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News for 19 December 2018

All the news for Wednesday 19 December 2018


Haier Hockey Series Open, Pakistan, 2018 - Day 2
Lahore (PAK)

Result 18 December

KAZ v NEP (RR)     6 - 0

Rank Team Played Wins Draws Losses Goals For Goals Against Goal Difference Points
1 Uzbekistan 1 1 0 0 11 0 11 3
2 Kazakhstan 1 1 0 0 6 0 6 3
3 Nepal 1 0 0 1 0 6 -6 0
4 Afghanistan 1 0 0 1 0 11 -11 0


Note: Pakistan is taking part as an invitational team and their results are not recorded

FIH Match Centre



Kazakhstan, Pak President XI win in FIH Hockey Series



LAHORE - Brilliant Yermek Tashkeyev scored four goals as the favourites Kazakhstan thrashed Nepal 6-0 on the second day of the Haier FIH Hockey Series Open at the National Hockey Stadium.

The Nepalese began well and the first quarter was more or less evenly played. Nepal had a penalty corner. However, in the last minute Kazakhstan went ahead when Yermek Tashkeyev standing unmarked in the mid circle’s left availed a pass from right with a beautiful flick. The second quarter saw Kazakhstan dominating the proceedings. They regularly entered the rival’s circle, couldn’t make out of the field chances but availed the two set pieces.

Nurbol Kozhym’s low push off a penalty corner found the right corner of the goal. Then Yermek Tashkeyev made it 3-0 off a penalty stroke resulting from a rash tackle inside the circle, for crowing a hat trick. The script remained the same in the second half with Kazakhstan having an upper hand. They had three more penalty corners but all the three goals in this half arrived via field attempts.

In the 39th minute, Tilek Uzbek first timed a long ball into the circle leaving the Nepalese defence bewildered. In the 53rd and 59th minutes, Yermek Tashkeyev twice rattled the top net with ferocious reverse- hander. Nepal had their moments in the match but failed to avail two PCs and some open play chances. Nepalese goal keeper Kishore Ojha, who had a good match, received the Man of Match award from the Chief Guest the Punjab Minister of Baitulmaal and Social Welfare Ajmal Cheema. The second match of the day was the friendly fixture between the Pakistan President XI and Uzbekistan which the hosts won 4-0. Rai Taimoor Bhatti, Punjab Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, was the chief guest. Pakistan began aggressively, repeatedly storming the Uzbek goal.

After wasting two open plays and the same number of penalty corners, they deservedly went ahead. Murtaza Yaqoob, grandson of late Afzal Manna, Olympic silver medallist 1964, after receiving a long ball, applied a superb top of circle finish with a flat reverse angular shot. The score was doubled before the end of the first quarter. Captain Owaisur Rehman dived full length to beat the goal keeper.

In the second and the third quarter, despite having more of play, the President XI couldn’t make the chances count and it remained 2-0 when the last 15 minutes started. However, in the fourth quarter, they were able to add two more. First, Zaheer Hussain’s reverse grounder sounded the board and then Samiullah converted his team’s fifth and the last PC with a high flick into the net. Today (Wednesday), one match will be played between Afghanistan vs Kazakhstan.

The Nation



Outgoing Hasan wants PHF to hire foreign coach for national team

LAHORE: Leaving the scene after a disastrous World Cup campaign, team manager Hasan Sardrar on Monday advised the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) to appoint foreign coach in order to raise a capable national side for the future.

“As my commitment [with the PHF] was till the World Cup, I have resigned from the post while suggesting the federation to hire foreign coach for national team if it wants to raise a strong outfit for future,” Hasan said while talking to reporters after meeting PHF president retired Brig Khalid Sajjad Khokhar here on Monday.

The performance of Mohammad Rizwan Senior-led Pakistan remained simply miserable throughout the World Cup where the green-shirts could not win even a single match and crashed out of the 16-nation showpiece in the cross-over stage where they received a 5-0 drubbing from Belgium.

Belgium eventually won their maiden world title after edging out the Netherlands in a pulsating final at Bhubaneswar’s Kalinga Stadium on Sunday.

Hasan reckoned Roelant Oltmans, the ex-Pakistan head coach, had made a very useful contribution in raising the team but ironically, the Dutchman left the job just a couple of months before the World Cup and the Australian trainer also followed the suit.

“No doubt Oltmans had brought remarkable improvement in the Pakistan team’s performance and fitness level. However, they could not carry on their assignment with the PHF and that had put a negative impact on our preparations for the World Cup,” Hasan regretted.

“I still believe that a foreign coach is necessary for Pakistan because modern-day hockey entails higher-level coaching which is unfortunately [currently] not available in the country.”

There have been some news reports suggesting that the PHF was facing problems in paying hefty salary to Oltmans, and sensing it the Dutch coach left the team to join the Malaysian camp before the World Cup.

But the 64-year-old Oltmans failed to make any significant mark for Malaysia as well who were ousted from the World Cup in the preliminary stage.

When asked whether he was satisfied with his tenure at the PHF, Hasan said, “No one can be satisfied as even the No.2 of the World Cup [Netherlands] will also not be satisfied and only Belgium can be.”

Commenting on Pakistan’s show in the spectacle, Hasan lamented the team missed chances.

“Pakistan were lacking in the forward line [at the World Cup], which could not convert chances into goals. We missed a number of [scoring] chances just because our forward line did not have the sting to convert half chances into goal, and without it no one can win,” he said.

Answering a question about the senior players’ performance which was criticised by head coach Tauqir Dar who left after the World Cup, Hasan had a different view and said he would advise the new team management to give the players full chance to prove physical fitness before deciding the fate of senior players.

After Tauqir made himself not available as head coach after the global event, the PHF seems to be in a tight corner for appointing new team management ahead of the Pro Hockey League that commences in February next year.

Dawn



Hockey India open for foreign coach

Harendra Singh and Chris Ciriello roles come under the scanner.

S Kannan


Harendra Singh blamed the quality of umpiring after India's loss to the Netherlands in the Hockey World Cup quarters. (Hockey India Photo)

Hockey India will soon be holding a meeting of its think-tank, selectors included, to ponder over the future of national coach Harendra Singh and analytical expert Chris Ciriello.

A day after the FIH World Cup concluded in Bhubaneshwar, the focus shifts back to the Indian team and what needs to be done so that they can perform well in the new year. Having missed direct Olympic qualification by not winning gold medal at the Asian Games, Hockey India is concerned how to look ahead at Olympic qualification.

It would be tempting to say that Hockey India is known best for its hire-and-fire policy. However, the reality is the team did nothing brilliant at the World Cup. There are plenty of deficiencies, inability to show a fresh approach under pressure and not winning big matches.

A big deal has been made about the 1-2 margin in the loss to Holland but Hockey India feels the score really does not matter. To make matters worse, coach Harendra blamed the umpiring and then got pulled up for it at a meeting in Bhubaneshwar on Sunday.

Akashdeep Singh has already been censured for his comments and faces a two-match suspension whenever India play their next set of matches. It is learnt Harendra was very submissive at a hearing on Sunday which was held to clear the air on comments he made against the quality of umpiring.

Hockey India will also be taking a close look at Chris Ciriello, the penalty corner expert who was also assigned the job of an analytical expert after each match.

"We need to know if Chris can really contribute to the Indian team as he has been behaving in a far too friendly manner with the players," said an official.

The job of the analytical expert is an important one. Given the amount of technical inputs a coach or support staff gives nowadays, Hockey India wants to be sure Ciriello is the best man.

"What had to happen in 2018 is now past, we have to look at Olympic qualification with an open mind," added the Hockey India official.

For over one year, the Indian men's team was handed over to an Indian coach. With results not coming, there is a feeling it's time for a foreign coach to be given the job back. Hockey India sought to dispel the myth that foreign coaches are not available. They feel the kind of money which India pays will attract a good coach.

It is well-known support which the Odisha government gave for hosting the World Cup was huge. It also came in for praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday. Mail Today has learnt the Odisha government is ready to back the hockey team even further and pay for hiring a foreign coach if the need arises.

To be sure, there are two schools of thought at home. One group (former Olympians) favours the continuance of Harendra and there is another group (again former Olympians) which feels hiring a foreign coach is imperative.

"One thing is sure, should a foreign coach be hired in the next two months, it will be tough for Harendra to be part of the new system," said a source.

High-performance director David John did not go to Bhubaneshwar this time as he apparently wanted to stay away.

"The idea was to give Harendra the freedom he wanted. Now we will see what decisions need to be taken," added the official.

India Today



Foreign coaches are not wizards, says Oltmans

Indervir Grewal


Roelant Oltmans, former India coach

Roelant Oltmans is a popular guy in Asia. He has coached three of the leading hockey nations in the continent — India, Pakistan and Malaysia. After living in Asia for over six years at a stretch, the Dutchman has become quite familiar with how the system works in the three countries.

Oltmans has coached Pakistan twice. He was in India for over five years, as high performance director first and then national coach. But he was fired last year. He moved to Pakistan before landing in Malaysia. Asked if there was a difference in the working of the federations in these three Asian nations, Oltmans said: “Yes, it’s different but I don’t want to say anything else.”
When it comes to working in the Asian system, Oltmans has, by far, been the most adept. He has also been pretty successful. However, not many top coaches from around the world have been too successful in the continent, and not many have lasted for long. Has it something to do with their impatience that they want things to happen quickly? “Maybe,” Oltmans said. “But it has to be looked from both sides. People are also expecting wonders from foreign coaches. We are not wizards,” Oltmans said. “It takes time. That is something that the management has to understand, and the people who are funding the program have to understand. If they do, then you can deliver,” he said.

“At the same time, for us coaches, we have to understand it as well. Rome wasn’t built in a day; it took quite a few years. We are building a system in a country and that takes time. And if you get the time, and you are willing to spend your time then you can make a change,” he said.

“But you also have to understand what you can change and what you can’t change. For example, you can’t change the culture or how the system works. Once you accept it, then you can work better,” he added.

Need good goalkeeper to win tournament: Charlesworth

Ric Charlesworth doesn’t mince his words. The Australian, one of the most celebrated players and coaches, thought India played well and could have beaten Netherlands in the quarterfinals. But the 66-year-old didn’t think twice before saying “you can’t win big tournaments if you don’t have a good goalkeeper”. “Both goals (in the quarterfinal against the Netherlands) should have been saved,” Charlesworth said. Charlesworth was unforgiving in his assessment of Indian goalkeeper PR Sreejesh’s performance in the World Cup. “The goalkeeper didn’t have a good tournament,” Charlesworth said. Sreejesh has not been at his best since returning from his knee injury. At the World Cup, he was not tested too much by Canada and South Africa. In the pool’s toughest match, he conceded two poor goals against Belgium. Sreejesh has not been at his best since returning from his knee injury. At the World Cup, he was not tested too much by Canada and South Africa. In the pool’s toughest match, he conceded two poor goals against Belgium.

The Tribune



Colin Batch sowed seeds of success in Belgium

Errol D’Cruz



There’s an Oceania touch to the Red Lions, the dramatic World Cup winners in Bhubaneswar.

And it goes way back, before Shane McLeod, the Kiwi coach whose tutelage has seen Belgium rise up the rankings, collect Olympic silver and finally inscribe their name on the trophy on Sunday night with a shootout victory over three-time winners the Netherlands.

As the finalists came on to the pitch to warm up, Colin Batch, coach of the free-wheeling Australia who routed England 8-1 to win the bronze medal, gazed at the Red Lions warm up, contemplating what might have been.

For, it was Batch, who sowed the seeds of Belgium’s eminence in the sport with a coaching stint from 2010-12.

Australia came desperately close to clinching a slot in the final, losing the semifinal against the Netherlands in a shootout after regulation time ended 2-2.

With it went the chance of playing Belgium, 6-0 victors over England, in the first semifinal en route to winning the final against the Netherlands and claiming the No.1 rank.

“A lot of players of this Belgium team were young when I coached them. I was part of the effort to take Belgium to the level of the Olympics,”’ Batch revealed.

“Many of them are senior players now with over 200 caps. It would be nice to play them here because they have a very good team for five or six years now and are high up in the rankings,” the highly acclaimed Kookaburra right-winger of the 1980s said.

Batch, 60, coached New Zealand after his Belgium stint for four years from 2012-16 before accepting the top job for his country in 2017.

Before guiding Belgium, Batch was assistant coach of the Australian national team (2001-08) during a glittering era during which the team bagged the long overdue Olympic title at Athens in 2004.

Stick2Hockey.com



Amendments to FIH Rules of Hockey to come into force on 1 January


Copyright: FIH / Getty Images

Lausanne, Switzerland: Every second year, the Rules Committee of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) may make proposals to amend the rules of hockey. In 2018, the following proposals have been made by the Committee and approved by the Executive Board:

• Introduction of the match format of four quarters as standard
In international matches, teams have been playing four quarters for some years and it is felt that uniformity in match formats can be achieved when all match formats are based on a four quarter principle. Like in international matches, time is stopped between the awarding of a penalty corner and the taking of that penalty corner. Other than in international matches, where this is covered by FIH Tournament Regulations, time is not stopped to celebrate goals as this was introduced primarily for television coverage. The four quarters has additional advantages at junior levels of the sport in which coaches often umpire youth/school matches and the additional breaks provide for coaching opportunities.

• Removal of Goalkeeping privileges for substitute field player
A mandatory experiment, with effect from 1 January 2019, taking out the option for teams to play with a field player with goalkeeping privileges. Teams have now two options: they either play with a goalkeeper who wears full protective equipment comprising at least headgear, leg guards and kickers and who is also permitted to wear goalkeeping hand protectors and other protective equipment, or they play with only field players. Any change between these options should be treated as a substitution. It is hoped that this experimental rule will enhance safety as field players will no longer have goalkeeping privileges so will not be entitled to use their body to stop shots at goal and it also enhances the promotion of the sport by eliminating the issue of outfield players wearing other shirts to indicate goalkeeping privileges.

• Defending free hits within 5 meters of the circle
The explanation for how to treat free hits for the attacker close to the circle has been changed in Rules 13.2.f. It has now been made clear that players other than the attacker taking the free hit must be at least five meters away, including when they are in their circle. If the attacker however chooses to take the free hit immediately, then defenders who are inside the circle and within five meters from the ball may shadow around the inside of the circle as per the explanation of the rule before 2019. This has the advantage of not preventing the quickly taken free hit which has been widely welcomed by coaches and players, whilst maintaining the 5m rule used everywhere else on the pitch to provide space for the free hit taker.

• Free hits awarded inside the defensive circle
As in Indoor Hockey a defender may now take a free hit awarded in the circle anywhere inside the circle or up to 15 meters from the back-line in line with the location of the offence, parallel to the side-line.

• Completion of a penalty corner
Rule 13.6 that described the completion of a penalty corner for substitution purposes and for a penalty corner at the end of a period, has been deleted. The option that a penalty corner is completed when the ball travels outside the circle for the second time, no longer exists.

These amendments will come into force on 1 January.

These detailed revisions to the Rules of Hockey will be available from Friday 21st December on the FIH Rules app which can be downloaded here for the iOS version or here for the Android version.

FIH site



Men’s & Women’s National Development Squads Named For 2019

Ben Somerford

Hockey Australia (HA) today announces the 2019 Men’s and Women’s National Development Squads.

The National Development Squads are decentralised athletes, who sit under the centralised National Senior Squads based at the HA High Performance unit in Perth. The 27-member National Senior Men’s Squad was announced in late November, while the 27-member National Senior Women’s Squad was released in early December.

Both National Development Squads have included 12 players, with numerous members from last year’s Squads debuting in 2018 and graduating into the National Senior Squads, including Jacob Anderson, Jack Welch, Hayley Padget, Penny Squibb and Sophie Taylor.

It is intended that athletes will be added to the 12-member National Development Squads during 2019 around national camps and other opportunities.

HA High Performance Director Toni Cumpston said: “The overarching principles for selection was identifying athletes capable of progressing to the National Senior Squads through the training and competition opportunities the National Development Program provides in addition to development in their home daily training environment.

“In 2018 we had several athletes debut at the senior international level out of the National Development Squads and go on to earn National Senior Squad opportunities for 2019.  This is a great reflection on the work being done in our under pinning programs by our NTC coaches in our states and territories and ensures we continue to develop depth in our athlete cohort.

“The 2019 National Development Squad Program will provide development opportunities through the provision of visiting athlete agreement opportunities to the centralised High Performance Program in Perth and potential international competition opportunities.”

Queensland goalkeeper Matthew Finn and Victorian defender Jayshaan Randhawa are notable inclusions in the Men’s National Development Squad following good 2018 Australian Hockey League (AHL) performances.

Among those to drop out from the 2018 Men’s National Development Squad are Matthew Butturini, Ben Craig, Casey Hammond and Tristan White.

Butturini, 31, has elected to retire after battling back from a long-term knee injury having earned the last of his 89 international caps in 2013. Tristan White has advised he will step away from Hockey indefinitely after starting a family in mid-2018.

NSW trio Kate Jenner, Jessica Watterson and Abigail Wilson are added to the Women’s National Development Squad after their 2018 AHL success along with Lithgow goalkeeper Rene Hunter who represented ACT in the AHL. Jenner, 28, has previously earned 116 caps for Australia.

WA’s Candyce Peacock, SA’s Michaela Spano and ACT’S Tina Taseska are also added along with Queensland’s Ashlea Fey who has moved from the National Senior Squad.

Among those to drop out of the 2018 Women’s National Development Squad are Laura Barden, Roos Broek, Anna Flanagan, Laura Gray, Kate Hanna, Meg Pearce and Tegan Richards.

Flanagan, who has 171 caps and 34 goals for Australia and last represented the Hockeyroos in 2016, is a notable exclusion.

2019 Women’s National Development Squad
Naomi Evans (ACT)
Ashlea Fey (QLD)
Rene Hunter (NSW) *Plays for ACT
Kate Jenner (NSW)
Mikaela Patterson (NSW)
Candyce Peacock (WA)
Aleisha Power (WA)
Karri Somerville (WA)
Michaela Spano (SA)
Tina Taseska (ACT)
Jessica Watterson (NSW)
Abigail Wilson (NSW)

2019 Men’s National Development Squad
Kieron Arthur (TAS)
Kiran Arunasalam (VIC)
Scott Boyde (QLD)
James Day (ACT)
Matthew Finn (QLD)
Frazer Gerrard (WA)
Max Hendry (VIC)
Kurt Lovett (NSW)
Hugh Pembroke (QLD)
Jayshaan Randhawa (VIC)
Joel Rintala (QLD)
Ash Thomas (NSW)

Hockey Australia media release



Four things we learned from the Africa Club Championship

By BRIAN YONGA


Telkom Kenya's Georgina Lumumba in action against Nigeria's Delta Queens in their Africa Club Hockey Championship clash on December 17, 2018 in Abuja, Nigeria. PHOTO | BRIAN OTWAL | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

Tuesday is rest day at the 2018 Africa Cup for Club Hockey Championship in Abuja, Nigeria as teams take stock of their performances so far.

It has been three days of sizzling action at the Abuja National Stadium with 12 teams - six men and six women - batting for the top honours on the continental front.

Action continues on Wednesday as teams look for points that will see them reach the final.

Here are four things we learned after the first three days of action:

Telkom are the real deal

The nine-time champions have been ruthless so far, winning their opening three matches of the annual tourney to sit top of the women’s standings with nine points.

A win in their fourth game on Wednesday against Nigeria’s Delta Queens will seal the Kenyan champions place in Saturday’s final.

Jos Openda’s charges are playing like a wounded lion seeking to reclaim the title and if they can keep up with such performances, a 10th title looks like a reality.

USIU Spartans find the going tough

Kenya’s second team at the competition, United States International University of Africa (USIU-A) Spartans, are struggling on their debut in their continental showpiece.

After three games, the students are rooted at the bottom of the standings with only one point. They have lost twice and drawn once so far.

They were always going to struggle against Telkom, champions Ghana Revenue Authority, who have played at the competition for many years.

They can fight for a respectable finish in their remaining fixtures and pick the necessary experience.

GRA do not have the champions' spark

When GRA beat Telkom 1-0 in the 2017 final in front of their fans in Accra, many had predicted a shift of power with the West Africans finally ending years of heartbreak at the hands of their Kenyan rivals.

They arrived at this year’s competition as overwhelming favourites after retaining their league title ahead of rivals Ghana Police.

However, after three games, the tax collectors have yet to convince that they are worthy to hold on to the title. Two draws and an unimpressive 1-0 against USIU Spartans leaves them second in the table with five points.

Egyptian clubs running the show in men's competition

Defending champions Sharkia and Eastern Company from Egypt have as expected, stamped their authority in the men’s competition.

After three rounds, Eastern Company are perched at the top with nine points, two ahead of their compatriots. The two are tipped to once again contest Saturday’s final barring a calamity. The rest of the sides can only try and play catch up.

Out of the last 29 editions held, Egyptian clubs have won 28 of those – a worrying statistic to the rest of the sides.

Daily Nation



Multi-talented MacLeod moves from on-pitch to pitch-side



Transition has been a key word throughout Dr Hannah MacLeod’s career. As a scientist and logician by training, when she entered the Great Britain Olympic programme under Head Coach Danny Kerry, she had to learn how to adapt to a mindset that put culture at the heart of all she did.

“People talk about the team that we built for London and Rio, but it was a long process. We didn’t start with it. I learnt so much about myself and what was important for individuals and teams both from a mindset and a cultural perspective. But we didn’t always have that unique team culture, so you saw the transition. I am a scientist by trade and my mindset was very black and white. ‘Culture - what is that? Mindset, what a load of rubbish’.”

The next transition for MacLeod was the move from elite performance athlete – with accompanying Olympic gold medal around her neck – into a new life and new career.

It is a huge change. As an athlete just about every minute of every day is mapped out and planned. MacLeod was now someone with a ‘portfolio career’ comprising motivational speaking, sports consultancy and high performance coaching. When we spoke, she had just received her honorary degree from Loughborough University, an honour she shared with three other members of the Great Britain Olympic team.

The past two years have seen the quietly spoken MacLeod join the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race and embark on a hugely successful motivational speaking career. The dry humour and intelligence that shines through her public speaking delivery makes her a hit among the largely high-flying business people she talks to.

But the place MacLeod is still most at home is in the hockey environment. She currently works part-time for England Hockey as the Great Britain Elite Development Programme assistant coach and the England U21 assistant coach. She has also taken charge of the U21 side from time to time – when the current Head Coach Paul Revington is working with the senior side. It is a role she thoroughly enjoys, even though she says she is “still learning something new everyday.”

There is a new focus on the U21 squad and the Elite Development squad, which makes MacLeod’s role even more rewarding. She explains: “We have had an increase in funding post-Rio to close the gap between U21s and seniors.”

And, as MacLeod says, the gap is more complex than people might realise. “It is as much about getting the culture right as anything. We are a long way off matching some of the other teams in terms of highly skilful players but we compete by being a very tactically smart team. There is a massive requirement for players to really understand the game in tactical terms. How each other works. There is a cognitive requirement for everyone to invest in the whole game. You need to ask your teammates what they need from you and be prepared to have difficult conversations. The players have good skills but their understanding of what is actually required is sometimes way off mark.”

As she has transitioned into coaching MacLeod says she has changed as a person. “I am much calmer and much more reflective. As a player, everything was a matter of life and death. I sometimes chuckle to myself when I see young players and I think ‘I was just like that’.

“I think as a coach you really appreciate how much experience counts. Bringing Karen Brown into the programme when she retired was a stroke of genius. [Brown is MacLeod’s mentor]. We look at world class coaches who are tactically or strategically smart but it is about far more than that. It will become more obvious with the FIH Pro League because there will be a lot of new demands – travelling etc – and someone with Karen’s experience knows how to handle that in the best way.”

The biggest difficulty MacLeod has encountered since transitioning from player to coach has been how she has been perceived or received by others. “I still sometimes get seen as a player and with coaches and players you almost have a parent/child relationship. That can make it difficult to gain trust from players and other coaching staff. ‘What do you know?’, is the attitude I sometimes face.

“The other side of that is that you are seen as a threat by other coaches because you have played the game recently and often they haven’t. In those cases, you just keep your head down and choose your moment to support and be involved. It is a case of winning respect all over again.”

To develop her coaching career, MacLeod was invited onto the year-long UK Sport-sponsored Athlete to Coach programme, which, she says, has given her the time and experience to really develop her coaching skills. She is the only coach from a team sport background and, she says, the opportunity to work with fellow coaches from the world of individual sports has been tremendous.

“In my own playing career I have experienced real extremes in coaching styles. My first coach, Chris Meyer, was like marmite. He was loathed by much of the hockey community but loved by his team. He was a genius at bringing people together and instilling huge confidence in them.

“Then there was Danny Kerry who is so tactically minded and so diligent. The attention he pays to every detail is amazing. And then there is Paul Revington, he has a desire to create a real family atmosphere within the team. He can reach out to everyone. And his technical knowledge is amazing. What he has done so far at the Elite Development Programme is incredible. To work with these coaches has been an ongoing education.”

So where does the future lead MacLeod? Despite the many strands to her career, a high performance coaching role looks the favoured option. Her own coaching style is developing although she says she is more of a Kerry-style coach, not a ‘shout from the sidelines’ character.

As she ponders what it takes to be a top coach, MacLeod talks about putting the individual at the heart of her coaching. “There are stresses on today’s players that wasn’t so intense when I was starting out. The number of conversations I have that are about skills and tactics compared to chats about lifestyle and coping with life’s pressures - well that is about 30-70 at the moment.”

The amiable Olympian has all the ingredients to transition from high performance athlete to high performance coach. Just like Brown before her, she brings years of experience. Just like Revington, she is approachable and keen to get the basic skills to a high level and just like Kerry, she pays enormous attention to detail. She is also quietly reflective, not easily phased and has a keen sense of humour, which, in the ups and downs of a coaching career are essential qualities.

FIH site



Seattle Women’s Field Hockey Club Celebrates 65 years of Continuous Play



SEATTLE -  This past weekend, USA Field Hockey Member Club, the Seattle Women's Field Hockey Club (SWFHC), celebrated a historic milestone - 65 years as a club. In the fall of 1953, alumni from the University of Washington formed the club. In those early days, the SWFHC were fortunate to have other teams in the states of Washington and Oregon to play, but for the past 30 years, they have been the only women's field hockey club in the Pacific Northwest.

Week after week regardless of the weather, SWFHC has had a core group of dedicated players show up to play the sport that they have loved so much over the years. In 1958, SWFHC held their first tournament in Seattle, consisting of teams from Eugene, Portland and Vancouver BC. Since then they have hosted and attended many tournaments throughout the United States and abroad. Every May, SWFHC participates in the Vancouver International Tournament (VIT), where they send women's, social and masters teams. Over the past 15 years, the SWFHC teams have won the social and masters divisions, and even the "Judy Broom, Spirit of the Game" award. This club has also attended several National Hockey Festivals over the years. In 2005, they took a team abroad where they toured Germany, Scotland and The Netherlands. They have also participated in several 'Golden Oldies' Tournaments, including ones held in Argentina, Canada and Fiji.

With a mix of ages (19-65) and abilities (beginner - international), the SWFHC has some impressive individual accolades for some of its members. Carol West was a member of the 1973 U.S. Women's National Team, while Ishbel Dickens was selected for the U.S. O-55 Women's Masters Team that played in the Masters World Cup in Spain this past summer and coach Markus Krueger played for the U.S. O-50 Men's Masters Team.



On Saturday, SWFHC celebrated their 65th anniversary with a holiday attire themed practice followed by a potluck. New members and some from the 1960s were in attendance, celebrated and shared stories of being part of this field hockey family.

Seattle Women's Field Hockey Club encourages anyone interested in field hockey who lives in the Pacific Northwest to get in touch. For more information, please contact Ishbel Dickens at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or check them out on Facebook.

USFHA media release

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