News for 01 July 2019
All the news for Monday 1 July 2019
2019 FIH Pro League (Men)
Wagener Stadium, Amsterdam
Time (GMT +2)
14:30 GBR v NED (3rd/4th Place) 3 - 5
17:00 AUS v BEL (Final) 3 - 2
Full game replay on https://fih.live (May be Geo blocked if there is TV coverage)
FIH Match Centre
Australia men win FIH Pro League and reclaim top spot in world rankings
A sell-out crowd at Amsterdam’s Wagener Stadium was on hand to watch Australia become the first ever men’s winners of the FIH Pro League, defeating world champions Belgium 3-2 in a breathtaking final on Sunday (30 June 2019)
First half goals from Trent Mitton, Flynn Ogilvie and Blake Govers proved to be just enough for the Kookaburras, with late strikes from Loick Luypaert and Alexander Hendrickx setting up a thrilling finish but not quite enough for the brilliant Belgians. It was a fitting finish to a wonderful FIH Pro League Grand Final event in Amsterdam, bringing the curtain down on six months of top class international hockey played across the globe.
As well as winning the FIH Pro League, Australia have reclaimed their place at the top of the FIH World Rankings, which have been updated and can be found here. The next rankings update will take place on 8 September 2019, following the completion of the Continental Championships.
The Kookaburras also took a trio of individual awards, with midfielder Aran Zalewski was named Best Player of the FIH Pro League, striker Blake Govers finishing as the Hero Top Scorer (12 goals) and Tyler Lovell taking the Volvo Best Goalkeeper of the FIH Pro Grand Final award. Belgium’s Tom Boon won the Deloitte Best Goal of the FIH Pro League Grand Final event thanks to his stunning solo effort against the Netherlands in the semi-finals on Friday (28 June).
Australia were exceptional in the first two quarters of the title match, dominating a Belgium team that lost talismanic defender Arthur Van Doren early in the contest through injury. It was a significant blow for the Red Lions, already missing injured team captain Thomas Briels, who now had to face the regular FIH Pro League table toppers without two of their most influential players.
The Kookaburras deservedly took the lead in the ninth minute of the match when Trent Mitton fired home on the turn after Jake Whetton had brilliantly stolen possession from Belgium midfielder Victor Wegnez, a lead that was doubled just before the quarter-time break thanks to Flynn Ogilvie’s backhand rocket-shot.
The Red Lions improved in the second quarter and forced two fine saves from Tyler Lovell, but it was the Australians who extended their advantage as Blake Govers scored from the penalty spot after Mitton was fouled by Arthur de Sloover.
The world champions came out fighting in the third quarter, winning a succession of penalty corners before finally getting the breakthrough just before the end of the period. Loick Luypaert’s penalty corner drag-flick gave Belgium hope, with Alexander Hendrickx making it 3-2 with a strike three minutes from the end setting up a dramatic finale. However, it was the Australians who prevailed, winning the title and moving back to the top of the FIH Hero World Rankings in the process.
“We’ve played plenty of good teams and it’s great to finish on top”, said Australia goalscorer Flynn Ogilvie. “We started off red hot by scoring three goals, which was great, but didn’t finish off too well and they showed their class towards the end. It’s been exciting, every game has been interesting. It’s been a quality competition, as shown by this weekend, which has been top class.”
Belgium’s John-John Dohmen said: “I think it was a great second half. We didn’t start really well, Australia were really good tactically and physically in the first half and it was really hard for us. We changed our tactics [in the second half] and started to dominate, but too late at 3-0, it was a bit difficult.”
Earlier in the day, home favourites the Netherlands ended their FIH Pro League campaign on a positive note with a 5-3 triumph over Great Britain in a hugely entertaining 3-4 play-off game.
The crowd were treated to a thrilling match, with Jeroen Hertzberger putting the Netherlands ahead with a diving deflection in the first quarter before GB’s Zach Wallace restored parity in the second period when he forced home from a goal-mouth scramble. In a remarkable three minute passage of play, the two teams traded four goals with Henry Weir and Phil Roper twice edging the Brits ahead while Hertzberger and Mink van der Weerden pulling the Dutch level on each occasion to send the teams into half time at 3-3.
Both sides had chances in the third quarter, but it was the Dutch who moved into a 5-3 lead thanks to a double from striker Mirco Pruijser, who produced superb first time finishes from crosses from the right as the Netherlands took charge charge. Pruijser’s second goal was a cracker, with Mink van der Weerden tearing down the right hand side of the field to receive a huge cross field overhead pass from defence before finding Pruijser who guided a wonderful first time slap into the the bottom left corner. It proved to be an unassailable lead, with the Oranje delighting the home crowd with their success.
“I’m pretty happy we got the bronze”, said Netherlands double goal-scorer Jeroen Hertzberger. “At the end of the day it’s not the match we wanted to play, but overall giving this crowd a victory was the only thing we could do. I think we played a fun game, and that was our objective, to have fun today. I did, and I think most of the boys did and we showed some good hockey.”
Great Britain goal-scorer Phil Roper said: “We’ve got to go away from this competition with our heads held high. Playing in Holland against Holland, it was a great game. It’s a real shame we couldn’t come away with a medal, but we can look back as know that we have grown so much as a team. We’ve got to push and really start challenging those guys for a medal.”
Ahead of the match, Netherlands captain Billy Bakker received a huge cheer from the fans in recognition of his 200th senior international appearance.
FIH Pro League Grand Final - 30 June 2019
Wagener Stadium, Amsterdam (NED)
Result: Men’s Match 59 - 3-4 Play-Off
Great Britain 3, Netherlands 5
Player of the Match: Bjorn Kellerman (NED)
Umpires: Christian Blasch (GER), Simon Taylor (NZL) and Michelle Meister (GER - video)
Result: Men’s Match 60 - Final
Australia 3, Belgium 2
Player of the Match: Jake Whetton (AUS)
Umpires: Marcin Grochal (POL), Coen van Bunge (NED) and Sarah Wilson (SCO - video)
Awards
Deloitte Best Goal of the Grand Final: Tom Boon (BEL) in the semi-final against Netherlands
Volvo Goalkeeper of the Grand Final: Tyler Lovell (AUS)
Hero Top Scorer: Blake Govers (AUS)
Best Player of the FIH Pro League: Aran Zalewski (AUS)
#FIHProLeague
Official FIH Pro League Site
Kookaburras Withstand Late Charge To Win Pro League Title
Mitch Wynd
The Kookaburras are the inaugural FIH Pro League champions and new world number one ranked team after a 3-2 victory against Belgium in Amstelveen.
All three of Australia’s goals were scored in the first half, with Trent Mitton, Flynn Ogilvie, and Blake Govers getting Australia off to a flying start.
But the Belgians fought back in the second half, getting two goals back and setting up a thrilling finish.
The match started with a painful blow to Belgium’s star Arthur van Doren, who inadvertently received a stick to the back of the knee after slipping in front of Jacob Anderson’s path as he was taking a shot.
Jake Whetton pounced on a slow-moving Belgian defender to launch a rapid attack into the circle, the ball landing in the path of Trent Mitton who made no mistake in scoring the first goal of the Grand Final in the ninth minute.
A second goal came not long after, with the ball trapped along the baseline Flynn Ogilvie drifted into a large area of undefended space to receive the ball and get his shot away unchallenged.
The second quarter provided both teams with penalty corner opportunities, but it was a penalty stroke going the way of Blake Govers that allowed Australia to score a third goal.
A review was called for after the Belgian defender made a tackle from behind without getting the ball, the video umpire decided that a penalty stroke was warranted - and Govers finished with ice-cold composure.
A series of five consecutive penalty corners for Belgium threatened to get them back into the game, but the discipline of the Australian defence coupled with some good saves from Tyler Lovell frustrated the Belgians.
With their eighth penalty corner attempt of the quarter, Belgium finally broke through the Australian defence with a drag flick from Loick Luypaert proving unstoppable.
Belgium struck again late in the final quarter through another penalty corner, this time from Alexander Hendrickx to set up a tense final two minutes.
But the Australians held their nerve in the final stages of the match, and reached the final buzzer as the new Pro League champions and world number one ranked team.
Australia 3 (Mitton 9’, Ogilvie 14’, Govers 29’)
Belgium 2 (Luypaert 44’, Hendrickx 58’)
Hockey Australia media release
Australia's Latest World Champs Did The Most Humble Thing After Winning
Ant Sharwood
(Image: Getty)
In sport, it matters HOW you win just as much as whether you win.
And the Aussie Kookaburras men's hockey team won both a hockey match and the hearts of locals in The Netherlands overnight, beating Belgium 3-2 in a thrilling final of hockey's new Pro League, then personally thanking the unpaid volunteers who made the final possible.
Which was very nice of them.
This year's Pro League was the inaugural best-of-the-best league which pitted the world's top men's and women's hockey nations against each other in a format more like a football competition, lasting half a year.
It replaced the old Champion's Trophy -- a tournament-style event run in a brief window -- and also replaced many of the essentially meaningless bilateral series.
And it was a huge success. Big crowds turned out at games here in Australia and all around the world. The Kookaburras dominated throughout, topping the ladder, then beating second-placed Belgium in a final which they led 3-0 before surviving a desperate comeback.
"We definitely dictated the terms at the start of the game and our first quarter was outstanding, but from there on Belgium played pretty well," Aussie coach Colin Batch said.
"Belgium piled on the pressure and we defended and absorbed it very well, but we needed to do more with the ball and I think that's the area of growth for us."
This was a huge result for the Kookaburras, a year out from the Tokyo Olympics. Not only did they win the Pro League, but like Ash Barty, they soared to number one on the world rankings.
Mind you, they've been in this position before. The Kookas have dominated international hockey more years than not, but only have one Olympic gold medal -- at Athens 2004 -- to show for it.
In the women's Pro league final, it was a case of soooooo close for the Hockeyroos, who lost a penalty shootout in the final to The Netherlands.
Nevertheless, Aussie hockey is in a good state overall.
It would also be remiss of us not to mention that New Zealand came last in the men's Pro League with no wins from their 14 matches. We obviously bring you this news to satisfy your hunger for hockey information, not to gloat.
Australia 3 (Mitton 9’, Ogilvie 14’, Govers 29’)
Belgium 2 (Luypaert 44’, Hendrickx 58’)
10 Daily
Britain finish fourth in the men's FIH Pro League after final match
Phil Roper and Sam Ward in the FIH Pro League
Great Britain finished fourth in the first men's FIH Pro League after an eight-goal thriller in Amsterdam.
Britain again showed the progress they have made in this first ever global league, coming from 1-0 down to lead 3-2, then going in at half time 3-3 following a five-goal second quarter.
Two goals from Mirco Pruyser in the third quarter gave the Netherlands the win, and they earned bronze in this FIH Pro League Grand Final.
Overall, Danny Kerry's side can take great credit from their performance in this season, finishing fourth, considerably above their world ranking of seventh.
The FIHPL has been a hugely successful addition to the sport's calendar, and will return in 2020. British fans can look forward to four big weekends of international hockey in London in May and June next year.
Full report
From the very off there was goalmouth action, with Harry Gibson saving well in the first few minutes before Jeroen Hertzberger made it 1-0 at the back post in the ninth minute. A few moments later Seve Van Ass went on a super run but Billy Bakker was forced wide and the chance slipped away.
In the second quarter and the match began to rain goals, with five in the space of just six minutes. First Zach Wallace planted home after good work by Chris Griffiths, then Henry Weir had a very welcome international goal after super play by Jack Waller and then Sam Ward.
Hertzberger got the Dutch back on level terms, only for Phil Roper to score his ninth of the campaign from a corner. With the half almost up, the hosts won a penalty corner on referral, and Mink van der Weerden leathered home for 3-3 at half time.
Britain came close to scoring on a couple of occasions early in the second half, first when a corner was very well saved, then when Ward's super snapshot was only inches wide. At the end of the quarter the Dutch began to turn the screw and got their rewards when Mirco Pruyser scored two in quick succession, the second a great team goal although our Brendan Creed felt there was an infringement in the build-up.
Into the final quarter and the Dutch performed well to see the game out, even with Britain going to a kicking back in the final moments.
It was a thrilling match and a fitting end to what has been a great first FIH Pro League, both for Britain but also for the sport as a whole. Now roll on the same again in 2020!
Great Britain 3
Wallace (24', FG), Weir (27', FG), Roper (29', PC)
Netherlands 5
Hertzberger (9', FG), (29', FG), van der Weerden (30', PC), Pruyser (40', FG), (45', FG)
Great Britain: Pinner (GK), Gibson (GK), Hoare, Dixon (c), Creed, Weir, Waller, Gall, Ames, Sloan, Sorsby, Roper, Jackson, Condon, Calnan, Wallace, Griffiths, Ward
Great Britain Hockey media release
GB finish fourth after play-off loss to the Netherlands
The Netherlands' Mink van der Weerden celebrates his goal during his side's 5-3 win over Great Britain
Great Britain's men finished fourth in the inaugural FIH Pro League following a 5-3 loss to the Netherlands - after twice squandering the lead.
The Dutch opened the scoring before GB fought back through Zach Wallace and Henry Weir in the second quarter.
Jeroen Hertzberger levelled the score before Phil Roper's penalty corner restored Britain's lead.
But three unanswered goals gave the Netherlands victory in the third-place play-off in Amsterdam.
Australia, who beat GB in the semi-final, beat world champions Belgium 3-2 in the final.
BBC Sport
FIH rankings refreshed after Pro League concludes
s2h Team
Australia claimed the first-ever men’s FIH Pro League title beating World champions Belgium 3-2 in the grand final at the Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen, The Netherlands, on Sunday. Not only did the Kookaburras stride the top podium, they also leapfrogged Belgium to the top of the FIH rankings.
Netherlands finished third in the FIH Pro League beating Great Britain 5-3.
The new rankings place Australia at No. 1, followed by Belgium, Netherlands, Argentina, India, England (Great Britain), Germany, New Zealand, Spain and Canada in the top 10 spots.
Ireland, Malaysia, France, South Africa, Korea, Japan, Pakistan, China, Austria and Egypt are ranked No. 11-20 respectively.
The top four in the FIH Pro League book berths in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic qualifiers scheduled for October-November. So, Australia, Belgium, Netherlands and Great Britain make the grade along with six nations from the FIH Series Finals namely: Canada, Malaysia, India, South Africa, France and Ireland.
Four more nations will join the party as fourth-best ranked who haven’t either qualified directly for the Tokyo extravaganza or who haven’t made it to the qualifiers from either the FIH Pro League or Series finals. This will bring in Argentina, Germany, New Zealand and Spain.
Japan have qualified both as hosts and Asian Games gold medalists.
The four other continental championships are due to be held from July to September.
Realistically, Australia (Oceania), Belgium, Germany or Netherlands (Europe), Argentina or Canada (Pan America) and South Africa (Africa) are the other likely nations to win continental titles and book tickets to Tokyo.
This will bring Korea, Pakistan (pardoned by the FIH for pulling out of the Pro League), China and Austria into the qualifiers.
South Africa, however, could be made to go through the qualifiers by their austere Olympic board who last time around didn’t recognize the African title as a worthy credential for making the trip to the Games.
WOMEN
In the women’s FIH Pro League, Netherlands beat Australia in a shootout after the grand final ended 2-2 also at the Wagener Stadium on Saturday. Germany did likewise over Argentina to finish third.
The new rankings see Netherlands retain the No. 1 ranking, followed by Australia, Argentina, England (Great Britain), Germany, New Zealand, Spain, Ireland, Belgium and India in the top 10 spots.
China, Korea, USA, Japan, Chile, South Africa, Italy, Canada, Scotland and Malaysia are ranked No. 11-20. Netherlands, Australia, Germany and Argentina – top four FIH Pro League finishers -- made the qualifiers where they will join Korea, Ireland, India, Japan, Spain and Canada who made the grade via the FIH Series Finals.
Great Britain, New Zealand, Spain and Belgium are likely to join in on the basis of world rankings. However, Australia or New Zealand (Oceania), Netherlands, Germany or England (Europe), Argentina (Pan America) and South Africa (Africa) are likely to win their respective continental titles to book direct berths to the Olympics. Japan, like their men’s team, have qualified by virtue of being hosts and Asian Games gold medalists.
The vacant slots created will pull in China, USA, Chile and Italy.
Like their male counterparts, the South African women may be made to endure the rigours of the qualifiers.
The rankings will refreshed after all the continental events conclude. A new set of rankings will then come into being and will be announced on September 8. This will be followed by the draw for the Olympic qualifiers which will be two-legged playoffs hosted by the higher-ranked nation.
FIH PRO LEAGUE AWARDS: MEN
Deloitte Best Goal of the Grand Final: Tom Boon (BEL) in the semi-final against Netherlands
Volvo Goalkeeper of the Grand Final: Tyler Lovell (AUS)
Hero Top Scorer: Blake Govers (AUS)
Best Player of the FIH Pro League: Aran Zalewski (AUS)
FIH PRO LEAGUE AWARDS: WOMEN
Auping Best Goal of the Grand Final: Micaela Retegui (ARG) in the 3-4 Play-Off
Deloitte Goalkeeper of the Grand Final: Rachael Lynch (AUS)
Hero Top Scorer: Olivia Merry (NZL) - 15 goals.
FIH Best Player of the FIH Pro League: Frederique Matla (NED)
Pics: Official FIH Pro League Site
See the full rankings here http://www.fih.ch/rankings/outdoor/
Stick2Hockey.com
Canadian women jump three places to No. 18 in world field hockey rankings
TORONTO — Canada has moved up three places to No. 18 in the world women's field hockey rankings in the wake of its runner-up finish at the 2019 Hockey Series Finals in Valencia, Spain.
The Canadian women lost 4-2 in the final to Spain, which remained No. 7. The top-two finish at the eight country-tournament means Canada moves into an Olympic qualification playoff later this year.
The Dutch remain No. 1 in the women's rankings ahead of No. 2 Australia and No. 3 Argentina, who each moved up one place. England fell two runs to No. 4.
The Canadian women head next to Lima, Peru, for the July 29 start of the Pan American Games. The field hockey champion there will also secure Olympic qualification, with Argentina and the 13th-ranked Americans in Canada's way.
Canada finished third at the 2015 Pan Ams, behind the champion U.S. and runner-up Argentina.
The Canadian men are ranked 10th in the world.
Lillooet News
Malaysian Women in frame for Olympic qualifier
THE national women’s team could make the cut for the final round of the Olympic qualifier after moving up two rungs to World No 20 yesterday.
Coach K. Dharmaraj is excited with the prospect as the battle for the last slot is now down to between Malaysia and the Czech Republic.
“It took us a long time to move two rungs up and now, we have a better chance of playing in the final round of the Olympic qualifier in November.
“The toss is between us and the Czech Republic, who fell two rungs to No 21. However, the point difference is small. Malaysia have 708 points, five more than the Czechs.
“They will play in the second tier of the EuroHockey Nations Championship (Aug 4-10). They need to win gold to pip us to the qualifier.
“I believe we have a good chance,” said Dharmaraj.
Malaysia defeated the Czechs 3-0 for the bronze in the FIH Series Finals in Banbridge, Ireland recently.
In the EuroHockey Championship, the Czechs are in Group B with Austria, Scotland and Ukraine while Group A comprises Italy, Poland, Turkey and Wales. The tournament will be held in Scotland.
l DATUK Bentara Luar-UniKL gave Junior Hockey League double champions Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (SSTMI)-Thunderbolts a fright before being upstaged 4-3 in Batu Pahat yesterday.
Bentara Luar took a 2-0 lead through Aizat Fadzli Farid (fifth) and Nazrim Muslim (14th).
However, SSTMI responded with four goals — Faris Harizan (20th), Shamir Rizmi Shamsul (37th), Hafiz Zauri (40th) and Muhajir Abdul Rauf (50th).
Kamarulzaman Kamaruddin scored Datuk Bentara’s third in the 59th minute.
RESULTS — Men: Datuk Bentara-UniKL 3 SSTMI Thunderbolts 4, BJSS Thunderbolts 2 Terengganu HA 2, Perlis Young Lions 2 SSTMI Juniors 4, Anderson Thunderbolts 7 BJSS Juniors 0, PJCC Tigers 4 KL Wipers 2, Penang HA 0 SMS Resilient 4.
Women: KL Wipers 1 PJCC Black Widow 2, Pahang-UniTen 8 Zaba Girls 0, Terengganu HA 2 Johor Girls 0.
New Straits Times
Ireland women look set to host play-off Olympic play-off
Ireland reached the final of the 2018 World Cup in London
Ireland women look set to host their two-game Olympic play-off after maintaining eighth place in the latest world rankings.
The side reached the final of the FIH Hockey Series Finals to secure a shot at qualification for Tokyo 2020.
The seven highest-placed countries after the Continental Championships, who are not winners of their respective continental titles, will have home advantage in the Olympic play-offs.
Twelve teams will qualify for Tokyo.
The likely opponents in the Olympic play-offs for Ireland, who moved up to eighth in the world after reaching last year's World Cup final, include China, Korea, USA and Chile.
The 12-team Olympic tournament will be made up of the seven play-off winners, the four continental champions and Asian champions and hosts Japan.
Ireland's men team, meanwhile, retained their world-ranking of 11th following their runners-up finish behind France in the FIH Hockey Series.
Unlike the women, they look set to have to travel for their Olympic play-off, with a trip to Germany, Spain, New Zealand or Canada the most likely outcome.
Both Ireland sides can still gain valuable world ranking points at August's EuroHockey Championships in Antwerp with the final list of countries to make the Olympic play-offs published on 9 September ahead of the draw.
The Olympic play-offs are scheduled for the weekends of 25-27 October and 1-3 November.
BBC Sport
'Keep this momentum going' Paula Cunniffe on Irish women's hockey and the new heroes of the pitch
Jade Hayden
"For the girls playing hockey in school now, these women are their heroes."
The support, excitement, and absolute hype around women's hockey in Ireland hit its peak during last year's World Cup.
The team went head-to-head against The Netherland's in London's Lee Valley Stadium. They finished the match elated to be taking home the World Cup silver medal after a game that may as well have been at home given the number of Irish who had travelled over to support them.
Paula Cunniffe watched the game from a tiny, Irish pub in Lisbon.
Sat in a cramped bar with no air-conditioning and drinking warm Magners should have been a scene from hell, but having the match on the screen and people from all different clubs sharing the excitement of the final made the whole experience that bit more special.
"It became this really lovely thing," says Paula. "Over the past few years, it's become a huge network. The community and social aspect is amazing."
As a Director of Hockey Ireland and an avid sportswoman herself, Paula says there has been a considerable shift in the attention paid to sporting women in Ireland over the past year or so, particularly in hockey.
She doesn't remember anything remotely close to the excitement surrounding the Irish team when she was playing hockey in school.
“It’s crazy to think," she says. "I’d never even thought about something like that when I was 12."
"For the girls playing hockey in school now, these women are their heroes. The likes of that didn’t really exist back then.
"They’re like Taylor Swift to them, they’re superstars."
Kathryn Mullan after the team's World Cup final
Hockey, like a lot of sports, tends to see a considerable drop-off rate when players leave school.
Paula herself dropped the sport when she started college due to time commitments. She picked it back up again in her mid-20s, becoming captain and eventually president of the club.
She says that, aside from the obvious benefits of playing sports like increased fitness levels and the unwavering sense of community, she was glad she got involved again for the invaluable skills she learned to bring directly to her current role of CEO of the Mark Pollock Trust.
"Being that involved you have so many skills that are transferable onto business," she says.
"You’re on the pitch with the team but you’re also running the committee. Everyone has their different issues and you have to give everybody time. When I took on my current role, being president of the hockey club made a huge difference."
Paula has been CEO of the non-profit for two years now. Every year, the team stages a global running series called Run in the Dark, a fundraising event working with volunteers as well as government and academic collaborators in a bid to find a cure for paralysis.
The trust was set up in the name of a Mark Pollock, an Irish adventurer and motivational speaker who lost his sight in 1998 and was paralysed over a decade later when a fall from a second story window nearly took his life.
“One of our key focuses is collaboration and teamwork flows from that," says Paula.
"I definitely learned a lot playing hockey growing up too. My coaches were amazing, they inspired you to push yourself.
"You’d be giving maybe 80 percent and they’d push you to give 90. You know you have it within you to push it further, but you just need that shove in the right direction.
"That kind of learning you get from sport has been invaluable. You take it with you."
Paula Cunniffe
Fifteen or so years ago, Ireland didn't have the same focus on women's sport. In fact, even a few years back, you'd be hard-pressed to find a female sportsperson who wasn't already a global star like Sonia O'Sullivan or Katie Taylor getting much coverage.
This, however, is in the process of changing – especially for hockey.
Since last year's World Cup, there has been a massive upsurge in young girls finding an interest in the sport – and older women returning to the game after years away.
Paula's club, Loreto Rathfarnham, is thriving. There are now about 500 girls between the ages of 4 and 15 playing in the junior club, with more joining every month.
One of Ireland's largest women's hockey clubs, Loreto has six senior league teams, a vets' team, and the aforementioned always growing junior section.
Paula says that the size of the club is testament to the incredible community and social aspect that comes with playing a sport like hockey, but also the increased coverage that such sports are getting – most notably as part of the 20x20 campaign.
“It seems to have coincided with (that)," she says. "There’s a great bit more attention being payed."
"People are watching more hockey – and all women’s sports.
"It feels like there has definitely been more coverage, even though I’m in a bit of an echo chamber. It’s great to give people the option too, because not everybody wants to play but you can still support by watching.”
Boasting the tagline 'If she can't see it, she can't be it,' the 20x20 campaign is an inclusive moment to shift the perception of women's sport in Ireland by the year 2020.
This involves 20 percent more participation, 20 percent more media coverage, and 20 percent more attendance at women's games and sporting events.
And while it's safe to say that the women's hockey team achieved this – and more – during last year's World Cup, Paula says that there is always pressure to keep this momentum going, a feat that will be achieved with increased support and, as always, more funding.
“That's always a challenge across all sports that aren’t the hugely popular ones like GAA, rugby, and football," she says.
"The women’s team have recently gotten a new sponsor, which is fantastic. It’s always good to see corporate partnerships because there is a huge amount of cost involved in team sports.
"The team, the managers, and the coaches all need to go abroad for matches, so it’s certainly still a challenge. But more publicity always helps, and that’s what we’re getting now.”
The next step for the Irish team is the road to Toyko. Having already secured an impressive win over Czech Republic earlier this month, the team are focused on making it to next year's Olympics.
“It is important that we keep this momentum going," says Paula. "How amazing would it be to have both the men's and the women's teams over there next summer?"
You can out more about the Mark Pollock Trust's Run in the Dark here.
Keep up to date with the Irish women's hockey team here.
Her
2019 Test matches JPN v CAN (Men) - 4th Test
Echizen Town (JPN)
24 Jun 2019 JPN v CAN 3 - 3
26 Jun 2019 JPN v CAN 5 - 2
27 Jun 2019 JPN v CAN 3 - 4
1 Jul 2019 JPN v CAN 4 - 2
FIH Match Centre
Hockey India name 33 core probables, to try different combinations at Junior Men's National Coaching Camp
New Delhi: Hockey India on Sunday, named 33 core probables for the upcoming junior men's national coaching camp scheduled to begin at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre in Bengaluru from Monday.
The four-week long camp will conclude on 27 July. The focus in the upcoming national camp will be on trying out different combinations for future tournaments and also maintaining the fitness of the players.
The Indian junior team play their next tournament in October. "The results in the eight-nations Under-21 Invitational tournament didn't quite go our way, but we have this national camp which will be helpful in trying out different combinations and variations within the Core Probables," Indian Hockey's High-Performance Director David John said.
"We have selected players who were also a part of the core probables in our last national camp in May 2019, and with more training in the upcoming four weeks, the players will get the opportunity to work on their speed, agility and fitness, along with different tactics and strategies," he added.
Core Probables List:
Goalkeepers: Pawan, Prasshant Kumar Chauhan, Sahil Kumar Nayak.
Defenders: Suman Beck, Pratap Lakra, Sanjay, Sundram Singh, Mandeep Mor, Parampreet Singh, Dinachandra Singh Moirangthem, Nabin Kujur, Sharda Nand Tiwari, Niraj Kumar Waribam.
Mid-fielders: Sukhman Singh, Gregory Xess, Ankit Pal, Akashdeep Singh Jr, Vishnu Kant Singh, Gopi Kumar Sonkar, Vishal Antil, Surya N M, Maninder Singh, Rabichandra Singh Moirangthem.
Forwards: Sudeep Chirmako, Rahul Kumar Rajbhar, Uttam Singh, S Karthi, Dilpreet Singh, Araijeet Singh Hundal, Amandeep Singh, Prabhjot Singh, Shivam Anand, Arshdeep Singh.
Firstpost
Hockey India invites Dutch trainer Dennis van de Pol for first goalkeeping training program of season
PR Sreejesh. Image courtesy Hockey India
New Delhi: Famous hockey goalkeeping trainer Dennis van de Pol of Netherlands will conduct a seven-day special camp for nine Indian custodians, including P R Sreejesh and Krishan Bahadaur Pathak from Monday.
The camp will be held at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre in Bengaluru and overseen by India's chief coach Graham Reid.
Besides Sreejesh and Pathak, other goalkeepers who will be part of the camp are Suraj Karkera, Jugraj Singh, Paras Malhotra, Jagdeep Dayal, Pawan, Prashant Kumar Chauhan and Sahil Kumar Nayak.
"This is the first goalkeeping camp of 2019 and it will provide an opportunity for not only our keepers in the 33 core probables but also the upcoming young keepers as well," Reid was quoted as saying by a Hockey India statement.
"This will provide an opportunity to get world class coaching and help provide them with the training tools to keep their development moving in a positive direction. The goalkeepers camp will be an important feature in the National program going forward."
"This will certainly give me an opportunity to get a closer look at the pool of young goalkeepers," Reid added.
Dennis, who is with Drijver Goalie Academy in the Netherlands as well as the KNHB (Koninklijke Nederlandse Hockey Bond), trains the Dutch youth side and also foreign teams on invitation.
He was formerly associated with the Canadian women's team and also had a goalkeeping stint in China and Pakistan.
Firstpost
Save hockey from collapse
A leading telecommunications firm in the country, Telkom Kenya, last week halted sponsoring women’s hockey club, Telkom, ending their 30-year partnership. The move will have a far-reaching effect on women’s hockey and brings to the fore the difficulties most clubs have been going through for years.
Telkom have been unrivalled not just in the country, but also in the continent, having won 10 Africa Club and 21 domestic league titles since the club was formed in 1989. It is through Telkom Kenya sponsorship that this women’s team conjured the good results since the players could secure training grounds and allowances, giving them ample time to train.
SPONSORSHIP
Actually, Telkom Kenya contributes up to 90 per cent of the players in the national women’s hockey team. That is, definitely, going to take a hit immediately and the standards could plummet. Telkom could find itself unable to match the rest in the continent.
Telkom, who are now out to source for sponsorship, join many other self-supporting clubs that have struggled to keep afloat owing to lack of funding.
But it is not only the clubs; their parent body, Kenya Hockey Union (KHU), has been struggling to get sponsorship for their programmes, especially the national leagues, which have been without sponsors for many decades.
INCOME
Telkom’s woes should be a big lesson to not only clubs, but also KHU on the need for serious marketing tactics to enable them to come up with other suitable and sustainable sources of income.
Hockey is a popular sport, from the school to club level, hence the need to interrogate what could be ailing the sport.
Players coming through really need to have hope that there is a future in hockey and that they can actually derive a livelihood from it.
Daily Nation
Jas Missan – the pioneer of Asian style hockey in England passes away
by Dil Bahra
Jaswinder (Jas) Singh Missan, the former Kenyan international, died yesterday morning (Sunday) following a stroke at his home in Chatham, Kent, England. He was aged 78.
Jas was born on 30 January 1941 in Mombasa, Kenya. He was educated at Alidina Visram High School and Mombasa Technical High School. He represented his schools in hockey and athletics and played for Sikh Union Mombasa and the Coast Team. He was a top class sprinter at Coast, with Kenya’s 1962 Commonwealth Games champion Seraphino Antao as his training partner. He was clearly a talented sportsman.
Jas was selected to play for Kenya against England on 20 September 1958 in Nairobi, at the age of 17. The following year he captained the Combined University Team to play against the Indian team on their tour of East Africa. He played for Kenya against India in a test match in Mombasa. He played for Kenya Governor’s X1 against the Pakistan team on their tour of Kenya in 1960.
In September 1961 Jas came to the UK for further studies. He decided to settle in England after graduating which meant that his international career was cut short, but he brought all the international hockey skills he had learned in Kenya with him to England, including the Asian style of play he developed from playing against both India and Pakistan.
He represented London Universities from 1961 to 1965 and was awarded his University Colours in 1962.
He played in the British Universities Sports Federation tournaments in 1962, 1963 and 1964 and represented British Universities against European Universities.
He played for Surrey County from 1962 to 1970 and was a member of the Surrey team that won the County Championship in 1963. He was awarded his Surrey Colours in 1962 – 63 season.
He was a member of the Indian Students tour of Holland in September 1962. He played and captained London Indians Hockey Club in the 1960s and 1970s.
Jas joined Spencer Hockey Club, one of London’s leading Clubs at the time, in 1965. He captained Spencer from 1970 to 1975 and it was under his captaincy that Spencer won the London League in the 1973 – 74 season for the first time in the Club’s history.
He was selected to represent London X1 against India at Surbiton in June 1966 and again in 1967.
Jas Missan standing 4th from the left after the London X1 v India Match in June 1967 at Surbiton Hockey Club. India were both Olympic and Asian champions at the time.
Jas was a one Club man, and he was elected as the President of Spencer Hockey Club from 1999 to 2003 and remained Vice-President of the Club for the rest of his life.
Sikhsinhockey.com