News for 02 September 2019
All the news for Monday 2 September 2019
SA Men’s Hockey IPT 2019 | Western Province stun Southern Gauteng
An amazing week of hockey concluded with Western Province continuing a tradition in SA Men’s Hockey over the past three years. That tradition is that the champions of the indoor hockey IPT have gone on and won the outdoor tournament too. With Southerns being the favourites on paper it was always going to be a tough challenge for Province, but they showed up in a big way.
Mustapha Cassiem, the PHL Young player of the year, was in sensational form and stepped up to give Province the lead in the 26th minute with a goal finished superbly on the reverse stick. But Southerns are a fantastic team and were desperate to step up from last year’s silver medal and surged straight back up the other end. The pressure resulted in a penalty stroke which Nic Spooner duly stood up to and finished it. That’s back -to-back finals that Spooner has scored in and once more underlines his big match temperament.
Western Province then had their own big match player step up from a penalty stroke and fire passed Rassie Pieterse. That player was 17-year-old Mustapha Cassiem. With a 2-1 lead going into the final quarter Province were dreaming of the trophy.
But those dreams were temporarily doused when Brynn Cleak got on the end of superb Richard Pautz work to level the final. And that ended the goal scoring for the tournament and set up another penalty shootout to decide the title.
Despite his fantastic form throughout the tournament, Rassie Pieterse was unable to deny Ryan Julius and Andrew Hobson and of course it meant that Mustapha Cassiem stood with the opportunity to seal the title. It was an opportunity he would not waste as Western Province sealed a remarkable title and Southerns wait for a title extends by another year.
The Individual Player awards for the tournament were as follows:
Goalkeeper of the tournament – Rassie Pieterse (Southern Gauteng)
Top Goalscorer – Richard Pautz (Southern Gauteng) & Connor Beauchamp (Western Province)
Young Player of the tournament – Dayaan Cassiem (Western Province)
Player of the tournament – Nic Spooner (Southern Gauteng)
SA Men’s Hockey IPT 2019 – Final Placings
A Section
- Western Province
- Southern Gauteng
- Northern Blues
- SA U21
- KZN Raiders
- Eastern Province
- SG Witsies
- WP Peninsula
B Section
- Free State
- SACD
- KZN Mynahs
- SG Nuggets
- North West
- KZN Inland
- Mpumalanga
- Northern Cape
SA Hockey Association media release
SA Women’s Hockey IPT 2019 | The Blues are the Champions
A thrilling week of interprovincial hockey came to a stunning conclusion on Saturday night as the Northern Blues were victorious over the much-fancied Southern Gauteng Lions. The Lions had been the team to beat throughout the tournament, but the Blues were fired up to celebrate legendary Kim Hubach’s 20th IPT tournament.
The game started quietly with both teams looking for an early break. That break came for the Blues when Marguerite van Wyk took advantage of great work in the middle of the park to win the ball and finished past Mmatshepo Modipane.
Southerns thought they had equalised when they deflected in from a short corner. But their celebrations were cut short when the ball was ruled to have not left the D. Southern’ s, filled with nine players that won the African Hockey Road to Tokyo, surged forward but could not find a break despite putting immense pressure on the Blues backline.
With the penalty corner count growing in favour of Southern Gauteng there was a feeling of inevitability, but with each corner missed the pressure racketed up. Despite the heroics of the Northerns Blues defence and in particular Phumelela Mbande there was a moment that only sport can bring as goal scoring machine Sylvia van Jaarsveldt deflected home from a Lilian du Plessis cross. The goal came in the last minute of the game and sent the decider to shootouts, just like in 2018.
However unlike in 2018, Southern Gauteng were not victorious this time. Phumi Mbande was the star of the show pulling off four saves from four from national team mates Lilian du Plessis, Lisa Deetlefs, Kristen Paton and the Robyn Johnson. The Blues sealed a historic title through Izelle Verster and the superb van Wyk to give Warren Sangsters team the title!
The Individual Player awards for the tournament were as follows:
Goalkeeper of the tournament – Phumi Mbande (Northern Blues)
Top Goalscorer – Sylvia van Jaarsveldt (Southern Gauteng)
Young Player of the tournament – Edith Molikoe (SA U21)
Player of the tournament – Celia Evans (Northern Blues)
SA Women’s Hockey IPT 2019 – Final Placings
A Section
- Northern Blues
- Southern Gauteng
- Western Province
- Free State
- KZN Raiders
- Eastern Province
- SA U21
- North West
B Section
- SG Witsies
- WP Peninsula
- KZN Mynahs
- Mpumalanga
- SACD
- Northern Daisies
- North West B
- Free State B
- SG Nuggets
- Border
SA Hockey Association media release
2019 Murugappa Gold Cup hockey: Indian Navy tops Pool B with win 1-0 over PSB
Bengaluru Hockey Association and Indian Navy recorded wins to top Pool A and Pool B respectively while Tamil Nadu secured its first point with a 2-2 draw against Central Secretariat on Sunday in the 2019 Murugappa Gold Cup hockey.
Samarnath Soory
Indian Navy's Sunny Malik celebrates after scoring against PSB. - M. Vedhan
Indian Navy solidified its chances of reaching the semifinals of the 2019 Murugappa Gold Cup hockey tournament with a gritty 1-0 win over Punjab & Sind Bank (PSB) at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium, Chennai on Sunday. Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu held Central Secretariat to a 2-2 draw while Bengaluru Hockey Association (BHA) outclassed Indian Army 3-1 in the second match.
In the first match, TN went 1-0 up in the 28th minute when Vinod Rayer scored off a free-flowing counter attack which began with a free hit in TN’s half. Central Secretariat found the equaliser in the 42nd minute through Umar Mohammad while Mithlesh Kumar’s 50th-minute strike gave Central Secretariat a 2-1 lead.
In the 56th minute, M. Kannan nodded home the equaliser from close range as the host pushed for the winner. However, a series of stray passes foiled its final charge as TN had to be content with a draw – its first point from three matches.
In the second match, Indian Army took a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute through Rajnesh Salaria’s strike but BHA equalised through Mohammed Naeemuddin’s diving scoop at the near post. G. N. Pruthvi Raj added a second at the stroke of half-time. The forward was also involved in BHA’s third goal when his pass across the goalmouth was flicked into the net by former Indian international Pradhan Somanna in the 37th minute.
Army fluffed two glorious chances in the final quarter as it succumbed to its second loss in a row. As a result, BHA climbed to the top of Pool A with six points from three matches.
Pool B topper Indian Navy looked to improve its chances for the semifinals as it took on PSB in the third match. After a cagey first half which saw little goalmouth action, Navy’s Sunny Malik broke the deadlock in the 35th minute as he deflected a blind cross from the right into the net.
PSB won back-to-back corners in the 58th minute, but Navy’s runners thwarted the attempts to seal a 1-0 win.
The results:
Group-A: Bengaluru HA 3 (Mohammed Naeem Uddin 27, Prithvi Raj 30, Pradhan Somanna 37) bt Indian Army 1 (Rajnesh Salaria 11).
Group-B: Indian Navy 1 (Sunny Malik 35) bt PSB 0; HUTN 2 (V. Vinod Rayer 28, M. Kannan 56) drew with CS 2 (Umar Mohd. 42, Mithlesh Kumar 50).
Sportstar
OQ: Euro setting for Indo-Pak match?
s2h Team
The high-voltage Olympic hockey qualifier between India and Pakistan, if the draw deems, could be played in Europe according to a reported FIH statement.
India, ranked fifth, and Pakistan, seventeenth, find themselves in opposite halves of the draw and could face off in the double-legged qualifier for a spot in next year's Tokyo Olympics.
India, by virtue of a higher ranking, would enjoy the privilege of hosting the encounter but with relations at a low in the wake of the Kashmir issue question marks hang heavy on the marquee match.
Pakistan, who failed to qualify for the last Olympics in Rio in 2016, were facing a ban from the qualifiers after pulling out of the inaugural FIH Pro League but received a reprieve with a fine, the first instalment of which has been paid.
The match-up is not a certainty, however. The top three teams in the fray will be drawn by lots to play the bottom three in the 14-strong field.
If not Pakistan, India could have Egypt or Austria as opponents in which case the home match will be on the cards for the eight-time gold medalists.
The Netherlands or Great Britain are the other possible opponents for Pakistan in qualifying battles on October-November.
If Australia fail to win the Oceania Cup (in early September), they will enter the qualifiers with Britain going into the cluster comprising lower-ranked nations.
Continental champions qualify directly for the Olympics as do hosts Japan.
Belgium, South Africa and Argentina have done so.
Japan won the Asian Games last year to free up a spot and thereby extend the qualifiers by two more nations.
Stick2Hockey.com
Malaysian women's hockey team dream big
By Jugjet Singh
National women’s hockey coach K. Dharmaraj says his team is ready to fill the void, should South Africa withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics qualifier. - NSTP/Owee Ah Chun.
Coach K. Dharmaraj hopes his women’s hockey team will get a chance to play in the final round of the Olympic qualifiers in October.
The team were considered weak in the past, but things have changed in the last two years under Dharmaraj. They are now respected by top-ranked nations.
Dharmaraj’s charges could break a new barrier if South Africa, who won the African qualifiers recently, withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics next year.
“I am ready for both eventualities. My team will be ready for the qualifiers if South Africa withdraw due to their Olympic Council’s strict guidelines,” said the former international.
“But if we do not make it, I will start all over again from the Junior World Cup qualifiers.
“If it is back to the drawing board, I will only need to replace two players (for the junior qualifiers).
“The dream of playing in the Olympics or the World Cup, or both can become a reality if we keep the same momentum in training as well as given the same type of run-up matches against top teams in Europe and Asia.
He added: “I’m not saying that if South Africa withdraw and we play in the qualifier, we will qualify for the Olympics.
“It will be against a tough opponent, but we need to break another barrier, and that is the challenge my players and I hope to achieve.”
New Straits Times
33-member core probables named for Indian women’s hockey camp
After the three-week camp that concludes on September 22, Indian squad will travel to England for a five-match bilateral series.
Indian women's hockey team will prepare for the Olympic qualifiers with a tour of England. - Twitter
Hockey India has named a 33-member core probable list for the national women’s coaching camp, beginning on Monday at the Sports Authority of India campus in Bengaluru.
The players will report to chief coach Sjoerd Marijne for the three-week camp that concludes on September 22, following which the world number 10 team will travel to England for a five-match bilateral series.
“It was a good experience at the Olympic Test Event in Tokyo, and now we will focus on the Olympic Qualifiers. We will use this camp to stay in the rhythm, and to maintain our levels going into the Qualifiers,” said Marijne.
“We also have a tour of England coming up, which will also help us because playing matches against a strong opposition is good for our rhythm, and also gives us the chance to see where we can improve.”
International Hockey Federation on Thursday announced that the Indian women’s team will be playing its FIH Olympic Qualifiers at home, and Marijne said it will be a boost for his team.
“It will be the first time for a lot of our girls that they will be playing at home so we are all very excited. For us, it is important to focus on our game, and not worry about other factors involved.
“However, we will have a lot of people watching us, and I am sure it will serve as a huge boost to all the members of our team,” said the Dutchman.
Women’s Team probables
GOALKEEPERS: Savita, Rajani Etimarpu, Bichu Devi Kharibam
DEFENDERS: Deep Grace Ekka, Reena Khokhar, Suman Devi Thoudam, Sunita Lakra, Salima Tete, Manpreet Kaur, Gurjit Kaur, Rashmita Minz, Mahima Choudhary, Nisha
MIDFIELDERS: Nikki Pradhan, Monika, Neha Goyal, Lilima Minz, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Chetna, Reet, Karishma Yadav, Sonika, Namita Toppo
FORWARDS: Rani, Lalremsiami, Vandana Katariya, Navjot Kaur, Navneet Kaur, Rajwinder Kaur, Jyoti, Sharmila Devi, Priyanka Wankhede, Udita
Sportstar
Assassin from the back – a junior defender with the goal-den touch
KUALA LUMPUR: For junior hockey defender Muhd Amirul Hamizan Azahar, attack seems to be the best form of defence.
The 19-year-old Penangite netted a whopping 27 goals – 15 penalty corners, 10 field goals and two penalty strokes – to guide Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (SSTMI) from Johor to the double league and overall titles in the Malaysian Junior Hockey League (MJHL).
He also finished top scorer.
Amirul’s outstanding displays have led many to tip him to be a future star with the national team.
But before that, his home state Penang are seeking his services again for the Razak Cup, which begins on Sept 20 at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
Amirul, who is pursuing pre-university studies at the SSTMI, will only join Penang for the Razak Cup after his Malaysian University English Test (MUET) examination on Sept 17.
Amirul, who helped Malaysia win their first-ever Youth Olympic Games gold in Buenos Aires, Argentina, last October, said nothing is going to stop him from playing in the Razak Cup.
“I’m honoured to be called up by my home state to play in the Razak Cup, which is the oldest tournament in the country. But I will only join the team two days before the tournament begins because of my MUET on Sept 17.
“I hope the team management will understand my situation as I need to prepare for the MUET test, ” said Amirul, who will feature for the third time for Penang in the Razak Cup.
He made his debut in the Razak Cup at age of 15 in 2015 and also played in 2016.
Amirul did not play in the tournament in 2017 because he was not released from his school. Last year, he opted out because of injury.
Eight teams will feature in Division One of the Razak Cup and the Islanders are drawn in Group B with Terengganu, Kuala Lumpur and Pahang while defending champions Perak are in Group A with Melaka, Johor and Police.
Amirul wants to make an impact in the Razak Cup by delivering goals from penalty corners.
“My mission is to become a national player and I’m on the right track but I need to show my talent in the Razak Cup.
“The Razak Cup will also be a good tournament to prepare for the Under-21 six-nation Sultan of Johor Cup (in Johor Baru from Oct 12-19), ” said Amirul.
The other teams in the fray for the Sultan of Johor Cup are defending champions Britain, Australia, India, Japan and New Zealand.
The Star of Malaysia
The fascinating tale of how hockey took root in Msia
By Alan Teh Leam Seng
Malaysian defender Foo Keat Seong (right) breaks up a Pakistani attack. -NSTP/Alan Teh Leam Seng
The death of hockey legend Lawrence Joseph Van Huizen at 89 recently was a huge blow to our nation.
He was no stranger to local sports after having represented the nation in the 1958 and 1962 Asian Games in Tokyo and Jakarta respectively, as well as the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
Like many players before him, the former Standard Chartered Bank clerk turned to coaching after winning tournaments and representing his home state Negri Sembilan from 1950 to 1965.
One of his first major stints took place during the 1975 World Cup in Kuala Lumpur when he became assistant coach to Ho Koh Chye. Together, the duo took the hockey team to a fourth place finish in the two-week tournament that began on March 2.
India emerged as world champion after outwitting its opponents with a defend-and-attack strategy. Eager for his players to gain exposure to that style of play, Van Huizen, in one of his first roles as a full-fledged coach, led the Negri Sembilan team on its first ever official visit to the subcontinent.
Lawrence Joseph Van Huizen.
During the three-week tour from Nov 14, 1975, the Yang di-Pertuan Besar’s XI, fresh from its Razak Cup triumph, played friendly matches against established teams in Madras, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Bombay before taking part in the Nehru Memorial Hockey Tournament in New Delhi.
Van Huizen was no stranger to India. During his first visit, he was part of the Malayan team that participated in the 1960 World Invitation Tournament at Ahmedabad and four years later, in 1964, he captained the national team on its pre-Olympic tour there.
Hockey ran deep in the blood of Van Huizen, who was of Dutch and Portuguese ancestry. His son, Stephen Van Huizen, is an ex-international and the national assistant coach with the men’s hockey team, while Stephen’s son, Joel, represented Malaysia at the 14th Hockey World Cup in Bhubabeswar, India, last year.
FIRST FORMAL MATCH
Despite his death, Van Huizen continues to motivate Malaysians with his achievements the same way he was inspired by pioneers of the game that took root in Malaya when the first formal match between two teams comprising British expatriates, Harris’ XI and Whitley’s XI, was played at the Selangor Club Padang in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 30, 1898.
In the early 20th century, British-dominated hockey clubs began sprouting up in Seremban, Ipoh, Penang and Melaka. By 1904, club teams from Selangor and Singapore began pitting their skills against each other.
A much larger competition in 1925, which saw a representation of Federated Malay States hockey clubs taking on their peers from the Straits Settlements, became cause for the formation of the first state-level hockey association in Penang.
The new style of organisation caught on quickly and soon became a trend among other states. By October 1927, two other associations in Negri Sembilan and Perak were established.
In 1936, Perak went a step further in terms of management efficiency when provisions were made to its Hockey Association Constitution for the formation of six similarly-structured organisations at the district level.
The decentralising move was a step in the right direction and the number of people taking up hockey began to increase. The sport was up and running in Malaya, and was played by people from all walks of life at club and district levels by the late 1930s.
Among the more active hockey related organisations then were the Tamilians’ Physical Cultural Association and the Selangor Chinese Recreation Club in Kuala Lumpur.
MALAY HOCKEY FESTIVAL
The game proved to be popular among Malays. An annual Malay Hockey Festival, started in 1936, saw the participation of teams from Malay states, especially Perak, Selangor and Negri Sembilan. Activities, however, came to a halt during the Japanese occupation.
In 1955, a decision was made to establish the Malay Hockey Association and revive the Malay Hockey Festival. A year later, the first post-war festival was held with Negri Sembilan emerging champion.
The competition, which began with much promise and fanfare, began showing signs of lethargy when lack of interest among participating teams, as well as supporters, led to cancellations in 1961 and 1962. It resumed for three more years before stalling again in 1966.
When Selangor and Singapore were declared joint champions the year after, the celebrations that followed belied the fact that the end was nigh. Times were changing and players were setting their sights on being part of the national team and harboured hopes of representing the country in the Olympics and Asian Games.
The Malay Hockey Festival was held for the 10th and final time in Ipoh, Perak. The event saw the participation of 10 teams, including Singapore and the armed forces. Perlis, Negri Sembilan and Johor, however, did not send representatives.
The Raja DiHilir Perak officiated the opening on April 14, 1971, while culture, youth and sports minister Datuk Hamzah Abu Samah gave away prizes to the winning armed forces team four days later.
HOCKEY SIBLINGS
Despite its short-lived tenure, the Malay Hockey Festival proved to be a useful training ground for budding players and became a launching pad to further their careers. Among those who made their presence felt was a group of five male siblings from Negri Sembilan who began making their name in the years leading up to World War 2.
A 1948 photograph showing Sheikh Ali (left) with his brothers (from second left) Sheikh Osman, Sheikh Mansor and Sheikh Mustapha.
Among the brothers, Sheikh Ali was the most famous as he was part of the 18-man national team that made it to the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games and was teammates with Van Huizen at the Tokyo Asian Games.
Born in 1925, Sheikh Ali’s love affair with the sport happened by chance in 1939 when he returned from school one day to find himself alone at home. Bored, he got hold of his elder brother’s hockey stick and began dribbling the ball around the house in Rahang, a Seremban suburb.
The 14-year-old, who was studying at King George V School in Seremban, was so engrossed in his newfound passion that he did not realise that his brothers had returned home and were observing his natural flair with admiration.
Sheikh Ali took to hockey like a duck to water and improved by leaps and bounds under his brothers’ guidance. His inclusion in the school hockey team and participation in competitions took his game up several notches.
In 1946, he was approached by members of the Negri Sembilan Hockey Association to fill the right-winger position in the state team. A year later, he found a place in the South team, which consisted of the best hockey players from Negri Sembilan, Melaka, Johor and Singapore.
At the time, the annual hockey season in Malaya ended with a customary match between the South team and its Northern counterparts from Kedah, Penang, Perak, Pahang and Selangor.
EARLY WEAKNESSES
Sheikh Ali had his first taste of international competitions when he was part of the Malayan team that took on India at the Selangor Club Padang in 1954. Due to its lack of exposure to international meets, the Malayan side was out-played in almost every department and suffered a 2-14 drubbing at the hands of the Indians, who had five Olympic titles to their name.
The scoreline, however, did not reflect the true grit and dedication displayed by the brave Malayan players although it was a known fact that they were minnows, compared with their stronger and more experienced opponents.
Those positive attributes impressed the Indian team coach, Jian Singh, so much that he took it upon himself to give the Malayan team pointers on improving its tactics.
In the same year, the Malaysian Hockey Federation (later Malayan Hockey Confederation) was established to act as the national governing body. Herman Marie De Souza became president and Kandiah Aryaduray, secretary. Prior to Merdeka in 1957, two consecutive high commissioners of the Federation of Malaya, Sir Gerald Templer and Sir Donald MacGillivray, were patrons.
Then Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Yahya Petra shaking hands with the Sri Lankan team manager during the opening ceremony of the Asia-Oceania Hockey Junior World Cup tournament in 1977.
LIFE AFTER RETIREMENT
Sheikh Ali hung up his boots in 1967 after helping his home state secure Razak Cup success. Apart from being remembered as one of the few outstanding players who could execute a complicated back-stick strike without triggering a default, he was renowned for displaying moves on the field that were often compared to those of Pakistani hockey legend, Shanaz Sheikh.
Although the playing careers of Van Huizen and Sheikh Ali were similar in terms of local and international representations, the same could not be said about their career paths after retirement.
Sheikh Ali opted to be a referee and held the post of secretary to the Negri Sembilan Board of Hockey Referees for many years, while Van Huizen chose coaching to benefit the younger generation of players with his vast experience.
The greatest moment of his coaching career happened when five of the St. Paul’s Institution players he was training were chosen to represent Malaysia in the 1979 Junior World Cup in Paris. The quintet were Stephen, Collin Sta Maria, Derek Fields, Kevin Nunis and William Lazaroo.
By the early 1980s, interest in Malaysian hockey was starting to wane after the teams failed to maintain the momentum following a string of successes in the 1970s.
Measures that were initiated to put things back on track and help Malaysia regain its place among the hockey elite began to show results in the following three decades.
NEW HOCKEY GOLDEN AGE
Malaysian men’s hockey turned the corner by winning the silver medal at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China. A year later, the junior squad achieved a first by winning the inaugural Sultan of Johor Under-21 Six Nation Invitational Cup in Johor Baru.
This success was made even more significant as it was the first time in history that a Malaysian hockey team had won an international tournament either at home or away.
The win proved to be the perfect boost for the juniors when they once again repeated their record-breaking feat by winning their first-ever Junior Asia Cup when the competition was held in Melaka in 2012.
The win meant that the Malaysian team had won qualification for the Junior World Cup Finals in India in 2013 in style. The boys not only defeated Pakistan 2-1 in the final, but also knocked out defending champions India 2-0 in the semi-finals.
Encouraged by the successes that had brought prestige to Malaysian hockey, the then Malaysian Hockey Confederation president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah (now sultan of Pahang and Yang di-Pertuan Agong) initiated a groundbreaking move to restructure the sports.
His proposal to bring the men’s and women’s hockey teams under a governing body was agreed by all parties.
Since then, Malaysian hockey has benefited from the reorganisation as it brought about better management efficiency and gave the players opportunities to participate in local and international competitions.
With those attributes in place, it is hoped that everyone involved will help propel Malaysian hockey to greater heights.
New Straits Times
‘I’m glad I listened to my father,’ says hockey Olympian Zafar Iqbal
Hockey Olympian Zafar Iqbal on how his life has unfolded, from being the son of an academician to his days spent on the golf course today
Uthra Ganesan
The general impression of a hockey player in India is that of a talented sportsperson from the hinterland, modestly educated, and fighting poverty and lack of resources in the stuggle to reach the top. Zafar Iqbal breaks the mould in more ways than one.
The former Executive Director (Properties and Facilities) with the erstwhile Indian Airlines is one of the few in the sport to have managed a life outside hockey post-retirement. He credits his parents and upbringing for helping him get the balance right all through, in his articulate, but gentle manner.
“My father never stopped me from playing sports, but he was quite strict when it came to studies as well. He knew there was fame and popularity in sport; money, not so much, and so wanted us to be self-sufficient enough to manage our lives even after our sporting days were over. I am glad I listened to him,” says the 63-year old, who says he has worked enough in his life to be able to sit back and enjoy retirement.
How the world knows him
One half of the famous Shahid-Zafar pair that tormented teams’ defences for years, the talented left winger would set up the legendary Mohammed Shahid for his stylish goals. They needed little or no communication to know exactly what needed to be done.
The subtle stickwork, though, was always backed with a strong understanding of physics, thanks to his degree in civil engineering from Aligarh Muslim University and an even stronger realisation that the sport would always be his passion, but not something that would help him lead a life of comfort in the long run.
Zafar Iqbal with his wife Fauzia at his residence in Vaishali
A resident of Vaishali in Ghaziabad – he moved to the house once he had retired – Iqbal’s major commitment through the day now is to golf. “I started learning golf a few years before retiring and I am still not satisfied with my game. I wake up around 4.30 in the morning and from 5.15 to almost 11.30-12, I am at the golf course. It’s the best part of my day,” he says, laughing.
As the son of Prof. Shahbuddin, dean of the science department at Aligarh Muslim University, Iqbal did not lack resources or an atmosphere of learning at home. Today, he’s surrounded by books on history that he enjoys, and has read the texts of all the major religions, including the four Vedas.
Having made his national debut in 1977, and getting his degree in 1978 – the same year he joined Indian Airlines – he was finally free to pursue hockey full-time. “That was also at my father’s insistence. I had job offers from the Indian Railways and Uttar Pradesh State Electricity Board, but he advised me to join the airlines, saying that I might not get immediate rewards but would surely be successful in the future. I realised he was right when I was finally appointed ED,” Iqbal recalls.
Players off the field
He talks about how he tried to push his teammates as well to have a life outside the sport. “I used to tell them to continue with their studies and office work after active sports, because not everyone can be a coach or administrator for life. Unfortunately, there were many, much bigger players who could not rise to a senior post. I told them it might be tough initially, but office work is no rocket science. Also, as players we are used to quick decisions on field, so it is easier for us to make the switch. They didn't listen to me, though,” he rues.
It was in 1977 that he moved to Delhi and decided to make it his home. “For me, coming from a small town like Aligarh, Delhi was this huge, fast place where everything was big and far. In AMU everything was available at your doorstep; here, I had to travel 16 km by bus, every day, from the Indian Airlines Colony in Vasant Vihar for training at the stadium. But when I see it now, I feel it was so laid-back then,” he exclaims.
It wasn’t just the distance that awed the 22-year-old. His training camps with Indian Airlines at the National Stadium were equally overwhelming. “Players like Ashok Kumar, Aslam Sher Khan, B.P. Govinda – whose photographs we kept in our rooms and pockets – were suddenly our teammates. Inam-ur-Rehman, my idol, was the coach. He was a disciplinarian, treating everyone equally, regardless of his achievements on the field. That helped inculcate respect for the game and discipline on the field,” Iqbal admits.
The presence of other sportspeople also helped. The National Stadium, he explains, used to be a multipurpose venue with a track for athletics and no turf in the main arena. It had the likes of the legendary athlete Sriram Singh training there. “The hockey field was on the left and cricket on the right, with Bishan Singh Bedi and many more practising. It was all open and we used to interact,” he says.
Old ways
Empty roads, few vehicles, no paranoia about hygienic food or water, the absence of pollution – the Delhi he remembers is restricted to nostalgia now. Even the most secure areas of the city – in and around Parliament, which he had to cross to reach National Stadium – had easy access, including Race Course Road, which he recalls used to be open to the public back then.
“I sometimes wonder what progress we have actually made. Everyone seems to be running all the time and everyone is addicted to mobiles. We seem to have become breathing mechanical bodies,” he says.
The discipline of a sportsperson, though, continues to guide his life. Iqbal is a member of two golf courses in NCR – Army Golf Club and the Noida Golf Course – but also visits the one at Hindon. On a week-long break to Chennai to visit his son, Yasir, an assistant professor of physics at IIT, he still managed to find people who would help him play his daily round, at the Cosmopolitan Club. He hasn’t the same luck in Mumbai though, when he visits his daughter, Samia, who moved to the city for her work as a copywriter.
For the rest, he is happy to accompany wife Fauzia (who also retired from the commercial department of what was Vayudoot and consequently Air India) around or spend time occasionally with his friends.
As a member of the governing body of the Sports Authority of India, as well as consultant with the University Grants Commission in the sports curriculum committee, he has stayed in touch with sports administration, pushing the agenda of games as an essential part of the development of a person.
As a former India coach (1993-94), selector (over three tenures), and government observer for many years, he has given back to the sport that helped him become an Olympic champion. But in his pursuit of golfing excellence, Zafar Iqbal continues to live a sporting life.
The Hindu
No. 2 Maryland field hockey proves clinical in 5-0 win over New Hampshire
David Suggs
Forward Bibi Donraadt celebrates after scoring in Maryland field hockey’s 5-0 win over New Hampshire on Sept. 1, 2019. (Julia Nikhinson/The Diamondback)
With eight minutes left on the clock in the second quarter and Maryland field hockey leading 1-0 in its clash with New Hampshire, sophomore Bibi Donraadt picked up the ball just outside the shooting circle and charged toward the Wildcats’ net.
The reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year feinted her way around two New Hampshire defenders before deftly chipping the ball over goalkeeper Rachel Simkevich.
Donraadt’s impressive run and finish was the highlight of a dominant team display in which the No. 2 Terps looked confident and dangerous from start to finish, outshooting New Hampshire 25-to-6 en route to a 5-0 victory.
Just two minutes into the game, defender Bodil Keus finished off an intelligent penalty corner routine to open the clinical performance.
“We were really connecting with each other — I was connecting with Bo really well on the corners,” said Donraadt, Maryland’s primary penalty corner taker. “So that’s why I think the corners went really well.”
The Terps’ attack continued to probe throughout the first period, forcing three saves from Simkevich. Meanwhile, the defense was tight and composed, not surrendering a shot in the first quarter.
Coach Missy Meharg’s squad continued to apply pressure in the second period, with Donraadt’s chipped finish extending Maryland’s lead to 2-0. Donraadt added her second goal of the game shortly after, rebounding a Keus effort after yet another penalty corner.
“Bibi’s [a] natural,” Meharg said. “She can run up and down those side midfields and really create a problem for defenses.”
The Terps (2-0) continued to control the tempo of the game, with midfielders — and sisters — Brooke DeBerdine and Emma DeBerdine consistently driving at Wildcats defenders. Their midfield runs helped keep the game played within Maryland’s half. Consequently, New Hampshire’s attack was held impotent, failing to record a shot in the second quarter, too.
“When you’re brought up with a sister like that, you know what the cadence and the footwork is,” Meharg said. “We’re very fortunate [that] they’re both on this team.”
The Wildcats (0-2) upped their intensity in the third quarter, though, recording three shots in the frame. Maryland’s command wasn’t as tight, either, with midfielder Madison Maguire forced to make a crucial goal-line clearance off a New Hampshire penalty corner to keep Maryland’s clean sheet intact.
Still, the Terps’ attack continued to test New Hampshire’s defense. Maguire fired a shot from close range at New Hampshire goalkeeper Jemma Woods — one of four saves she made after replacing Simkevich at halftime. However, Meharg’s squad was held scoreless in the third period.
The only disappointment Maryland could have after three quarters is that it didn’t score more. However, the Terps showed off again in the fourth, with Maguire rifling a shot into the bottom corner of the cage five minutes into the period. Graduate transfer Jen Bleakney added her second of the season 30 seconds later, pushing Maryland’s lead to 5-0.
“All of us can score,” Maguire said. “The variety of everyone scoring brings so much energy to the team.”
Despite some increased pressure from New Hampshire, the defense held onto its clean sheet, with freshman Belle Bressler deflecting a shot over the bar with less than a minute left to seal Maryland’s first shutout of the season.
“Last year, going off of Hannah Bond’s save at UConn,” Maguire said. “It just created this culture that we’re going to save the ball no matter what.”
Keus exited the game with about five minutes left after getting hit on the knee with a stick. However, the defending Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year expects to be ready for Maryland’s weekend matchups against No. 3 Duke and No. 13 Boston College.
Keus’ return, coupled with heightened confidence after a convincing performance on Sunday, has Maryland riding high two games into its slate.
“We have a lot of brand new players … we’re getting a lot of people in the games,” Maguire said. “Having this 2-0 start is beneficial to us.”
The Diamondback
Weiss scores golden goal in IU field hockey overtime win over Drexel
By Aiden Kantner
Now-junior forward Bente Buwalda fights for the ball against Maryland's Kyler Greenwalt on Oct. 12 at the IU Field Hockey Complex. The team picked up its first win of the season, 4-3, against Drexel University behind a double-overtime game-winner from senior forward Sheridan Weiss. Anna Tiplick Buy Photos
The IU field hockey team picked up its first win of the season, 4-3, against Drexel University behind a double overtime game winner from senior forward Sheridan Weiss. The Hoosiers came back three separate times in the game, being down 0-1, 1-2 and 2-3 at various points.
With about 20 minutes left in regulation, sophomore midfielder Mary Kate Kesler found the back of the net for the Hoosiers, tying the game at three goals each. It took another 37 minutes of game time for Weiss to get her second career goal for the Hoosiers and her first since 2017.
“I knew I really had to be the one to bring the spark and bring the fire this half, and that’s just what I did, I brought my attitude and my effort,'' Weiss said after the game to the Big Ten Network.
The Hoosiers came out aggressive, especially on the offensive side of the ball in their second game. After only having two shots on goal against the No.12 University of Louisville on Friday, IU had 14 shots on goal against Drexel. It took the Drexel goalkeeper combo of Alexis Sokach and Megan Hadfield to keep the game within reach for the Dragons, as the Hoosiers laid siege to the goal on Sunday.
Although she did not find the scoresheet against the Dragons, senior midfielder Kelsey Giese was consistently pushing the ball forward into the circle for IU, getting off seven shots and finding Weiss for the game winner in the 78th minute.
Junior goalkeeper Sachi Ananias also had a game to remember. After giving up two goals early, Ananias ended with five saves, including two in the overtime periods to keep her team alive.
After the game, IU head coach Kayla Bashore was excited for her team’s hard work to pay off.
“They’ve worked their butts off to get to this point, and to get a win like this is huge moving forward,” Bashore said.
The win was the first for Bashore in her return as the coach to Bloomington, where as a player, she was a two-time All-American and 2005 Big Ten Player of the Year, leading the Hoosiers to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and 17 wins, still an all-time record for an IU field hockey team.
The Hoosiers return to action against Miami University of Ohio at 3 p.m. Friday at the IU Field Hockey Comple where they look to continue their undefeated start at home.
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