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News for 03 March 2018

All the news for Saturday 3 March 2018


WATCH LIVE: Men’s World Cup hopefuls set to fight for 27th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup

FIH YouTube Channel to broadcast event to a near global audience


Great Britain were the winners of last year's Sultan Azlan Shah Cup. Photo: Tim Myers / Sportsmediagroup.com.au

One of the world’s most prestigious international hockey events in the world gets underway this weekend, with the Malaysian city of Ipoh playing host to the 27th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.

The globally famous invitation competition has always attracted the very best that the game has got to offer, and with all six of the competing nations having qualified for the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 event that takes place in India at the end of this year, this edition will certainly be no different. 

This year’s event will be available to a near global audience via the FIH's YouTube Channel, giving hockey fans located outside territories where broadcast agreements are in place the opportunity to watch all of the action from Ipoh.

Between Saturday 3 and Sunday 10 March, Australia (FIH Hero World Ranking: 1), Argentina (WR:2), India (WR:6), England (WR:7), Ireland (WR:10) and home favourites Malaysia (WR:12) will fight it out not just for the Sultan Azlan Shah title but also the chance to gain a small but potentially significant psychological advantage against their World Cup rivals.

Fascinatingly, three of the competing nations in Ipoh will feature in the same pool at the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018, with reigning champions Australia, England and Ireland all competing in Pool B.

In the more immediate future, four of the six nations playing in Ipoh will be in action at next month’s Commonwealth Games, which takes place on Australia's Gold Coast. The mighty Kookaburras are the reigning Commonwealth champions and will compete in Pool A, while fellow Sultan Azlan Shah Cup competitors India, England and Malaysia will all go head-to-head in Pool B.

The Sultan Azlan Shah Cup has always been far more than a preparation event for other competitions. It is a tournament held in high regard highly by players and coaches alike, due in part to the exceptional standard of the competing teams as well as the incredible atmosphere generated within the host stadiums, where thousands of fans take full advantage of the opportunity to witness the very best in the world showcasing their skills. 

As the two top ranked teams in world hockey, the chance to witness world champions Australia and Rio 2016 Olympic gold medallists Argentina in action at the Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium is certainly an attractive proposition for any hockey fan.

Australia’s title success at the Odisha Men’s Hockey World League Final Bhubaneswar 2017 late last year was enough for Colin Batch’s team to reclaim their place at the top of the FIH Hero World Rankings ahead of Argentina's Los Leones, and they will be determined to claim a tenth Azlan Shah Cup victory following their wins in 1983, 1998, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2016.

Team captain Mark Knowles is a multiple winner of this event and, following his decision to retire from international hockey after the Commonwealth Games, will be desperate to add one more title to his collection in his final appearance.

Pan-American champions Argentina arrive in Ipoh with a strong side that includes defender Gonzalo Peillat, arguably the world’s most lethal exponent of the penalty corner drag-flick. He is a proven match winner, as is attacking star Lucas Vila.

Numerous players in the Argentina line-up seem to be defying the march of time, with 36-year-olds Matias Paredes and Juan Gilardi as well as 38-year-old goalkeeper Juan Vivaldi playing some of the best hockey of their lives. The fallout in relation to the recent resignation of Olympic gold medal-winning coach Carlos Retegui has yet to be seen, but the talent within the group ensures that Argentina remain a force to be reckoned with as they aim to add a second Sultan Azlan Shah title to the one they claimed in 2008.

India, the champions of Asia and five time winners of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, are the third highest ranked team competing at this year’s event, with Head Coach Sjoerd Marijne having named veteran star Sardar Singh as captain. It is a welcome return to action for Sardar, who will be aiming to impress as he bids to earn a place in India’s Commonwealth Games squad. Sardar will lead a young but talented group of athletes in Ipoh and the team are certain to be dangerous.

Featuring numerous players who were part of the Great Britain team that won the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in 2017, Bobby Crutchley’s England will rightly feel optimistic about their chances of success. Although James Albery has been forced to withdraw after sustaining a fracture in his foot, the squad named contains a wealth of talent and experience. At 34, attacking midfielder Barry Middleton remains a central figure and will add to his incredible tally of 402 international appearances, while 2017 Hockey Stars Goalkeeper of the Year nominee George Pinner and brilliant goal-scorer Sam Ward are also impressive performers.

Ireland’s rise to prominence over the past few years has been well documented, with last year’s qualification for the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 being hard earned and thoroughly deserved.

The competition in Ipoh will provide invaluable experience on their journey to Bhubaneswar, where they will compete in their first World Cup competition since the 1990 event in Lahore, Pakistan.

Although the team are missing twin brothers Conor and David Harte, star defender and goalkeeper respectively, the side selected by head coach Craig Fulton contains plenty of quality. Shane O’Donoghue is key player for the Green Machine, being a midfielder who regularly scores from open play and penalty corner situations.   

Despite having hosted 26 editions of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, home favourites Malaysia are still waiting for their first ever title success and will be hoping that this will be their year.

They were in superb form during 2017, especially at the Hero Hockey World League Semi-Final in London. A fourth place finish behind the Netherlands, Argentina and England was hugely impressive, finishing above four nations who at the time sat above them in the FIH Hero World Rankings.

Razie Rahim and Faizal Saari were both star players in London, netting nine goals between them. Head Coach Stephen van Huizen named both athletes in his initial squad for the competition, with 276-capped Sukri Mutalib captaining the side.

The action begins on Saturday 3 March with Olympic champions Argentina taking on Asian champions India in the competition opener at 16:00 (local time – UTC +8) before reigning world champions Australia and England clash at 18:05. Host nation Malaysia play Ireland in the final match of the day, scheduled for 20:30.

HOW TO WATCH
The 27th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup will be broadcast in Malaysia by Astro, with Star Sports and Fox Sports broadcasting the event in India and Australia respectively.

Hockey fans in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Argentina will be able to watch via the Pay-Per-View service on FIH YouTube Channel. Information about how to access the Pay-Per-View service can be found on the channel by clicking here.

Due to existing broadcast rights agreements, the matches shown on the FIH YouTube Channel will be geo-blocked in the following territories: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Australia, Malaysia and Brunei.

All other countries will be able to view on You Tube as free to air.

About the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup
The Sultan Azlan Shah Cup has been an annual feature in the FIH calendar since 1998, although it initially started life in 1983 as a biennial event. The event is named after legendary hockey fan and former FIH Executive Board Member HRH Sultan Azlan Shah, the ninth Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) of Malaysia, who sadly passed away in 2014. Although the man known as ‘the father of Malaysian Hockey’ is no longer with us, both his name and legacy lives on in this ever-entertaining competition.

FOLLOW
To keep up to speed on all the action from the 27th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, click the links below. 

FIH YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/fihockey
Official event website: http://azlanshahcup.my
Official event Facebook page: Click here

FIH site



Malaysia wary of Stout Irish

By Jugjet Singh

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will meet Ireland in the curtain raiser of the Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh Saturday, and coach Stephen van Huizen does not want an Antwerp repeat.

Back in 2015, Malaysia had beaten Ireland 4-2 in the group stages of the World League semifinals in Belgium, but when it mattered most, they lost 4-1 in the Fifth-Sixth Classification match and the Irish qualified for their first hockey Olympics since 1908.

The other teams in Ipoh are Olympic champions Argentina, World Cup holders Australia, Asia Cup champions India and England.

Van Huizen, 60, still remembers the agony of missing the Rio de Janeiro Olympics by a whisker.

And three years later, they meet again in Ipoh.

"We beat them in the group stage, but lost the crucial classification match and since then, Ireland has grown much stronger and are ranked 10th in the World," said van Huizen.

Malaysia last played in the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

"Ireland also won bronze in the EuroHockey Championships (in 2015 by shocking England), but then, I have told my players not to focus on their achievements, but look at our own strengths.

"Both Malaysia and Ireland are in a team-building stage for many tournaments this year. We hope to not only gain a good result, but a good experience as well from this match."

SATURDAY: Argentina v India (4pm), Australia v England (6pm), Malaysia v Ireland (8.30pm).

Note: All matches at Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh.

Jugjet's World of Field Hockey



Malaysia to make do without key players at Sultan Azlan Shah Cup

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia have never won the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup since its inception in 1983 and this trend is expected to continue this year.

This is because Malaysia are ranked 12th in the world and are the lowest ranked team in the 27th edition of the six-nation tournament.

The other teams are world No. 1 Australia, world No. 2 Argentina, India (No. 6), England (No. 7) and Ireland (No. 10).

To make matters worse, Malaysia will be without three key players – goalkeeper S. Kumar, defenders Mohd Izad Hakimi Jamaluddin and skipper Sukri Abdul Mutalib.

The 38-year-old Kumar, who was named the best goalkeeper in the World League Semi-finals in London last June, has been provisionally banned for two years after failing a doping test in the Asia Cup in Dhaka last October.

Izad is still nursing a knee injury suffered in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) while Sukri is down with a hamstring injury.

Defender and penalty corner specialist Muhd Razie Abdul Rahim will replace Sukri as captain while Kumar is replaced by Mohd Hairi Abdul Rahim. Syed Mohd Syafiq Syed Cholan will take over Izad’s place.

Malaysia are using the tournament as part of their preparations for the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, from April 4-15.

Norsyafiq Sumantri, a member of the Malaysia indoor team that won gold in the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games last August, will make his debut in the tournament.

The Star of Malaysia



India will begin Azlan Cup hunt today

s2h team

Ipoh (Malaysia): Sardar Singh' India will begin their Azlan Shah Cup title hunt today with a grand opening match against Rio Goldie and current World No.2 Argentina at the Sultan Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.

India played a practice game yesterday on the same ground against Australia, who hold the most title winners. India lost the 3-quarter practice match 1-2, with Ramandeep Singh, Vice-Captain, scoring India’s lone goal.

Chief Coach Sjoerd Marijne said, “We played three quarters against Australia to adjust to the humidity. We lost 1-2 but I was happy with a lot of things. For the first match together with this new combination, we put a good performance and we will use this match to prepare for the opening game against Argentina.”

India last played against Argentina in the Odisha Men’s Hockey World League Final Bhubaneswar 2017 where the hosts lost a place in the title-round after losing 0-1. “Like I’ve said in the past, I don’t consider that result as the playing conditions were not normal. We played in incessant rain and the only thing we learnt from that match against Argentina is that they were better in such conditions,” stated Marijne.

Olympic Champions Argentina, meanwhile, are in Ipoh without the services of their celebrated Coach Carlos Retegui who has resigned from the top job. It was under the tutelage of Retegui that Argentina had won their only Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in 2008 beating India 2-1 in the Final. Though it will be interesting to see how this World No.2 side fairs in the absence of Retegui, the squad remains strong with Gonzalo Peillat, Lucas Rossi, Juan Manuel Vivaldi, Pedro Ibarra, Matias Paredas who are bound to test the Indian Team.

It is interesting to note that under Sardar Singh's Captaincy, the Indian Team has never returned home from Sultan Azlan Shah without a medal. In 2008, he captained the team to a Silver Medal, and in 2015 and 2016 he led the team to a Bronze and Silver Medal respectively. But this time, in the absence of key players Akashdeep Singh, SV Sunil, Mandeep Singh in the forward line, Manpreet Singh in the midfield, goalkeeper PR Sreejesh and India’s dragflick specialists Rupinder Pal Singh and Harmanpreet Singh who are rested, Sardar Singh will have to ensure his younger counterparts shake off the initial nervousness and stick to a structured game chalked out by the Coach.

“While a winning start is what we look for, it’s important for the team to execute the structure we want to play in. There is no room for error when you play a team like Argentina and we cannot let their 'Olympic Champions' tag intimidate us. I am hopeful we will stitch together a good performance on Saturday. The practice match against Australia has given the first-timers an insight into what they can expect and I am sure they will take that confidence into the opening game as well,” stated the 31-year-old skipper.

India's second match on 4th March will be against England, who have retained ten players from the Great Britain squad that won the title last year. But for now, Sardar Singh and his team's focus is on Saturday's match. "We want to take it one-match-at-a-time and for now our focus is on doing well against Argentina," Singh signed off.

On March 3, India will take on Argentina in their opening match at 13.30 hours IST. Matches will be telecast live on Star Sports 1, Star Sports HD1 and Hotstar.

Stick2Hockey.com



India begin Azlan Shah campaign against World No. 2 Argentina

IPOH (Malaysia): India will look to begin their campaign on a positive note when they take on World No. 2 Argentina in the opening game of the 27th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey on Saturday.

The Sardar Singh-led team put up a fight against World No. 1 Australia before going down 1-2 in a warm-up game on Thursday.

Though the team lost with vice-captain Ramandeep Singh scoring India's lone goal, chief coach Sjoerd Marijne was optimistic.

"We played three quarters against Australia to adjust to the humidity. I was happy with a lot of things. For the first match together with this new combination, we put a good performance and we will use this to prepare for the opening game against Argentina."

India last played against Argentina in the World League Final in Bhubaneswar where the hosts lost a place in the title-round after losing 0-1.

"Like I have said in the past, I don't consider that result as the playing conditions were not normal. We played in incessant rain and the only thing we learnt from that match against Argentina is that they were better in such conditions," stated Marijne.

Olympic champions Argentina, meanwhile, are in the city without the services of their celebrated coach Carlos Retegui who has resigned from the top job.

It was under the tutelage of Retegui that Argentina had won their only Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in 2008, beating India 2-1 in the final.

Though it will be interesting to see how the side does in the absence of Retegui, the squad remains strong with Gonzalo Peillat, Lucas Rossi, Juan Manuel Vivaldi, Pedro Ibarra, Matias Paredas.

It is interesting to note that under Sardar's captaincy, the Indian team has never returned home from Sultan Azlan Shah without a medal.

In 2008, he captained the team to a silver medal, and in 2015 and 2016 he led them to a bronze and silver respectively.

But this time, in the absence of key players Akashdeep Singh, SV Sunil, Mandeep Singh in the forward line, Manpreet Singh in the midfield, goalkeeper PR Sreejesh and dragflick specialists Rupinder Pal Singh and Harmanpreet Singh who are rested, Sardar will have to ensure his younger counterparts shake off the initial nervousness and stick to a structured game chalked out by the coach.

"While a winning start is what we look for, it's important for the team to execute the structure we want to play in. There is no room for error when you play a team like Argentina and we cannot let their 'Olympic champions' tag intimidate us. I am hopeful we will stitch together a good performance," stated the 31-year-old skipper.

"The practice match against Australia has given the first-timers an insight into what they can expect and I am sure they will take that confidence into the opening game as well."

India's second match on Sunday will be against England, who have retained 10 players from the squad that won the title last year. But for now, Sardar and his team's focus is on tomorrow's match.

"We want to take it one match at a time and for now our focus is on doing well against Argentina," Singh signed off.

The Times of India



Upbeat Indian women's hockey team leaves for Korea

BENGALURU: After the historic Asia Cup victory in November last year, the Indian women's hockey team has set out for its first tour of the year, to Korea.

The 20-member squad, led by Rani along with vice captain Sunita Lakra, on Friday left for Jinchun, Korea where they will play a five-match series with the hosts starting March 5.

Under the watchful eyes of chief coach Harendra Singh, the India team was based out of the Sports Authority of India, Bengaluru where 34 players were part of the national camp that focused on fitness, speed and skill development.

While the players will compete in Korea between March 5 to 11, the remaining members of the camp will continue to train ahead of their preparations for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

"This is our first event after winning the Asia Cup last year so naturally the team is riding on confidence. The team is upbeat and eager to play our first international tour of the season and Korea can be a tough team to play in their home conditions," said Rani.

The team will be back here on March 13 and will continue with its preparation for the Commonwealth Games.

"Korea Tour will help us analyse our game and find out if there are shortcomings in the way we play ahead of the CWG. We have specifically trained on our man-to-man marking, tried different variations in our attack during the camp and we want to execute these strategies against an international team.

"We have been playing matches against local men's team to get tougher too," added the skipper.

In the absence of ace goalkeeper Savita who has been rested for the tour, debutant Swati and Rajani Etimarpu will be put to test.

With the experienced Deepika and Poonam Rani returning after a long injury haul, Rani feels the team is a perfect mix.

"It is a big boost to have Deepika and Poonam back in the squad. We also have talented youngsters like defender Suman Devi Thoudam, midfielder Udita and forward Lalremsiami.

"I think we have a very good mix with a perfect balance of young and experienced players," Rani said.

The Times of India



Join SA hockey team on Park Run



HOCKEY fans will be able to get up close and personal with some of their heroes as the South African hockey team will be running along Durban’s promenade on Saturday morning at the weekly Durban Park Run.  The team have set up camp at the Riverside Sports Grounds for the first official bootcamp ahead of the Commonwealth Games in April.

The team will be seen doing a combination of fitness, skills and other important training drills at Riverside Sports who are sponsoring the team’s turf time at their world-class facility.

According to SA Men’s team hockey coach, Mark Hopkins, this is an exciting time for the team who are currently ranked 15th in the world but have high hopes of breaking into the top 10 world rankings.

“I am looking forward to working with an outstandingly talented group of players this weekend at our first official bootcamp at Riverside Sports, which I believe will create the right environment for the players to be as successful as they can be. I believe the squad is gaining great momentum after winning the Africa Cup last October and we as a team have our sights set firmly on striving to not only be better players, but more importantly, role models for the young players in South Africa,” Hopkins said.


Mark Hopkins, coach of the SA team.

The team’s itinerary

Saturday, 3 March 
8am to 9am: Park Run at North Beach
9.30am to 11am: Training session with SA team at Riverside Sports
11am to 12pm: Signing of autographs for kids from RHC junior division and press interviews/photo opps
3pm to 5pm: Training Session with SA team at Riverside Sports
6.30pm to 8pm: Braai and meet & greet with SA Team and public at Riverside Sports

Sunday, 4 March   
7am to 8am: Corner session at Riverside Sports
8am to 10am: Training session at Riverside Sports
1.30pm to 2pm: Warm up at Riverside Sports
2pm to 3.30pm: Training session at Riverside Sports

Northglen News



Women’s National Team returns home from California with historic series win



It had been 18 years since Team Canada had defeated USA in Women’s field Hockey. Last week in Chula Vista, California, Canada put that statistic away by winning two games and bringing home a 2-1-1 series win against the world number 7.

Only two weeks after returning from their Chilean training tour and test series, the Women’s National Team was back on a plane bound for California. On the agenda: another training camp followed by four test matches against the US national team. The team boasted a winning record in Chile and continued the momentum into their series against the US.

After a week of training, the games began. Canada won the first two games of the series, including a brilliant come-from-behind win in game two. They dropped the third game 2-1 and drew the final games 3-3. Canadian forward Steph Norlander — Canada’s leading goal scorer during the USA tour— said the team’s new strategy under coach Giles Bonnet is much more aggressive. She attributes the team’s upped production in 2018 to this attacking mindset.

“In the past few years, we may have made the safe choice, we may have played the ball back,” she said. “This year, everything is forward, everything is direct. It leads to more chances in the circle, which has led to more goals.”

Norlander, who is currently playing abroad in Belgium for KHC Leuven, said the team has a noticeable increase in confidence, which is showing on the field.

“The way we’ve been training and competing breeds a lot of confidence,” Norlander said. “As a result, when we played against the United States, it just felt like a different game all together. We weren’t scared, we weren’t thinking about the rankings.”
Looking Forward

Bonnet, Head Coach of the Women’s National Team, said he’s been impressed with the team’s determination and commitment to the adapting to new styles and structures. He said that the team has grown since the Chile tour and will continue to grow between now and Commonwealth Games.

“The team has a fantastic work ethic,” Bonnet said. “They are open to chance, they are embracing the new methodology and approach. They are extremely professional on and off the field.”

With the two winter training tours complete, the team will now turn its sights to the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games scheduled for April 4-15, 2018. Initial team selections will be made next week and then the final roster is scheduled to be announced on the 16th of March. The coaching staff has been assessing a large group in order to make the most informed decisions.

“We have a large squad and over the Chile and USA stages, we have been able to assess and give training and match opportunities to all the Women’s National Team players.”

Selection time is always a tough time for players and coaching staff but it’s a reality of national team sports. Norlander said that heading into the selection period, the team has a balanced outlook.

“We know what’s at stake and we know it will be tough when the team is selected,” Norlander said. “But we’ve been competing and pushing each other and we are also really supportive of each other. We know, ultimately that everyone is playing a role no matter who gets selected.”

Last spring, at World League Round 2, the team failed to qualify for the next stage and therefore essentially forewent their chance to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. Norlander talks about that being a low point in the team’s recent history that none of the athletes want to experience again.

“The feeling last year of missing the world cup, it was devastating. I never want to feel that again. None of us do. But we’ve grown from that adversity and we’re better for it.”

The team currently holds a 4-1-4 record on the year heading into the Commonwealth Games. They will face Australia, Scotland, New Zealand and Ghana in the tournament’s preliminary stages. Watch for roster announcements and Commonwealth Games previews in the coming month.

Field Hockey Canada media release



Schopman Adds Three to the USWNT Following Chula Vista Trial and Series



COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Following a week-long trial, U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Janneke Schopman and coaching staff has extended the roster by three by adding Laura Hurff (Newark, Del.), Margaux Paolino (Villanova, Pa.) and Tara Vittese (Cherry Hill, N.J.) to the senior squad. All three athletes spent last week on the West Coast and were evaluated during multiple trainings including test matches against Canada. Hurff and Vittese will join the team in May following college graduation and Paolino, still a college sophomore, will join the team when time permits.

“I am very excited to add Laura, Margaux and Tara to the roster,” commented Schopman. “All three of them are very talented players that I have come to know well coaching the U-21 team. In the games against Canada, they showed they all can add something extra to our team and that’s why I have selected them. Their willingness to become better players will strengthen our team and I’m looking forward to seeing them progress the next couple of months.”

Like seven current members on the USWNT, these three athletes were all part of the U-21 USWNT team that earned silver at the 2016 women’s Junior Pan American Championship in Tacarigua, Trinidad and Tobago, to qualify the team for the women’s Hockey Junior World Cup in Santiago, Chile that November.



A native of Newark, Del., Hurff got her start playing field hockey in the 7th grade and excelled through high school at Ursuline Academy achieving MVP, Best Conference, All-State and All- Conference honors. She also played for Xcalibur Field Hockey Club. In 2014, she went on to play collegiately at Syracuse University (2014-18), where she was part of the program’s first-ever National Championship in 2015. She also accumulated a handful of personal accolades being named NFCHA First Team, Second Team and Third Team All-American, NFHCA First Team All-Mideast Region, First and Second Team All-ACC, NFHCA All-Academic Team honoree, All-ACC selection and All-ACC Academic Team.

Active within the Olympic Development Pipeline, Hurff entered the Futures Program in 2010 and competed in the National Futures Championship, Futures Elite Championship, AAU Junior Olympic Games and Junior National Camp before being named to the U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team in 2013. She went on various tours with the Junior USWNT which only helped elevate her skills and grow her game. In 2016, Hurff was named to the U.S. U-21 Women’s National Team and she got to compete at the 2016 women’s Junior Pan American Games and secure a second-place finish. That placement earned the squad a spot at the 2016 women’s Hockey Junior World Cup in Santiago, Chile, where they finished eighth.

After being selected to the U.S. Women’s National Development Squad in January, Hurff quickly transitioned to the senior squad and will add depth as a flexible athlete.

“Laura is a versatile player than can play in both the defensive and midfield line,” mentioned Schopman. “She is a hard worker who will do what the team needs her to do and will give it her best effort always.”

“Being a part of the U.S. Women's National Team is my childhood dream come true,” commented Hurff. “It is an honor to be given the opportunity to represent my country and wear the red, white, and blue. I am eager to become part of a new family as we will compete together for our dream. I hope to represent my country well and inspire others to chase their dream.”



Young to the scene at only 20 years old, Paolino made a direct impact in her first international game by scoring in her debut. From Villanova, Pa., she attended the prestigious Episcopal Academy where as a senior captain she helped led the team to an undefeated season, No. 4 national ranking and a state championship. She also helped her team win state titles as a junior and freshman, in addition to three league championships. Personally, she was a two-time NFHCA All-American, garnering first team recognition as a senior. She was the 2015 Delaware County and Daily Times Player of the Year and three-time All-Region, All-County and All-League selection.

Paolino is currently a sophomore at Duke University. She was twice named to the NFHCA All-South Region Team, second team as a freshman and first team as a sophomore, ACC All-Tournament Team and All-ACC Academic Team. As a freshman, she led the Blue Devils in assists with 14 and as a sophomore was honored as a Longstreth/NFHCA Division I All-American Second Team and First Team All-ACC.

Like other USWNT athletes, Paolino has been involved within the Olympic Development Pipeline for a few years having made her way through the junior high performance program. She participated in the Futures Program from 2011 to 2016, and was selected to various National Futures Championships, Futures Elite Championships, AAU Junior Olympic Games and Junior National Camps before being named to the U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team in 2014. A year later she was named to the U.S. U-19 Women’s National Team where she traveled to Belgium for a tour and a year following was named to the U.S. U-21 Women’s National Team. She was part of the squads that were selected to represent the USA at the 2016 women’s Junior Pan American Games in Tacarigua, Trinidad and Tobago and women’s Hockey Junior World Cup in Santiago, Chile.

She also was heavily involved with the U.S. Women’s National Indoor Team traveling to both Argentina and Germany for tours.

Paolino was invited for the trial on the West Coast and made a direct impact using her scrappy nature and never give up assertiveness to aid in the USWNT vs. Canada series.

“As a forward Margaux adds some extra fight to our forward line, she likes to put pressure on the other teams and is not afraid to compete and fight the battle,” said Schopman. “Her mindset fits well into our team and I’m curious to see her growth in this environment.”

“To be selected to Team USA and represent my country means a great deal to me,” added Paolino. “I have always loved to compete and having the chance to challenge myself at the highest level has been a goal of mine since the very beginning. It is very humbling and gratifying to know my hard-work and dedication is being recognized. I look forward to the opportunity to play with and against the best hockey players in the world, as well as continuing to gain the knowledge from others to help me learn and grow as a player and individual on and off the pitch.”



The third sister to etch her name on the USWNT, Vittese will add depth to the midfield after a stellar career at the University of Virginia where she will graduate from in May. From Cherry Hill, N.J. she attended Camden Catholic where she set a career goal record with 166, while being named two-time high school All-American, three time All-State and four-time first-team All-Conference.

As a Cavalier, she will go down in the books for achieving many firsts for the program. She was the first Virginia player to be a four-time First Team NFHCA All-American, first to repeat as ACC Offensive Player of the Year, first to be named Longstreth/NFHCA South Region Player of the year three times and first player to ever win the honor of VaSID State Player of the Year four times. She was also the only player to ever win the Longstreth/NFHCA National Player of the Year award three times and was a four-time First Team All-ACC selection.

Vittese’s advantaged skills helped her made her way quickly through the ranks of the Junior U.S. Women’s National Teams, often times playing up an age division. She started on the U-21 USWNT in 2011 before advantaging to the U-19 USWNT for a three-year stint before being named to the U-21 USMNT from 2014-16. Despite being the youngest player on Team USA at the 2013 Junior World Cup in Monchengladbach, Germany, she was the top scorer for the U-21 USWNT as they went on to finish 7th. She was also part of the U-21 USWNT that competed at the 2016 women’s Junior Pan American Games that finished second.

“Tara is a great player that can make things happen on the ball, but she’s also a team player who can make her team better by doing the work, that combination convinced me she’s ready for this step,” commented Schopman.

“I am honored and grateful to have been selected for the U.S. Women’s National Team,” said Vittese “The journey up until this point has been one full of excitement, challenges and development. I am looking forward to growing both as an individual and as a player, alongside some of the best players in the country, and my sisters!”

USFHA media release



Police win shoot-out

By Jugjet Singh

KUALA LUMPUR: Blue Warriors beat PKS-UniTen-KPT 3-1 in a shoot-out after both teams ended tied 2-2 in the Vivian May Soars Cup at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil Friday.

Both the UniTen goals were scored by national players Raja Norsharina Raja Shabuddin (seventh) and Fatin Shafika Sukri (44th).

But Blue Warriors came back into the picture with a late goal by  former India skipper Ritu Rani in the 56th minute, while Siti Zulaikha nailed a 60th minute equaliser to take the match into shoot-out.

UniTen had won the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) League title but national goalkeeper Farah Ayuni snatched the other title for Blue Warriors with superb saves in the shoot-out.

Blue Warriors coach Zulkhairi Ariffin said: "It was a real heart-stopper as we had to defend for at least 55 minutes before we could score both the goals.

"But in the end, it is a great day for Police (Blue Warriors) as we managed to snatch one title from UniTen. Hiring guest players from India also paid off handsomely," said Zulkhairi.

As for UniTen coach Lailin Abu Hassan, the moment it went to a shoot-out he knew the outcome,

"Blue Warriors have the best goalkeeper in the country and when it went to shoot-out I knew the outcome.

"But still, I am proud of my girls achievements because last season we did not win any title and did not even play in the final.

"There is vast improvement this season, and I believe we will only return stronger next year," said Lailin, a former national player.

In the bronze medal, Terengganu Ladies hammered the daylights out of KL Wipers with a 10-0 score.

The goals were scored by Siti Rahmah Othman (third), Fazillah Sylvester Silin (fifth), Nur Hidayah Ismail (21st, 58th), Siti Noor Amarina (30th),
Norazlin Sumantri (33rd, 34th), Pahila Judith Larissa (50th), Nur Syuhada Suhaimi (59th), Nur Syafiqah Zain (60th).

RESULTS: Vivian May Soars Cup: Final -- PKS-UniTen-KPT 2 Blue Warriors 2 (Blue Warriors win shoot-out 3-1).

Third-Fourth: KL Wipers 0 Terengganu Ladies 10.

Jugjet's World of Field Hockey



Warriors fight back to leave Uniten feeling Blue

By Aftar Singh

KUALA LUMPUR: Blue Warriors exacted sweet revenge over women’s league champions PKS Universiti Tenaga Nasional (Uniten)-KPT to win their second Vivian May Soars Cup title in three years.

Blue Warriors defeated the university team 3-1 in a penalty shootout after both teams failed to break the 2-2 deadlock in regulation time in the final at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

Uniten, who won the league title with a better goal difference against Blue Warriors last week, started off well by taking the lead through national player Raja Norsharina Raja Shabuddin in the seventh minute.

They doubled the score in the 44th minute through Fatin Shafika Sukri.

But Blue Warriors, who won the Cup in 2016, came alive in the last four minutes to net two goals.

Former India skipper Ritu Rani narrowed the deficit in the 56th minute before Siti Zulaikha equalised in the 59th to force the match into a penalty shootout.

In the shootout, Narinder Kaur, Ritu Rani and Nadia Abdul Rahman scored for Blue Warriors while Wan Norfaiezah Mohd Saiuti netted for Uniten.

The star for Blue Warriors was national goalkeeper Farah Ayuni, who made superb saves in the shootout.

Blue Warriors coach Zulkhairi Ariffin said the match was a heart-stopper as they only came alive in the last four minutes to score twice to take the match to a shootout.

“But at the end, it was a great day for Police (Blue Warriors) as we managed to snatch one title from Uniten. Hiring three guest players from India also paid off,” said Zulkhairi.

UniTen coach Lailin Abu Hassan said the moment it went to a shootout, they knew it was going to be tough as Blue Warriors have the best goalkeeper in the country.

“But I’m still proud of my players’ achievement because last season we did not win any title and did not even reach the final.

“There is vast improvement this season, and I believe we’ll only return stronger next year,” said Lailin.

In an earlier match, Terengganu Ladies trounced KL Wipers 10-0 to finish third.

Nur Hidayah Ismail (21st, 58th) and Norazlin Sumantri (33rd, 34th) each scored a brace for Terengganu.

Siti Rahmah Othman (third), Fazillah Sylvester Silin (fifth), Siti Noor Amarina (30th), Pahila Judith Larissa (50th), Nur Syuhada Suhaimi (59th) and Nur Syafiqah Zain (60th) contributed the other goals.

The Star of Malaysia



Beast from the East wipes out hockey schedule as Hockey Ireland consider winter alternatives

All of the weekend’s national and provincial level hockey fixtures have all been postponed.

For the women’s EY Hockey League, Hockey Ireland has given Sunday, April 22nd as the date for this Saturday’s round of matches to be played.

These games can be played before that date by mutual agreement between clubs with Saturday, April 7 currently an open date for clubs who do not reach the Irish Senior Cup final.

From a refix perspective, Hockey Ireland will be reasonably grateful that the men’s EY Hockey League is on hiatus this weekend with the national team in Malaysia.

They will play the host nation on Saturday on day one of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup before taking on Olympic gold medalists Argentina on Sunday. It is part of their ongoing preparations for November’s World Cup in India in which it was confirmed – as mentioned on The Hook in November – that Ireland will play England, Australia and China in the group stages.

All the games called off in the provincial leagues – as well as the semi-finals of the Irish Hockey Trophy – will be arranged between the clubs.

It comes during the most disrupted season since 2010 with widespread cancelations throughout December and January, too, which raised calls for a two-month winter break.

Hockey Ireland CEO Jerome Pels said the competitions committee “have very much heard those calls” and are considering how they can implement a break. He added, though, that there are a lot of ramifications of extending the season further into May or June.

It would potentially mean less preparation time in camp for the national teams for their usually busy summer periods while more players asked to play their biggest matches in and around exam time.

“Maybe we are reacting to a particular winter where other years December and January are very playable while we are now in March and the most severe weather.

“How long do you stop for? If you base it on this year, you would not be able to play from December to mid-March which would be totally impossible. I don’t know exactly what the answer is but it needs to be looked at.”

Another element that Pels says needs to be explored is indoor hockey, especially in the wake of the amazingly successful Indoor World Cup and European Championships in Berlin and Brussels, respectively.

It is something that appears to be gaining significant momentum in Ireland with Ulster and Leinster Hockey running Under-18 tournaments while there has been a smattering of other underage events in addition to the annual Tommy O’Sullivan Under-14 tournament in Donabate.

“Indoor is an aspect of the sport that has been very successful for other countries and might be something that could be a very good thing for us to make more space for.”

Kinsale Hockey Club, for one, has used indoor to directly introduce new players to the game and Pels says that it can be an outlet to grow the game in untapped areas where full-size pitches are in scarce supply.

“We know going to the south and the west of Ireland, the facilities available for playing hockey is critical and we are running into problems. With indoor, we might be more flexible and so this might be a very good area for growing the game where we are hampered by infrastructure.”

Elsewhere, Banbridge was confirmed this week as the host venue for the EY Champions Trophy for the next two years.

Bann have proven excellent hosts in the past. They hosted the marquee event in 2016 while they also became the first Irish club to welcome a Euro Hockey League event in October of 2016, a ground-breaking event for hockey Ireland.

Speaking about the announcement, Mike McKerr, Country Managing Partner, EY Ireland commented “The club continues to make huge strides with the installment of a new pitch to add to its top-class facilities and consistently proves itself as a fantastic destination for the biggest hockey fixtures.

“As a firm, EY is extremely proud of our continued sponsorship of Irish hockey and look forward to what promises to be a highly competitive Champions Trophy event.”


Banbridge played the perfect host for the EHL ROUND1 in October 2016. Pic: Frank Uijlenbroek/World Sport Pics

Banbridge Hockey Club President Roger Martin added: “With plans in place to start replacing our pitch at Havelock Park this week, hosting the EY Champions Trophy in May will be a fantastic way to launch our brand-new facility.

“We look forward to welcoming all the players and supporters here and it will be a big boost to the club and the whole Banbridge district. We will now be putting plans in place to ensure that once again we deliver a fantastic weekend.”

The finals weekend is scheduled for May 5 and 6 with the top three from the EY Hockey League along with the Irish Senior Cup winner on both the men’s and women’s side qualifying for the semi-finals.

The Hook



Making the most of an opportunity

Sarah Juggins


Photo: Manuel Gonzales

The Pan American Youth Championships for both men and women is taking place from 11-17 March. The games act as a continental qualifier for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, which take place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in October.

The Youth Olympic Games are so often the launch pad for a young hockey player’s international career and so the continental qualifier, which takes place in Guadalajara, Mexico, is eagerly awaited by the players who are now in the final stages of preparation.

In line with the Youth Olympics themselves, the Pan American Youth Championships started in 2010 and take place every four years. To date, Argentina has walked away with the gold medal at both the 2010 and 2014 Games in the men’s and women’s event. In 2010 Argentina women beat Canada, while the men beat USA; four years later, the women beat Uruguay and the men beat Canada.

Already, some of the stars of the triumphant 2014 Argentina teams are now making their names on the senior circuit. Eugenia Trinchinetti and Maria Ortiz both played in the Hockey World League Final in Auckland. Meanwhile for the men, Santiago Tarazona and Maico Casella are among those transitioning very successfully from the youth team to the senior squad.

While the junior stars of Argentina slot into a system that has been rolling out Olympic and World Cup players for decades, for other nations, international events such as the Pan American Youth Championships are a new challenge. Where Las Leonas and Los Leones see the Youth Championships as part of a planned and familiar process for their talented youngsters, for other nations this is their first taste of top flight competition and all the challenges that come with entering the international stage.

Gathered at Guadalajara will be a diverse range of teams. From the old campaigners such as Argentina, Canada and USA to the up-and-coming nations such as Uruguay and Mexico – who have been enjoying success at Hockey World League Round One level - to the debutant nations such as Dominican Republic (men), Jamaica (men and women), Brazil (men) and Guatemala (men and women).

We caught up with Pablo Reyes, President of the Guatemala Hockey Association and he  explained how and why hockey has grown in Guatemala in recent years and how the Guatemala men’s and women’s youth teams have been preparing for this event.

Reyes explained that hockey in Guatemala has really taken off since 2012. Prior to that, the sport had been slowly growing in the country but in 2012 the governmental body, the Sports Confederation of Guatemala, recognised hockey as a viable sport and funding was released to help develop the sport. As Reyes says: “This was such an important moment as it let us to play in international events, allowed us to run sustainable development programmes and helped to promote hockey outside Guatemala City.”

Since then, Guatemala has entered the Central American and Caribbean Games for the first time and also competed in the Hockey World League Round One in Salamanca, Mexico. The men’s team also won the 2015 Central American Indoor Hockey Championship, with the women’s team finishing in second place.

The strategy of the Guatemala Hockey Association has been to build from its youth section, so the Pan American Youth Championships will be a great test of how far this ambitious hockey nation has come.

For Reyes, the forthcoming event is bringing back some fond memories: “Travelling to Guadalajara is great because our first international experience was there for the Pan Am Junior Cup of 2012. We have been there twice, for that event and then for the Hockey World League Round One in 2014. The Pan American Hockey Stadium is the best one in Mexico.”

This is especially exciting for the travelling teams from Guatemala as there is a dearth of pitches in their country. As Reyes had explained in an earlier conversation, “this is a country that loves football. Everything is geared up to football.”

But that is changing. For a start, the men’s and women’s hockey teams have the support of the National Olympic Association (NOC). The expenses involved in travelling to the tournament and competing have been met by the NOC. The National Association has enough expertise within its ranks to cover all the administration that goes into sending teams to an international event. You get the impression that this is a hockey association that is confident and ready to step up a grade.

The players have been part of a long selection process. The potential team members were told about the tournament back in July 2017 and they have been pushing for selection ever since. A Hockey5s tournament held last August helped the selectors pick a number of likely candidates and final selection of the nine players in each squad has just taken place. Between August 2017 and now, the players have been competing against senior teams from across Guatemala. As Reyes explains, there was not the opportunity or the finance for the players to travel abroad for competition so all their preparation matches have been against older, stronger players from local clubs.

One advantage that the Guatemala teams will take to Mexico is their complete immersion in the Hockey5s game. They don’t get the opportunity to play full 11-a-side, because of a lack of full-size pitches, so their knowledge of this version of the game is unsullied by any other versions. In many ways, what can be seen as a disadvantage has been turned to the good. There have been recent rule changes to the game but Reyes is certain his players have the nous to adapt quickly.

One area in which the Guatemala teams might be found wanting is their physical endurance. This is something Reyes is very keen to improve in the future but as he says: “There is no point taking too many steps at once.

“Our players have worked hard on the core skills and qualities of the game. They know what is required: to be fast; to react quickly to the rhythm of the game; to have a good hit because you can score from anywhere’ and to understand the tactics of the team and its rotations.”

The squads have been training five times a week in preparation for this event but the training sessions are often limited because of a lack of facilities. The teams are often left having to rent soccer pitches with synthetic turfs for any extended training sessions at weekends. “This is not ideal,” says Reyes, “but for now that is what we have to do.”

So what are Guatemala’s ambitions for the Pan American Youth Games?

“Our country will play the tournament with the main aim of learning this discipline and to improve our skills,” says Reyes, once again displaying the sanguine philosophy that underlies his approach. “ We compete with the ‘Olympic spirit’; that is part of the philosophy of our country.

“This generation is expected to win the Central American Games in 2021 in Hockey5s, as we did in 2017. Obviously if we get a ticket to Buenos Aires 2018, we'd be extremely excited and our NOC would establish a plan to prepare the team to have the best performance in Argentina.”

For many of the young Guatemala players on route to Mexico, this Pan American Youth Championship provides a platform from which they will launch their international careers.

Pan American Hockey Federation media release



Long term development programme provides growth across Namibia


Namibia's development was highlighted at the Indoor Hockey World Cup Photo: FIH/WSP

Erwin Handura eats, sleeps and breathes hockey. The Head Coach of Namibia women’s indoor hockey team explains that not only is he Head Coach for both the outdoor and indoor women’s squads, he is also Head of Development and Portfolio Holder with the Namibian Hockey Association and coaches hockey at the University of Namibia. Much of his coaching work is done on a voluntary basis and, in his own words, hockey is a passion that “takes too much of my time”.

Not that there is any chance of Erwin giving up any of his hockey commitments anytime soon. We met at the end of the Fifth Women’s Indoor World Cup in Berlin, where Namibia had finished a credible ninth. Erwin was relatively pleased, although his original target was to finish in the top eight. This result them ranked the top women's indoor African team in the latest edition of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Hero Indoor World Rankings, in position 11th, five places ahead of rivals South Africa.

An appearance at the Indoor World Cup is one reward for a development system that began back in 1995, suffered a demise from 2004 until 2015, but in recent years been raised to a whole new level.

“We have a three year plan which runs from 2015-18, so our target is to introduce hockey to all 14 regions in Namibia,” said Erwin. “We go to one area and introduce hockey into four primary schools. We give the schools equipment, sticks and balls and, over a four day period, we hold an introductory course for the teachers; we spent two days coaching the children and teachers together; then on the fourth day we have a festival.”

Just three days to learn the game?

Erwin is certain of it. He said: “In just three days kids can play hockey, largely because they already know football or netball and the principles are the same. They can pick it up quickly and it is so important that they play the game."

Getting the children to play regularly is one of the stipulations that comes as part of the hockey development programme. In return for four days of coaching and a set of equipment, the schools must agree to enter a local mini league with other schools on the programme.

The programme is funded by one of the Namibian national banks and, although the sponsorship is due to come to an end this year, Erwin is confident the programme will be extended. Much of this confidence is based on the good performances of the national indoor team, both in qualifying for the Indoor World Cup and for their results at the event.

The original programme, which Erwin ran from 1995 to 2003, has produced a number of elite players. Captain in Berlin was Magreth Mengo – a product of the 1995 coaching programme. Many of the children from that programme were part of the team that came third in the Junior World Cup qualifier in 2004.

“We have the players to be good,” says Erwin. What Namibia lacks is facilities and a wide pool of coaches and umpires.

To that end, Erwin is looking to big businesses and support from national and international governing bodies. “There is a growing interest in sponsoring hockey, especially indoor hockey,” says Erwin. “We are discussing this with banks and businesses. For an investment, a bank could have its name on a state-of-the-art indoor facility for the next 10 to 20 years.”

To address the coaching and umpiring gap, Erwin is encouraged by what he has seen in Berlin. “The FIH Academy was running a High Performance Coaching Course for indoor hockey and there were several coaches from African nations there. That is what we need – to get our coaches on these courses.

“If we can get the structure right, we will be looking at a top six finish at the next Indoor World Cup.”

For more information about hockey in Namibia, visit their Facebook page by clicking here or by contacting the Namibia Hockey Union.

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