News for 02 April 2019
All the news for 2 April 2019
Owsley delighted with victory in milestone match
Lily Owsley
It was a superb showing from Great Britain who came from behind to defeat the USA 3-1 away from home to claim a first FIH Pro League victory.
Lily Owsley, who was making her 50th GB appearance, played a starring role as she recorded a brace of goals and assisted the third, with the forward expressing her delight at the result: “To win is unbelievable,” she said. “It’s been a long time coming. It literally means the world to us to get three points.
“It’s been a really tough journey and transition since the World Cup and now I feel exhilarated and relieved. I just feel brilliant.”
Lily Owsley
Next up for Great Britain is another tough test in the form of Argentina, and Owsley is determined to maintain a high level of performance in Saturday’s FIH Pro League double header match, which begins with the men’s team at 7:30pm GMT live on BT Sport:
“Going into Argentina we’ve got to start how we finished against the USA. We’ve conceded a few quite early in the last six months or so, so we’ve got to start like we did in the second-half.
“We were having fun, looking at each other and saying ‘this is what it’s like to win, this is what it’s like to play’. This is how we used to feel and now we’ve got to start with that because Argentina are a good side.”
The USA will be seeking vengeance when they come to London on Saturday 27 April for the reverse fixture in what will be Great Britain’s first home FIH Pro League match
Great Britain Hockey media release
Malaysia tour will help us improve in key areas: Savita
An 18-member women’s hockey team will play a five-match series against Malaysia, starting April 4
The Hindu
India hockey team skipper Savita on Monday said the Malaysia tour will help the team improve on key areas ahead of the Olympic qualifiers, slated to be held later this year. An 18-member women’s hockey team will play a five-match series against Malaysia, starting April 4.
‘Confidence’
“Earlier this year, we played in Spain where we did well against the hosts and Ireland. We will carry the same confidence into Malaysia and look to improve on key areas which we felt needed to be worked on after analysing our performance in Spain,” Savita said.
“Whatever we are doing now is all part of the preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics qualifying event later this year and we are looking to improve as a team as well as our individual performance,” explained Savita.
Going into the tour with some key players missing due to injuries such as experienced striker Rani, midfielder Namita Toppo and dragflicker Gurjit Kaur, Savita said the tour will be a good platform for the youngsters to step up and make use of the opportunity.
“I think we have good depth in the team now with quite a few talented youngsters who have had good international exposure. They know what is required at this level and are aware of their individual responsibilities.
“This will be a good tour for them to show their capabilities so that they will stand a chance to make the team for the all important 2020 Tokyo Olympics Qualifying event this year,” she said.
The Hindu
New coaching unit brings holistic experience to Indian men’s hockey team
Chiranjibi Pati
The Indian men’s hockey team is set to get a new coaching unit a couple of months before the FIH Series Finals as Hockey India has recommended Graham Reid's name for the chief coach’s post to the sports ministry. Shivendra Singh is also set to be appointed as an assistant coach of the team.
The Indian men’s hockey team travelled to Malaysia without a chief coach and returned as the runners-up at the 28th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup which concluded on Saturday. Despite being the highest ranked side in the tournament, the Manpreet Singh-led side which travelled under Hockey India’s high-performance director (HPD) David John, lost to Korea in a shoot-out in the final of the prestigious tournament.
After India’s loss against the Netherlands in the quarter-finals of the previous World Cup in December last year, Hockey India had asked Harendra Singh to step down from the top position. The national body had then invited fresh applications for the post of the chief coach while many former players criticised Hockey India’s decision of removing the former coach.
However, currently, there are reports that the Hockey India has zeroed down on former Australian defensive midfielder Graham Reid’s name for the post of the chief coach of the team with former Indian forward Shivendra Singh as the assistant coach. The new coaching set-up will also comprise current analytical coach Chris Ciriello and Sports Authority of India (SAI) coach Piyush Dubey for the men’s team.
Graham Reid
The former head coach of the Australian men’s team, Reid’s name has been proposed by the Hockey India and a nod from the sports ministry is awaited to confirm his appointment as the next chief coach of the Indian team. The 54-year-old former defensive midfielder has a vast experience as a coach while managing different teams at the international and club level. But, he was recently dismissed from his post of Head Coach of AH&BC (Amsterdam hockey club) after which the speculation of his appointment gained momentum.
Having won a silver medal in the Olympics in 1992 and a bronze in 1990 World Cup as a player for the Aussies, he has had a decorated career as a coach of the Kookaburras. He was appointed as the assistant coach of the Australian men’s team in 2009 and was an understudy of Ric Charlesworth. He took over the charge of the team in the absence of Charlesworth for a temporary period in 2012 and won the Champions Trophy gold that year as well. After Charlesworth decided to leave the team, he stepped in as the joint head coach alongside Paul Gaudoin and the duo took Australia to a Commonwealth Games gold medal in Glasgow 2014. He finally took the complete charge of the Kookaburras following that and the Australian side under his guidance won gold medals in 2015 Hockey World League and 2016 Champions Trophy, where they had defeated India in the penalty shootout.
However, he left for Amsterdam after the Rio Olympics in 2016 where the Aussies failed to make it to the semi-finals. He joined the prestigious Amsterdam Hockey Club as the head coach alongside being the head coach of the Dutch national team that played under the guidance of Max Caldas. He won the EuroHockey Nations Championships in 2015 before finishing second at the 2018 World Cup with the Netherlands.
With a coaching experience of around 10 years with international teams, Reid must have studied the playing style of most of the Indian players which might be an important factor for him to succeed in his next job with the Men in Blue. He is expected to be complemented well by the fellow Australians HPD John and analytical coach Ciriello in India. According to hockey experts, together they can bring the Australian playing style into Indian hockey and the major challenge for him will be ensuring the qualification of the Indian side for the 2020 Olympics. 
© Getty
Shivendra Singh
Reid will have the help of former India forward Shivendra Singh who has been appointed as the new assistant coach of the senior men’s team. Shivendra, who is still active as a player in domestic tournaments, played for India in the forward line and will work exclusively with the strikers in the Indian side.
The 35-year-old forward was a live wire on the turf while playing for the Indian side during his earlier days and he is still an active player representing Air India in various corporate tournaments across the country. The striker played for the Indian team in the 2012 London Olympics, where the Men in Blue had performed poorly and finished at the 12th position. Among the major events of his career, India won silver at the 2010 Commonwealth Games at home and a bronze at the Asian Games in the same year in Guangzhou. He had also played his part in the 2007 Asia Cup in Chennai where India had won the title beating South Korea by 7-2 goals in the final. Shivendra had scored the opening goal for the Indian side as early as in the fourth minute of the match.
Although Shivendra has no professional experience as a coach but being a current player, his experience of playing with and against almost all the players in the national team will be beneficial for the side. He will be able to understand the problems of the players better than Reid or Ciriello in the coaching team because of the language. From the technical point of view, the coaching set-up will now have a good combination of a defensive midfielder in Reid, a drag-flicker in Ciriello and a striker in Shivendra as well. His inclusion might help the young strikers like Shilanand Lakra and Gursahibjit Singh, who showed good promise in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, along with the seasoned campaigners like Lalit Upadhyay, Akashdeep Singh, Mandeep Singh and others.
Piyush Kumar Dubey
© Twitter
Sports Authority of India (SAI) Piyush Kumar Dubey had joined the Indian men’s camp in Bengaluru last month ahead of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup. The 37-year-old coach worked with the goalkeepers in the camp and also travelled with the team to Malaysia for the tournament. Now as per recent reports, Dubey will continue being a part of the coaching set-up in the future as well and will work with the goalkeepers exclusively.
He is a promising coach with the SAI and many of his trainees excelled in various junior and senior tournaments all over the country in the last few years. Dubey was a part of the 25-member coaches pool which travelled to Birmingham in 2016 on an exposure trip.
Dubey’s inclusion might just help young keepers like Krishan Bahadur Pathak who was given a longer run in the post during the recently-concluded Azlan Shah Cup. He was seen more often in place of PR Sreejesh and showed some good skills as well. India asked him to stay at the post during the penalty shoot-out in the final which Korea won 4-2. Sreejesh, Suraj Karkera, and Pathak have been the three regular goalkeepers in the Indian squads for last year or so now and Dubey will work closely for their betterment ahead with the qualification for the Olympics in mind.
Apart from the three, 33-year-old Ciriello will continue being a part of the coaching team as well. The former Australian drag-flicker was appointed last year as an analytical coach and will continue with his role in the team under compatriot Reid.
Sports Cafe
All-Canadian indoor final at international series fuels World Cup dreams
By Grace Li
The 2019 Indoor Invitational kicked off a three-year run for the Women’s Indoor National Team, who came off a fourth-place finish at the 2017 Indoor Pan American Cup.
The tournament, featuring two Canadian teams, Canada Red and Canada White, and challenging nations Kazakhstan and Guyana ran from March 22–24, 2019 at the University of Toronto. As the teams vied for top spots, the three-nation series also gave players a taste of what they might expect in coming years.
Canada Red captain Krissy Wishart, a retired outdoor national team player, found the international competition really exciting for the program’s development.
“[Kazakhstan] is quite skilled,” she said. “They had their team split with younger girls and some older girls who’ve been to many World Cups. Anytime you play against the players like that, you can’t take anything for granted.”
As one of the tournament’s top-leading goal scorers, Wishart noted that everybody was there to prove themselves and capitalize on offensive opportunities. “We’re all at the top of our program so it forces us to put our best foot forward.”
After facing the Kazakh side twice in one day, Canada Red had two wins to propel them to the gold medal match and was set to take on counterpart Canada White, who had just defeated Guyana in an intense semi-final shootout. As Director of Canadian Indoor Hockey Louis Mendonca predicted, the final would be a “boxing match” between players and friends who had trained together for weeks leading up to the series.
Despite a solid performance from the “Team White,” Canada Red came out with a 3-1 win to capture the tournament title.
“I’m grateful for the experience this [series] provided,” Mendonca said. “Canada usually travels outside of the country to play, so it’s really valuable to host. This is all mental stuff that you can’t buy or train in a domestic setting unless you play international teams.”
Not only were 24 Canadian athletes exposed to quality international play, but some younger athletes were also able to get their first true exposure to international competition.
“In the past there was the Pan Am Cup and your team would get together last minute,” Wishart mentioned. “So it’s been awesome that Louis and our coaching staff have recognized that we need to have a system that works over time for player development.”
Although both the men’s and women’s Canadian national indoor teams failed to qualify for the 2018 Indoor World Cup in Germany, Mendonca hopes to use the International Invitational and the upcoming Pan Am Cup to fuel the group’s 2022 prospects. The goal is to remain competitive, despite conflicting schedules and fast-approaching summer field hockey season.
“We have senior athletes but also many university athletes, so finding time to train is always difficult,” he said. “But we’re looking to run camps during the summer and then plan a trip abroad before heading to Pennsylvania next March.”
“I’ve worked with both indoor and outdoor [field hockey] for a long time and…I preach that sport is the most important thing. The sport we love—we need to grow it.”
Field Hockey Canada media release
2019 Masters Indoor World Cup – Friendships Beyond the Field
“All in the name of friendship, and with the love of field hockey front and center.”
By Chelcie Mendonça
This group of field hockey players goes way back. It was the sport that brought them together, and it is the sport that has made them such great friends. The majority of the team had played high level field hockey together, whether it be provincial or national teams. From there, many went on to coach in some capacity, allowing them to experience competition at a high level. This past month, they competed together on the international stage at the 2019 Masters Indoor World Cup in Hong Kong.
John D’Souza, who represented Canada on the O45 team, shared, “the reality for a couple of us was that we wanted to play with Ken Pereira, my cousin, in a competitive tournament and see what we’re made of.”
Two-time Olympian Kenny Pereira shared with us his relations to his World Cup teammates and coach, “Well Johhny is my cousin, and a big part of why I played this sport in the first place. Louis Mendonça was also my first coach for field hockey with the GOA Golds, where I played with Cassius Mendonça. Most of the other guys, Juggy Mehal, Reggie Pereira, Sandy Singh, and Gary Singh, I’ve played with and against in club tournaments.”
When they’re not playing field hockey, they spend most of their time together bantering around ideas that they think will make the sport grow or become better on the world stage. These men share their passion for field hockey in hopes that others will have the same opportunities at creating fond memories through the amazing sport. D’Souza added, “as a group, we have always enjoyed each other’s company, and have always made it a priority to have at least one dinner together to share the years of accomplishments, laughs, failures, and memories.” Cassius Mendonça said, “going to a World Cup with your best friends is a dream, especially with players like Kenny Pereira. I would do it all over again!”
Through decades of experiences, their team culture was created by the competitiveness each athlete brought to the table. It was obvious that with older age, comes physical difficulties. Each athlete committed themselves to trainings and three practices a week to reach a competitive level that would set them up for success at the World Cup. D’Souza claims, “we all had one goal and we were committed to reaching that one goal.” They kept each other motivated to train individually through their group texts. The chemistry between them came easy due to everyone’s past history with one another.
Despite being over 40 years old, Pereira had been competing for years in age groups substantially younger than his own. Pereira continues to train with the Men’s Indoor National Team, where he competes with and against players that are up to 15 years younger than him. Pereira shares, “playing in this new age group is great! I was looking forward to playing against men my own age. I’m definitely not missing another masters event – it was way too fun!”
Louis Mendonça, recently inducted into Field Hockey Canada’s Hall of Fame, continues his presence on the international stage – but this time is different. This time around Mendonça coaches his fellow colleagues and best friends. He said, “coaching was different, but easy. They picked up on tactics and game play before I even had the chance to input my coaching ideas. Off the field was even better, it was just me hanging out with my friends.”
The 045 Canadian team ended the tournament on a positive note by defeating North American rival, USA, in a shootout. While the on-court competition was great, the time spent with one another on the road, in the locker room and in social environments is what really keeps these men coming together.
Field Hockey Canada media release
HA Welcomes Commonwealth Games Australia Funding Package
Ben Somerford
Hockey Australia welcomes today’s news of a $13 million funding package announced by Commonwealth Games Australia to assist with preparations for athletes and sports for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
The funding from Commonwealth Games Australia is a direct legacy for Commonwealth Games sports and athletes of hosting the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, which will celebrate the one-year anniversary since the opening ceremony this Thursday.
The total 2019-2022 funding includes $2 million in direct athlete support in the final 18 months leading into the 2022 Commonwealth Games. The remaining $11 million will fund initiatives which CGA believes will most likely contribute to its aspiration of being the number one nation in Birmingham.
The initial grants program consists of $4.155 million in project funding for the 18 Birmingham 2022 sports for projects in 2019 and 2020 targeting pre-elite athletes who have their sights set on the 2022 Games.
Hockey will receive $193,500 in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 funding allocation.
The funding is targeted at able body and para-sport athletes for projects that are focussed on the Commonwealth Games, and includes specific 2022 campaign funding, which will come after the Tokyo Olympic Games, so this round of funding targets the pre-elite and ‘next generation’ athletes who now have their sights set on the Games in Birmingham.
CGA CEO Craig Phillips said the funding was vital for sports and athletes to assist in their preparations specifically for the 2022 Commonwealth Games and was an investment in team success at the Games.
“Between 1996 and 2018, CGA has provided in excess of $43 million to its members and athletes. The funding comes entirely from income from investments held in the Australian Commonwealth Games Foundation, sponsorship rights sales and fundraising activities and has been boosted by legacies of hosting home Games in Melbourne and now the Gold Coast,” Phillips said.
“The funding is designed to complement rather than replace or replicate any other sources of funding such as via Sport Australia or the AIS. And in some sports where Olympic related funding is minimal, this funding provides a lifeline for their athletes and the sport.”
“Our 2016-2022 strategy is “Building Team Success” and this funding will help our sports and athletes in these crucial two years before the final lead in to Birmingham where our goal is to be the No.1 nation in both gold and overall medals at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.”
The Kookaburras won gold at last year’s Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, while the Hockeyroos collected the silver medal.
Australia have won all six Commonwealth Games gold medals in men’s Hockey. In women’s Hockey, Australia have claimed four gold medals, one silver and one bronze at the Commonwealth Games.
Hockey Australia media release
Hockey provides hope for Venezuela’s captain
With 89 international caps to his name and a promising career in the Venezuelan provincial police force, Andy Adrians was enjoying life. But, as his country fell foul of political turmoil, the talented hockey player had to make one of the most difficult decisions of his life – to uproot and leave his country, friends and family behind, possibly for ever.
The South American country is currently being torn apart by politics. It regularly hits headlines across the world as troubles continues to escalate and a large number of people have died as a result of the violence. The economic situation is dire and, at present, there seems no end to the conflict.
When the political conflict began, Adrians had no intention of leaving his homeland. The warring between the two main political groups did persuade him to leave the police force and take up hockey coaching but, as he says: “At that point leaving my homeland was never an option, I couldn't picture myself leaving everything behind. Family and friends....” The 30-year-old’s voice tails off.
The decision to leave was “One of the hardest things I have done in my life” says Adrians. He left with just a suitcase and not knowing when he would see his family again.
“I had to hide the depth of my emotions from my mother-in-law. Saying good bye to the people that care about me was just so difficult.”
Andy embarked on the seven-day bus journey with another national team player, Liseida Sarmiento. The pair questioned their motives and considered turning back many times, but as Adrians says: “we kept each other going. It was easier to have someone to talk to and share feelings with. We did have moments when we argued bitterly but she will always be the person I shared this journey with.”
Adrians and Sarmiento were just two of 30 players from the men’s and women’s national teams who have fled Venezuela and are setting up new lives in Peru, Chile, USA , Argentina, Dominican Republic and Spain.
“My hope is never lost for the future. I hope that one day the situation changes in Venezuela and that we can all return to our homeland.”
- Andy Adrians
Lima, in Peru was Adrians’ destination. His passage had been paid by coach Carlos Morales who had come across the young player at international tournaments. It was a leap of faith by both men. Andy was putting his trust in a man he had met only a handful of times; Carlos was funding a player not knowing if he would even leave Venezuela.
But the trust paid off as Andy started playing hockey at Old Markham Hockey Club in Lima where Carlos was a player and club coach. He picked up work, helping with house maintenance and decoration and selling refreshments on the public transport system. This was followed by a job driving a delivery lorry, but he was soon looking for a new role as it was a working environment that saw a lot of mistreatment of the workers.
Eventually Andy found his way into hockey coaching and began to make better money. At this point his life began to look up and he was able to see a future for himself and his family.
“I received an offer from a Chilean hockey club, Sport Frances, to play for them and have more benefits. My experiences in Lima had been very tough for me, but I will remember it as a very important period of my life.”
Andy now sees himself as a citizen of the world. It is a situation, he says, that gives you a very different perspective on life. “My life has changed completely. I value everything around me. Being an immigrant has shown me all the really important things in life. I'm not the same person that left Venezuela, I now see myself as a son, brother, cousin, boyfriend and captain and so many other things.”
“I had to hide the depth of my emotions from my mother-in-law. Saying good bye to the people that care about me was just so difficult.”
- Andy Adrians
He now has regular employment as a hockey coach, has economic stability and is able to send money home to help the family members that remain in troubled Venezuela. He is a big part of the Sport Francés hockey club and has ambitions to lead the club to the national championships. He also would like the chance to play hockey in one of Europe’s big clubs. The sport, says Andy, has been his saviour through some really turbulent times.
Adrians has not turned his back on Venezuela. He hopes to return one day and even lead the national team into competition again. “Venezuela is a country with enormous potential in hockey,” he says. “The teams have achieved incredible victories with very little equipment. Training takes place on concrete or dust/earth pitches and yet the teams go out and compete on artificial turf in international competitions.
“The players are young guys that day in, day out, fight against a system that is looking to extinguish their hopes and dreams. With this sort of backdrop, the Venezuelan national team has managed to break into the top four nations in South America and into the top 10 in the Pan American Hockey Federation (Venezuela men finished fourth in the 2018 South American Championships and eighth in the 2017 Pan Am Cup). Think what the team could do under different circumstances, particularly if we can ever get an artificial pitch to play and train on.
“My hope is never lost for the future. I hope that one day the situation changes in Venezuela and that we can all return to our homeland.”
With thanks to Michael Gibney and Karen Moreno for the interview and translation.
#Hockey4LIFE #SportForBetterWorld #IDSDP2019
FIH site
Leopold go into big knock-out games in confident form
©: Frank Uijlenbroek / World Sport Pics
Royal Leopold picked up a confidence-boosting victory over Waterloo Ducks to go into their Belgian playoffs and EHL preparation in great shape.
They play Real Club de Polo on April 18 (3pm CET) in the KO16 as they look to back up their fine performances in recent times that have seen them get into the last eight of the Belgium league.
They did so by inflicting just a second defeat of the season on Waterloo who had made the best record from the regular season.
The Ducks had led via a Quentin van Lierde deflection made it past Romain Henet for the only goal of the first half but Arthur Verdussen got a deserved equaliser in the 49th minute.
And Leo moved in front in the 64th minute via Tom Degroote and they closed out the victory when Kane Russell finished off a corner in the closing stages.
Elsewhere, KHC Dragons lost their seventh game of the season with a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Oree, letting an early lead slip as Toni Domene scored twice.
Dragons will play the WatDucks in the quarter-finals in Belgium while they also have a date with Three Rock Rovers on April 17 in the EHL KO16 to look forward to.
Euro Hockey League media release
East Grinstead complete English Premier Division playoff picture
©: Frank Uijlenbroek / World Sport Pics
East Grinstead secured the fourth and final play-off spot from the English men’s Premier Division on a thrilling final day of the campaign when five sides still harboured hopes of nabbing a ticket.
EG grasped it as they beat University of Exeter 2-0. Simon Faulkner gave the home side the lead in the 46th minute with a goal from free play before Ross Stott cemented the win with another goal in the same fashion just one minute later.
The win confirms that East Grinstead will join Surbiton, Hampstead & Westminster and Beeston in the end of season play-offs on 13-14 April at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in London.
Table toppers Surbiton ended their season with another win, this time at Wimbledon, ending their hopes of a return to the EHL next term.
Tom Sorsby gave the away side the lead in the 63rd minute and Dave Beckett secured the points with a goal from open play in the last minute.
Second-placed Hampstead & Westminster were also victorious, winning 2-1 at Brooklands MU. Kei Kaeppeler gave the away side the lead in the ninth minute before David Flanagan hit back for Brooklands in the 44th. But Will Calnan secured the victory with a goal from open play in the 57th minute.
Elsewhere, Reading had play-off hopes heading into the weekend, but although they beat Holcombe 3-1 East Grinstead’s victory meant they miss out.
Matt Richards scored a brace for Reading and Fred Newbold also found himself on the scoresheet. Matthew Symonds scored for Holcombe in the 47th minute, but it wasn’t enough.
Beeston also secured three points on the final day of the season after winning 3-1 at bottom of the table Sevenoaks.
Gareth Griffiths gave the away side the lead in the 16th minute before Ali Taylor hit back for Sevenoaks in the 45th. Alex Blumfield regained the lead for Beeston in the 48th minute and Joe Sharp sealed the points with a goal from open play in the 53rd.
Euro Hockey League media release
Three Rock hitting form at right time for EHL challenge
©: Adrian Boehm
Three Rock Rovers recorded their ninth and tenth wins in succession as they continue their return to form following a slow first half of the season in Ireland.
It has them in good shape for their EHL KO16 game with Dragons on April 17 in Eindhoven as they look to upset one of the big dogs in EHL history.
On Saturday, they beat Pembroke – their nearest rivals for the fourth and final spot in the playoff chase – 8-1 at home. Harry Morris continued his fine run of recent form in the early minutes before a spell of four goals in eight minutes before half-time saw them lead 5-0.
Luke Madeley scored twice from penalty corners while Mark English and Ali Empey were also on the mark. Daragh Walsh, Empey and John Mullins – in his first game back from injury – made it 8-0 before Pembroke got a goal on the board with three minutes to go.
The results leaves them in fourth place with seven points to spare over Pembroke in fifth and so likely to take a place in the EY Champions Trophy playoffs. They are four points off first placed Lisnagarvey who have three points to spare over both Glenanne and Banbridge.
On Sunday, Lisnagarvey and Three Rock both won in the Irish Senior Cup semi-finals with Garvey beating Glenanne 3-1 while Rovers saw off Cork C of I 5-0 away from home. The two will meet in May in the final.
Euro Hockey League media release
QPCC's Lee Quay nets hat-trick
By Nigel Simon
Queen’s Park Cricket Club’s Shawn Lee Quay scored a hat-trick tom lead his team past Paragon 3-2 in a T&T Hockey Board Men’s Championship Division match at the National Hockey Centre, Orange Grove Road, Tacarigua on Sunday.
Shawn Lee Quay registered the second hat-trick in as many matches by a Queen's Park Cricket Club player ina 3-2 defeat of Paragon when matches in the T&T Hockey Board Men's Championship Division continued at the National Hockey Centre, Orange Grove Road, Tacarigua on Sunday night.
Winners by a 3-1 margin over Malvern thanks to a treble from the national player, Aidan De Gannes, the Parkites stormed into a comfortable 2-0 advantage against the youthful Malvern thanks to items from Lee Quay as early as the fourth and tenth minutes in the team's opener.
T&T international Kiel Murray pulled a goal back for Paragon in the 25th to trail 2-1 at the half-time interval, but 14 minutes into the second-half Lee Quay completed his hat-trick for a 3-1 cushion.
With ten minutes left in the match, Kelon Skerritt got Paragon within one goal again, however, the Parkites managed to hold on for a second win from as many matches and maximum six points to lead the table.
In the second Men's Championship Division match on the night, Malvern got strikes from Shawn Phillip in the 19th, and Aidan Marcano, a minute into the second half to edge past Fatima 2-1.
Andrew Vieira, the reigning T&THB 'men's 'Player of the Year' netted the lone item for Fatima in the 51st minute, which was coming off a similar 2-1 triumph over Paragon, 24 hours earlier.
However, the star of the day was undoubted, Suzette Pierre of T&T Police, who scored a combined six goals in her team's two victories.
First up, Pierre scored all five goals in the sixth, 26th, 38th, 43rd and 56th minute to inspire Police to a 5-2 demolition of Notre Dame in the Mixed Veterans Division, before she scored the lone goal in a 1-0 beating of Shandy Carib Magnolias in the Trinity Women's competition.
And in the day's other contest, Dominic Young, Brandon Clarke and Jerazeno Bell fired in two goals each in Queen's Park 9-0 bashing of Fatima in the Trinity Men's Division.
The trio of Lee Quay, Justin Day and Mahinder Mali chipped in with one goal each.
T&T Hockey Board results
Sunday March 31:
Mixed Veterans
Police 5 (Suzette Pierre 6th, 26th, 38th, 43rd, 56th) vs Notre Dame 2 (Keith De Peza 34th, 58th)
Trinity Men
QPCC 9 (Dominic Young 8th, 57th, Brandon Clarke 2nd, 53rd, Jerazeno Bell 37th, 40th, Shawn Lee Quay 10th, Justin Day 35th, Mahinder Mali 59th) vs Fatima 0
Trinity Women
Police 1 (Suzette Pierre 39th) vs SC Magnolias 0
Championship Men
Malvern 2 (Shawn Phillip 19th, Aidan Marcano 36th) vs Fatima 1 (Andrew Vieira 51st)
QPCC 3 (Shawn Lee Quay 4th, 10th, 49th) vs Paragon 2 (Kelon Skerritt 25th, Kiel Murray 60th)
April 6 Matches
Trinity Men: Police vs Paragon, 11am
Trinity Women: Paragon vs Ventures, 1pm
Women's Championship: SC Magnolias vs Malvern, 2.30pm
Men's Championship: Police vs Shape, 4pm
Women's Championship: Harvard Checkers vs Paragon, 5.30pm
Men's Championship: Defence Force vs Notre Dame, 7pm
The Trinidad Guardian
The St Mary’s Investec Hockey Festival returns
By Nicholas Zaal
Last year's St Mary's Investec Hockey Festival was a blast. Photo: Graham de Lacy
WAVERLEY – The 20th edition of the action-packed St Mary’s Investec Hockey Festival will run from 4 to 7 April in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Thirty-two teams from around South Africa, as well as Windhoek High School from Namibia, will compete. St Mary’s is expecting more than 500 competitors and their coaching staff, and more than 7 500 supporters.
The matches take place predominately at St Mary’s School, Waverley, and will culminate in the final early on Sunday evening where an expected 3 000 spectators will fill the stands.
“This tournament provides for the uniting of women champions, helping to take them to the top of their game, during their school years and beyond,” said Danni Dixon, Investec South Africa head of marketing.
“Our aim is that the St Mary’s Investec Hockey Festival serves as a platform to promote and grow South African women’s hockey in the country.”
St Mary’s players celebrate scoring a goal against Durban Girls’ College at the festival last year. Photo: Graham de Lacy
The festival started in 2000 when St Mary’s was the only girls’ school in Joburg with an AstroTurf. Last year saw a nail-biting final between Collegiate and St Mary’s DSG, Kloof, with no goals being scored in regular time or during the five minutes of extra time. St Mary’s Kloof goalkeeper, Nicola Havenga, proved the difference between the teams in the penalty shootout when she saved all three attempts, helping her team to a thrilling 3–0 victory. This was the first win for St Mary’s Kloof since 2007.
The St Mary’s Investec Hockey Festival always sees excellent support from the learners. Photo: Graham de Lacy
St Mary’s old girl and former Springbok player Shelley Jones (nee Russell) and managing director of the Investec Hockey Academy said it was an honour to have the academy and festival so closely aligned.
“I played at the festival many times in the early 2000s and we will certainly be on the lookout for budding talent at this festival as we strive to improve South Africa’s hockey talent pool,” she said.
Deanne King, head of the school, said a new multi-purpose facility will be used as a second field this year to facilitate more games.
Funds are raised at the tournament annually for treating injured rhinos, education about rhinos and fencing for a new boma at Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre.
This year, Investec Rhino Lifeline has committed to match all funds raised up to R150 000 which will hopefully generate the festival’s largest single contribution to date.
Entrance is free to the public.
North Eastern Tribune
England Hockey Awards 2019 shortlist announced!
England Hockey Awards 2018
A huge congratulations to everyone who has been shortlisted for the England Hockey Awards 2019. We received an exceptionally high standard of nominations and it was a difficult process to whittle them all down to a shortlist.
The awards will be held at the Athena in Leicester on Saturday 11 May 2019. Come along and celebrate the 2018/19 season with us and the achievements from the Hockey world.
Tickets can be purchased here.
Shortlist
Club of the Year
London Wayfarers
Norton
Old Cranleighans
Plym Valley Ladies
Scarborough
Southport
Wapping
Wilmslow
Unsung Hero
Brian Rawsthorne
Chandra Arora
Claire Satchwell
Joel Forrester
Jonathan Crowther
Julia Gilbert
Michael Baxter
Sara Newman
Coach of the year
Andrea Glover
Andy Thomas
Angie Cottee
Gareth Ikin
Kathryn Barbery-Redd
Rising Star
Helen Windsor
Jeevan Chagger
Mila Welch
Oli Woodcock
Samuel Wash
Team of the year -Men
Atherstone Adders 1st XI
Carlisle 1st XI
Harrogate 1st XI
Monarchs Maidenhead
Stratford Upon Avon 1st XI
Urmston Manchester 1st XI
Team of the year-Women
Barford Tigers 1st XI
Chester 1st XI
Maidenhead 5th XI
Old Silhillians 1sts XI
Rugby & East Warwickshire 1st XI
Whitchurch 1st
Wycombe 5th XI
Official of the year
Christopher Mayo
Daniel Barstow
Rob Jenkins
Shelia George
Simon Dye
Hockey Maker of the Year
Alexandra Horowitz
Annie Thomas
EH Mascot Team
Emily Guy
Emma Longbottom
Steve King
England Hockey Board Media release