowledge of modern hockey and the ability to impart this knowledge and help develop staff.
The ability to lead and manage full, part time and volunteer staff.
The inter personal skills to develop successful relationships with key stakeholders such as Sport Ireland, Sport Northern Ireland,  SINI, OCI and Hockey Ireland’s provinces.
Good communication skills with staff, athletes and stakeholders.
The ability to develop and manage HP plans and periodised programmes at all levels.

Position related requirements:

Required:

Experience of coaching at international level
Proven success at international and domestic levels of hockey/sport
High levels of communication and interpersonal skills
Excellent IT skills       

Preferred:

NGB / FIH Level 3 or HP hockey coaching award
Academic grounding in one or more of the following:
sports science or management
sports coaching
strength and conditioning
Experience of managing programmes, staff and budgets
Leadership experience within sporting domains
Competence in Performance Analysis
Understanding of the environment and sporting structures within Ireland

Irish Hockey Association media release

The History Makers: The story of GB's road to Gold


GB win gold at Rio 2016

A new book has been released telling the famous story of how Great Britain women’s hockey team stormed to their first ever Gold at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

The History Makers accounts the journey of the team from failing to qualify for the 2004 Athens Olympics, to winning Gold in 2016.

Going beyond that famous night in Rio, the book tells the story of the hard work, dedication, sacrifice and emotional rollercoaster which took the team to hockey’s peak.

Full of firsthand accounts from those directly involved on the pitch as well as those pulling the strings on the sidelines, this new book provides fresh insight never heard before.

Authors Sarah Juggins and Richard Stainthorpe have left no stone unturned in producing what is the definite guide to GB’s incredible moment witnessed by over 9 million people on television back home, moving the 10 o’clock  news!  

Sarah is a freelance writer working for the FIH and the Hockey Paper while Richard also works for the FIH as a writer, editor and media operations coordinator.

In its first week History Makers reached number one best seller in the Sporting Events Category on Amazon. The book is available to buy widely in store and online or directly by calling 01903 828503 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

England Hockey Board Media release