News for 12 September 2019
All the news for Thursday 12 September 2019
FIH appoints Officials for Tokyo 2020
Lausanne, Switzerland: The International Hockey Federation (FIH) today revealed the list of Officials appointed for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 hockey tournaments.
In accordance with the agreed guidelines and processes of FIH, all appointed Officials come from the FIH Pro League panels as these are the top-rated Officials.
While performance was the primary selection criteria, the Officials Committee also looked, as a secondary consideration, at the geographic spread of the Officials to ensure that all continents are represented.
As a further demonstration of FIH’s “Equally Amazing” policy, the Technical Officials will work across both genders’ matches. Furthermore, while on field Umpires will be the same gender as the match, Video Umpires may be the other gender as has been successfully implemented during the FIH Pro League this year.
Technical Delegates
Men’s Competition: DECKENBROCK Christian, GER
Women’s Competition: STANDLEY Tammy, AUS
Umpires Managers
de KLERK Marelize, RSA
HORGAN Steve, USA
SCHELLEKENS Philip, NED
WOOLLEY Minka, AUS
Technical Officials
BENNETT Sarah, ZIM
BURT Josh, AUS
CATTON Steve, GBR
CHAN Alfred, HKG
CHEE Lilian, SGP
DELLA MATTIA Adrian, ARG
FUERST Elisabeth, AUT
NAZARET Magda, POL
NISHIZAWA Eiichiro, JPN
OTI-MENSAH Frank, GHA
RICHARDSON Reyah, TTO
TOMLINSON Jackie, NZL
WARRIS Rogier, NED
ZELKIN Rene, USA
Umpires – Men’s Panel
BLASCH Christian, GER
GOENTGEN Benjamin, GER
GROCHAL Marcin, POL
KEARNS Adam, AUS
LIM Hong Zhen, SGP
MADDEN Martin, GBR
MEJZLIK Jakub, CZE
MONTES de OCA German, ARG
PRASAD Raghu, IND
SHAIKH Javed, IND
TAYLOR Simon, NZL
TOMLINSON David, NZL
van BUNGE Coen, NED
WRIGHT Peter, RSA
Umpires - Women’s Panel
CHURCH Amber, NZL
de la FUENTE Carolina, ARG
DELFORGE Laurine, BEL
GIDDENS Maggie, USA
HUDSON Kelly, NZL
JOUBERT Michelle, RSA
LIU Xiaoying, CHN
McCLEAN Ayanna, TTO
MEISTER Michelle, GER
NEUMANN Aleisha, AUS
PRESENQUI Irene, ARG
ROSTRON Annelize, RSA
WILSON Sarah, GBR
YAMADA Emi, JPN
Medical Officers
GORDON Leigh, RSA
NAYAK Bibhu, IND
ROLLE Udo, GER
The 2020 Olympic hockey tournaments will be staged in Japan’s capital city from 25 July to 7 August next year.
#Tokyo2020
#RoadToTokyo
#GiftOfHockey
FIH site
Five Australian officials appointed for Tokyo 2020
Australia will proudly have five representatives take up various officials positions for the hockey competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Tammy Standley (Women’s Competition Technical Delegate), Minka Woolley (Umpire Manager), Josh Burt (Technical Official), Adam Kearns (Umpire) and Aleisha Neumann (Umpire) have all been selected for Tokyo 2020 after the list of officials was announced by the International Hockey Federation (FIH).
Standley, Woolley, Kearns and Neumann all fulfilled roles at the recent Tokyo Test Event, the official tournament played at the new Olympic hockey facility used to test arrangements and operations for next year’s Games.
All except Neumann were also part of the delegation for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Hockey Australia CEO Matt Favier congratulated the quintet and said the appointments were just deserves for the work they have put in and the high level of competency and professionalism they have demonstrated in their fields.
“The Olympics is arguably the pinnacle of our sport, so this is a fantastic reward for these five to be selected in the delegation of officials for next year in Tokyo,” Favier said.
“They should be extremely proud of their achievement and the dedication to their respective areas of expertise. I am sure they will perform their duties exceptionally and to the highest standard.
“On behalf of the Australian hockey community I congratulate each of them and wish them all the best in their preparations.”
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic hockey tournament will be staged from 25 July to 7 August next year.
Hockey Australia media release
Martin Madden and Sarah Wilson appointed to Tokyo 2020
Scotland’s Sarah Wilson and Martin Madden had cause for celebration today as their appointments to umpire at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo as representatives of Great Britain were announced by the International Hockey Federation (FIH).
Their selection comes on the back of years of hard work and commitment to achieve their ambitions.
For both, it will be their second Olympic Games. In 2016 in Rio both umpired a number of critical matches, including the Bronze Medal Matches.
Since Rio, Wilson has been awarded the FIH Umpire of the Year award, officiated at the Finals of the European Championships, the Commonwealth Games and the inaugural FIH Pro-League.
Madden has recently returned from officiating at the Ready Steady Tokyo event, the test event for the Olympics, where he did the final between India and New Zealand. Madden took charge of a World Cup Semi Final in December and was on Video Umpire Duty for the final. He follows in the footsteps of father Craig, holder of a FIH Gold Whistle, who officiated at both the Seoul and Atlanta Olympic Games.
Both Sarah and Martin have received their Golden Whistles, recognising the achievement of umpiring over 100 International Matches.
Barbara Morgan, Officials Convenor commented “This is a great achievement for both Martin and Sarah to be appointed to their second Olympic Games. Since they represented us in Rio 2016, both have gone from strength to strength in their umpiring careers. I am very proud that all their hard work and perseverance has paid off in being appointed to the top tournament – Tokyo 2020! I wish them both the very best of luck”.
John Heron, International Appointments Chair added, “ To have two umpires at the Olympics is a massive achievement and I am delighted for Sarah and Martin. They are fantastic role models for our umpires and officials on our pathway . Credit also needs to go to all the volunteers that have helped support Sarah, Martin and our other international and aspiring umpires to improve and reach their potential”
Scottish Hockey Union media release
Three Indians among hockey officials appointed for Tokyo Olympics
While there is no Indian umpire in the women’s panel, Raghu Prasad and Javed Shaikh have been named in the men’s panel.
Only three Indians are in the list of officials appointed by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) for competitions at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. (Representative Image) - Getty Images
Only three Indians are in the list of officials appointed by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) for competitions at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
While there is no Indian umpire in the women’s panel, Raghu Prasad and Javed Shaikh have been named in the men’s panel.
Among the three medical officers, Bibhu Nayak is from India.
The hockey events at the Tokyo Games will be held from July 25 to August 7 next year. “While performance was the primary selection criteria, the Officials Committee also looked, as a secondary consideration, at the geographic spread of the officials to ensure that all continents are represented,” the FIH said in a statement on Wednesday.
Sportstar
FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers: Malaysia pose numerous threats, says Great Britain men’s coach Danny Kerry
In the first of a series of video interviews with the teams that will participate in the upcoming FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers, Great Britain (FIH World Ranking: 7) men’s Head Coach Danny Kerry looks ahead to his team’s potentially thrilling two-match clash with Malaysia (WR:11), with a place at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 on the line. The crucial matches will take place at London’s Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre on 2/3 November 2019, with timings to be confirmed in the coming weeks.
A transcription of the interview can be found below.
The FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers will be taking place very soon. How will your team prepare for these hugely important matches?
Danny Kerry: “Our preparation for the Olympic qualifier will look like our preparation for all other tournaments and matches, which is here at Bisham Abbey [National Sports Centre]. We have a number of matches arranged against some opponents. We’ll have a good look at Malaysia, understand their strengths, what we need to look after and also their threats. We’ve got a few weeks now just to get ready for that and also ensure that our game is very solid under the pressure of an Olympic qualification match.”
What can we expect to see from your team in the FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers?
Danny Kerry: “I think we’ll be really well prepared. I think we’ll play on the front foot. I think we’ll definitely be looking to leverage on the fact that we will be playing at home. A very ‘front foot’ style of hockey whilst also respecting our opponent.”
What are your thoughts about Malaysia, your opponent in the FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers?
Danny Kerry: “We [England] were fortunate enough to play Malaysia before the European Nations Cup [drawing 3-3 at the 4-Nations invitational Tournament in Terrassa, ESP]. They have a very experienced coach in Roelant Oltmans, they have been changing their play quite a bit since Roelant took over and have some very fast attacking players, a good [penalty] corner routine and nice aerial play. There are a number of different threats we have to deal with, and skilful individually. It will be a really good game, a really exciting game of hockey. And when you add in the fact that it is an Olympic qualification game, I think it will be a cracking couple of games.”
Finally, what would qualifying for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 mean to you and your team?
Danny Kerry: “Going to an Olympic Games is the pinnacle of all the athletes’ careers, therefore these matches have huge significance and meaning. At the same time, we’ll keep our preparations and processes the same and we’ll approach the games the same. So, it’s hugely important, but equally it’s important that we stick to what we do well, and not change anything too massively because it is Olympic qualification.”
Each qualifier consists of two back-to-back matches which will be played in the same venue. The winners of these FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers will qualify for the 2020 Olympic hockey tournaments which will be staged in Japan’s capital city from 25 July to 7 August next year and involve 12 Men’s and 12 Women’s teams.
#Tokyo2020
#RoadToTokyo
#GiftOfHockey
FIH site
Expect a good challenge from Russia: Sreejesh
Custodian hopes the tour to Belgium will help the team prepare for the Olympic Qualifiers
Ready for action: Sreejesh says the Indian team was mentally prepared to take on any opponent.
The Indian men’s hockey team goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh said on Wednesday that he expects a good challenge from Russia in the Tokyo Olympic Qualifiers despite a vast gap between the two sides in world rankings.
The Indian men’s team, ranked fifth, is pitted against world No. 22 Russia in the final round of the Tokyo Olympics qualifiers. India will play back-to-matches against Russia in Bhubaneswar on November 1 and 2 to seal a berth in the Games.
“It is every player’s dream to play the Olympics and Russia, who are now investing in hockey and want to do well in this sport, will surely come well-prepared. We can expect a good challenge from them,” Sreejesh said.
Eight-time Olympic champion India had mauled Russia 10-0 in the FIH Series Final in Bhubaneswar earlier this year.
Mentally prepared
Before the draw took place, the players were mentally prepared to take on any opponent, be it Pakistan or Austria, Sreejesh said.
“We had discussed what it would take from the team if we had to play Pakistan or Austria or for that matter Egypt who later dropped out. So in that sense, we were mentally prepared to take on any team. Also, I think retaining the world ranking at No. 5 was a boon.”
Sreejesh hoped the tour to Belgium, starting on September 26, will help the team prepare for the Olympic Qualifiers.
“I think playing world champion Belgium will be like a preparatory test before the actual exam,” he said.
The 31-year-old said the team has been working on strengthening the defence among other things.
“We have been working on an improved defensive structure, better penalty corner defending and also on scoring opportunities. It will be important to execute this as planned against Belgium,” Sreejesh said.
Pat for youngsters
About India’s goalkeeping options, he commended younger compatriots Suraj Karkera and Krishan Bahadur Pathak for a good show in the Olympic Test Event in Tokyo.
“It’s good to see both of them perform well. It is always good to have competition within the team and I am enjoying the role of mentoring them and at the same time improving my own game.”
The Hindu
Stage is Set, USWNT to Take on India in FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifier
BHUBANESWAR, India – The stage is set. With the International Hockey Federation (FIH) announcing the match-ups for the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers, the No. 13 U.S. Women’s National Team has one more chance to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Their fate will be determined when they go head-to-head with No. 9 India on November 1 and 2 at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, India. The team with the highest aggregated score of the two-game series will secure their ticket, while the loser stays home.
“India is a challenging opponent that has made a lot of strides in the past few years,” said Janneke Schopman, USWNT Head Coach. “They have a good goalkeeper and a threatening attack. Playing them in front of their home crowd will be an experience we have to be ready for, but I am looking forward to see us compete for a spot at the Olympic Games. We will use the upcoming weeks to prepare ourselves in every aspect and are planning to bring the fight to them.”
India is not an unfamiliar opponent to the USWNT. They have met five times in the past three years, mostly in major international competitions. The most recent came on July 29, 2018 at the Vitality Hockey Women’s World Cup London. After scoring first, USA was put under a lot of pressure until India found the equalizer one minute into the third quarter to bring the game to a 1-1 draw. This finish ultimately concluded USA’s World Cup campaign.
Before that was in their second pool game of the FIH Hockey World League Semifinals in Johannesburg, South Africa on July 10, 2017. USA opened the scoring in the second quarter and although India found the equalizer in the third, a strong collective second half scoring performance lifted USA over India, 4-1.
Prior to that, the teams met three times in 2016. The first two came during the Citi Rio Send-Off Series held in Lancaster, Pa. The highly competitive two-game series saw USA defeat India 3-2 in the opener but saw many scoring opportunities go unanswered as they fell in the second 1-2. This prepared the red, white and blue as they met India two weeks later in their fourth pool game at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. USA was coming off the helm of winning their first three games over higher ranked opponents and continued the momentum for a 3-0 victory. The scoring was opened in the 14th minute but it took until the 42nd for USA to tally another, and the final score came in the 52nd minute.
USWNT Olympic Qualifier in Bhubaneswar, India
Friday, November 1 Time: TBD
Saturday, November 2 Time: TBD
For more information regarding the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers, check out the official event page by clicking here.
USFHA media release
Hockey Ireland Announce Olympic Qualifier Venue
Hockey Ireland are delighted to announce the location for the Women’s Olympic Qualifier this November. Adding another level of excitement to the event, the Women’s matches will take place on the 2nd and 3rd of November in Energia Park in Donnybrook.
Speaking on the announcement, CEO of Hockey Ireland, Jerome Pels said, “We’re excited to announce Energia Park in Donnybrook as the venue for the Women’s Olympic Qualifier matches against Canada this November. This is a huge step for the sport in Ireland to play hockey in a venue of this size.
“A lot of time and research has been dedicated to establishing whether the event could take place here. Similar to England Hockey’s successful use of an overlay carpet for their FIH Pro League matches at The Stoop in London earlier this year, we’re excited to bring this unique experience to Ireland.
“We’d like to thank Leinster Rugby for accommodating us in Energia Park and look forward to bringing this event to fruition.”
The Head of Commercial with Leinster Rugby, Kevin Quinn said, “This is another hugely positive step for us in Leinster Rugby to showcase our ability to offer a facility like Energia Park to other governing bodies and organisations.
“To be able to host international sporting occasions in any code and at any level is something we take huge pride in and I know our two partners in Energia Park, Old Wesley and Bective Rangers, feel the same way.
“Hockey Ireland and ourselves share offices on the same campus up in UCD and it is brilliant that we can now share a home stadium together for these two games and we can’t wait to host them, and to fill out Energia Park, in November.”
A launch event is scheduled to take place early next week, where further information will be provided.
Tickets will be available in coming weeks.
Irish Hockey Association media release
Donnybrook Stadium to be host venue for women’s Olympic qualifiers
Donnybrook Stadium will play host to the Olympic qualifier in November.
Hockey Ireland have confirmed ambitious plans to install a drop-in pitch at Donnybrook’s Energia Park for the women’s side’s Olympic qualifiers which take place on November 2nd and 3rd against Canada.
The move significantly increases capacity for the double-header where the Green Army will hope to qualify for Tokyo and earn a first appearance for the women’s team on the highest stage.
The exact cost of the project will be fleshed out early next week but it looks set to follow the same model that has seen Polytan lay down temporary surfaces at ADO Den Haag for the 2014 World Cup and earlier this year at the Twickenham Stoop for English FIH Pro League games.
Confirmation of the move is a product of a collaboration between Hockey Ireland and stadium owners Leinster Rugby with hockey’s CEO Jerome Pels describing it as “a huge step” for the sport.
“We’re excited to announce Energia Park in Donnybrook as the venue for the Women’s Olympic Qualifier matches against Canada this November,” Pels added. “This is a huge step for the sport in Ireland to play hockey in a venue of this size.
“A lot of time and research has been dedicated to establishing whether the event could take place here. Similar to England Hockey’s successful use of an overlay carpet for their FIH Pro League matches at The Stoop in London earlier this year, we’re excited to bring this unique experience to Ireland.
“We’d like to thank Leinster Rugby for accommodating us in Energia Park and look forward to bringing this event to fruition.”
The respective clubhouses in Bective and Old Wesley RFC are also anticipated to benefit with potential corporate events planned.
For Leinster, having previously adapted the venue for softball, it adds another string to the bow of the venue to host a range of sport.
Leinster Rugby’s head of commercial, Kevin Quinn said: “This is another hugely positive step for us in Leinster Rugby to showcase our ability to offer a facility like Energia Park to other governing bodies and organisations.
“To be able to host international sporting occasions in any code, and at any level, is something we take huge pride in and I know our two partners in Energia Park, Old Wesley and Bective Rangers, feel the same way.
“Hockey Ireland and ourselves share offices on the same campus up in UCD and it is brilliant that we can now share a home stadium together for these two games and we can’t wait to host them, and to fill out Energia Park, in November.”
Hockey’s search for a new home venue has been an ongoing issue for the last few years since UCD’s turf lost its international status.
The venue has been significantly refurbished this summer – and was formally opened on Wednesday evening – but a number of infrastructure elements do still need to be upgraded to reach top grade levels.
Abbotstown’s National Sports Campus was touted as a new training home for the sport in the wake of last summer’s World Cup silver medal. As of Monday, the turf is waiting to be laid and so the plans are on the long finger for the time-being.
The lack of completed venue meant the FIH Series Finals earlier this year had to relocated from Dublin to Banbridge Hockey Club who stepped in admirably at short notice to host a strong event.
But hosting top-level events in the hockey heartland of south Dublin has always been the long-term goal and, if successful, this Donnybrook move could lay a template for future hosting applications.
The Hook
Hockey Ireland secure pop-up pitch for Tokyo Olympic qualifiers
By The Hockey Paper
Ireland HockeyHockey is set for its second venture into a rugby stadium this year following the news that Ireland women’s Olympic qualifier against Canada in November will be played at Energia Park in Donnybrook.
A temporary surface will be placed on the pitch at a reported cost of around €250,000 after Leinster Rugby gave the green light for a further boost to Irish hockey’s profile.
It will be the first time such an initiative has been put into place in Ireland and follows England Hockey’s successful venture at Twickenham Stoop earlier this year.
Jerome Pels, Hockey Ireland’s chief executive, said: “This is a huge step for the sport in Ireland to play hockey in a venue of this size.
“A lot of time and research has been dedicated to establishing whether the event could take place here. Similar to England Hockey’s successful use of an overlay carpet for their FIH Pro League matches at The Stoop in London earlier this year, we’re excited to bring this unique experience to Ireland.”
The women’s matches will take place on Nov 2-3 and a launch event will take place next week as Hockey Ireland bids to sell out the venue and see the women’s world silver medallists to its first Olympics.
RTE is also expected to live broadcast the matches, the first of which will be an evening push back with the timing of the Rugby World Cup final in Japan in the morning.
Donnybrook is the home base for Ireland women’s 6 Nations Rugby Championship.
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The Hockey Paper
Scotland Men break into Top 20 in new FIH World Rankings
Photo: Craig Falconer scored 2-0. ©: Frank Uijlenbroek / World Sport Pics
Scotland Senior Men are celebrating after breaking through into the World’s top 20 for the first time. It has been a remarkable rise for Derek Forsyth’s Men, who have moved from 28th in the World in 2016 to reach 19th, after the FIH announced the new World Rankings on Sunday. The ranking rise follows strong performances at the European Championships, World League and Hockey Series Finals. The Men’s performance at the Commonwealth Games where they reached their best ever position of 6th, isn’t included in the rankings. The next challenge for the side will be focusing on qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, which if successful would be for the first time ever.
It is not just the Senior Team that is in a strong position, with both the Under 21 Men and Under 18 Men, competing in the European Elite next year together, along with their female counterparts.
While from an individual perspective Alan Forsyth, Chris Grassick and Lee Morton all represented GB in the inaugural FIH Pro-League and will look to be involved for the Olympics Qualifiers in Early November.
Andy Tennant, Scottish Hockey Head of Performance commented “Great credit must go to the players and to Derek as Head Coach. But huge credit must also go to his outstanding and committed support staff of Graham Moodie, Dave Reid, Emma Traynor and Heather Binnington, who along with team managers, Michael Henderson-Sowerby and Gareth Hall – have given our talented and committed playing group excellent support over the last several years. With the talent pipeline we now have in place, it is exciting times for Scotland’s Hockey teams.”
Scottish Hockey Union media release
Hockey women take on HK today
Buoyed by their maiden win in international hockey, Bangladesh under-21 women’s hockey team will take on Hong Kong in their third match of the AirAsian Women’s Junior AHF Cup in Singapore today.
Bangladesh women starter their maiden campaign in international hockey with a 3-0 defeat against Singapore on Monday, despite keeping the hosts at bay in the first two quarters. However, the women in red and green bounced back strongly in their next match, beating South Asian rivals 2-0 on Tuesday, with more than a hundred expatriate Bangladeshis cheering them on.
Tarin Akter Khushi opened the scoring from a penalty corner in the 27th minute before Farida Akter Ratri confirmed the victory from another penalty corner in the 58th minute to ensure Bangladesh’s first victory in only their second international match. The team will today take on Hong Kong, who are yet to open their account following two defeats.
Bangladesh, currently in fourth position on the six-team table, will play against Uzbekistan and Chinese Taipei in their last two matches.
The Daily Star
‘Golden Player’ wants to turn Pak hockey gold again
Azhar Khan
Manzoor Junior
LAHORE - When he left as a player, Pakistan were Olympic gold medalists, the last they won under his leadership at Los Angeles in 1984. And when he left Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) as a selector, Pakistan were world champions in 1994, their last major world title in the game.
And now when Pakistan hockey is in shambles and Pakistan are placed at 17th spot in world rankings, the most mercurial hockey player, the game has ever seen, Manzoor Junior has once again come forward to turn the fortunes of the game. Now as chief selector of Pakistan Hockey Federation, he is determined to identify the best talent in the country to prepare it for bringing the old glory days back again.
“I was a member of selection committee, when the national hockey team won its last World Cup and Champions Trophy in 1994. After that, Pakistan hockey decline started and nobody could stop those, who brought the national game to such a low,” said the legend, who has the most gold medals under his belt than any other player in the sub-continent.
“Seeing the downfall of the national game, we, the former Olympians, gathered at one platform and intended to save the sinking ship of Pakistan hockey. We decided to meet the PHF President Brig (R) Khalid Sajjad Khokar, who warmly welcomed us and also listened to us well but due to former PHF Secretary Shahbaz Ahmad Senior, we couldn’t join hands with the federation.
“But soon after former Olympian Asif Bajwa joining the PHF as General Secretary, we decided shoulder the responsibility of taking Pakistan hockey to new heights after Asif Bajwa assured us of the federation’s all-out support and allowed us to work freely for the betterment of hockey. Khawaja Junaid, Khalid Bashir, Abbas Shah, Hanif Khan, Haider Hussain, Dr Junaid Ali Shah and others were the active persons, who made the campaign of saving hockey a success,” he added.
The former Olympian said that they began their campaign by working on grassroots level. “Our main focus is school, college, university and provincial level hockey and we are working on it. We are hopeful of finding fresh talent, which, after proper training and grooming, will start producing better results for the country at higher level.”
He suggested that national broadcaster and other TV media should on-air old hockey matches to show the nation the true heroes of Pakistan hockey, who had won a record number of Olympic gold medals and World Cups.
“I think right now, there is a dire need to attract youth towards hockey through media, as it is our national game. If we succeed in creating the youth’s interest in this game, they will start adopting it as a profession. We will also try to arrange jobs for them, so that they may fully focus on their games, without worrying about earning bread and butter for their families.”
The hockey legend said that his main job is to identify the real talent and then hand over that talent to the coaches. “Now it will be the coaches’ responsibility, how they polish and groom the talent and how they get the best out of them.”
Manzoor said along with head coach, the role of assistant coaches and other supporting staff is also crucial to groom the budding talent and they should also be held equally responsible, if the team doesn’t deliver goods.
When asked what the reasons of hockey decline are and how it can be revived in the country, the golden player replied: “After 1984, Pakistan hockey decline started and in 1986, Pakistan team fell to its lowest ranking of 11th. Col (R) Mudassar and former PHF President and PIA Chairman Farooq Umar then took the responsibility of reviving the national game and they remained successful in achieving their task, as Pakistan won the World Cup and Champions Trophy in 1994. I was member selection committee then.
“After that, once again the downfall of the national game started and now the team is standing at the 17th number in the world. Now we have started campaign of hunting promising talent and by proper training and grooming, the fresh talent can produce desired results for us. We are hopeful that till the next Olympics in 2024, we will succeed in making the best combination, which will not only qualify for the mega event, but will also improve the international rankings of Pakistan team, which will surely finish high in the said event.”
Manzoor said the government’s unequivocal support is indispensable for the rise of the game and the private sector must also come forward to support the national cause. He said most of the hockey players come from humble backgrounds and they need financial support to carry on with their game and keep them fit with proper diet.
“The end of departmental hockey has badly damaged the national sport. In our era, a good player would have three or four job offers at a time to choose and we didn’t have had any worries about our financial future. But now, the players even have to struggle to keep them fit and healthy by taking proper diet from their own pockets.”
Proudest moment: When Pakistani flag goes above India’s in Mumbai
Manzoor Junior has many fond memories of his glittering career but he picked Pakistan vs India final in Asian Games in New Delhi in 1982 where Pakistan thrashed arch-rival 7-1 in front of Indra Gandhi and Rajeev Gandhi.
It was the proudest moment when Pakistan flag rose above the Indian flag in the prize ceremony in New Delhi in front of their prime minister,” said Manzoor Junior.
Manzoor Junior held the ball for consecutive 5 minutes in dying moments of the semifinal of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics against Australia, which helped Pakistan make way to the final against Germany. Pakistan also defeated Germany 2-1 to annex the 1984 Olympics gold medal. On this phenomenal performance, the then President of Pakistan Late Gen Zia-ul-Haq kissed Manzoor’s hand, terming it “golden hand”.
He said that General Ziaul Haq, the-then Pakistan President was full of praise for hockey team and invited them in Islamabad to honor them and also rewarded the hockey team. He said General Zia was familiar with each hockey player very well and always addressed each player by his name. He lamented, however, that no such patronage at government level has been seen for hockey players since long.
Manzoor Jr’s golden career
Year event venue Medal
1975 World Cup Kula Lumpur Silver
1975 Pre Olympics Games Montreal Silver
1976 Olympics Montreal Bronze
1976 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Lahore Gold
1977 Asia Junior World Cup Kula Lumpur Gold
1978 World Cup Buenos Aires Gold
1978 Asian Games Bangkok Gold
1978 Champions Trophy Lahore Gold
1979 Junior Hockey World Cup Paris Gold
1979 Esonda World Cup Perth Gold
1980 Champions Trophy Lahore Gold
1980 Four Nation Malaysia Gold
1980 Four Nation Singapore Gold
1980 Four Nation Poland Gold
1982 World Cup Mumbai Gold
1982 Asia Cup Karachi Gold
1982 Asian Games New Delhi Gold
1984 Olympics Los Angeles Gold
1984 Champions Trophy Karachi Silver
Manzoor Jr’s appeal to patriotic side of business tycoons
Former Olympian and golden player of his era Manzoor Hussain Junior has said that if the government is reluctant to support hockey or facing financial constraints for doing so then it can only be saved by the business tycoons of the country.
“Without government support, the future of Pakistan hockey is bleak. There is not a single sport in current era, which can be run without financial support from government or private sector. In such circumstances, I have a plan to take Pakistan hockey back to old glory days.
“If Pakistan’s top business tycoons, including Mian Mansha, Malik Riaz, Jahangir Tareen, Fawad Rana and others, take patronage of one team each (at least six teams), I can guarantee that Pakistan hockey team will not only be playing in Olympics 2024 but also winning matches against top teams,” he added.
He said even any of these tycoons can even single-handedly rescue the national game of Pakistan by taking care of athletes pool and providing them world-class facilities.
“I hope they would come forward for this great national cause and help revive the national game of Pakistan with their financial support. It would be like paying back to the country where they prosper and achieve fortune of their lives.”
The Nation
Old Georgians looking to rival London elite in hockey top flight
By The Hockey Paper
Old Georgians’ James Tindall in action at the Promotion Play Offs PIC: Simon Parker
Old Georgians are set for their top flight debut this weekend and want to muscle in on the established clubs’ monopoly
“There are people sniffing and intrigued by what’s going on,” says James Tindall, the long-serving Old Georgians HC player. “The club has a long term plan, it’s the sustainability which is key and it’s about building the excitement and encouraging people in.”
There’s no denying that jealousy is afloat when it comes to Old Georgians, how they are ruffling feathers ahead of their first Men’s Premier Division campaign and keeping social media alive with big name announcements.
Sam Ward, Dan Shingles, Ed Carson and Dan Fox (now with Guildford) all signed with the club last year. And in recent months Great Britain internationals Lee Morton, Liam Sanford and George Pinner have now entered the fray, with star turn Ashley Jackson also signing.
The hockey community likes to knock clubs different from their own. Old Georgians simply have a plan for the future and good luck to them.
“We want to get more of a partnership with the school (St George’s),” says Tindall. “We had a five-year plan and with the hockey we have done that very quickly.”
The vision is to move to their own facility and clubhouse, with two pitches and, adds Tindall, to “take on the likes of Surbiton and Hampstead. Why should they have the monopoly in that area?”
The GB Olympian says that the club now has its own identity and they could even be serious contenders in their first season in the top flight.
They certainly have the nous to succeed, as Tindall reflects on one game during their promotion run-in.
“We had such a set up that even when we were 6-1 up, we had defenders furious that we weren’t getting clean sheets,” he recalls. “That was the mentality – we always wanted to improve and move forward.”
Indeed, Shingles won player of the season in the Conference East without scoring a goal, one of four players to be voted in the best region XIs.
“Everyone came together and technically we won two play-offs but this year we have galvanised with a different mentality,” adds Tindall.
The 36-year-old says it will be an interesting challenge for him this season. “They literally don’t give you an inch. It’s the camaraderie and for these guys it is something I will do everything for.
“I can’t say I’ve got many more years. But the school has some phenomenal 14 and 15-year-olds and hopefully I can pass the knowledge on. As long as the guys want me I will keep going.”
Tindall was back on the Olympic Park in April for the first time since he played for Team GB at the London 2012 as Old Georgians won promotion.
“It’s not quite on the same site, but it is a phenomenal centre. Hockey needs a home and this is where they chose with the legacy. And at least I won something on the site!”
And there is every chance that OG’s could even make it back to Lee Valley again next year.
This article originally appeared in print in our June edition.
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The Hockey Paper
After being shut out, Maryland field hockey’s offense looks to return with a vengeance
David Suggs
Bodil Keus and Riley Donnelly high-five during Maryland field hockey’s 5-1 win over Richmond on Aug. 30, 2019. (Gabby Baniqued/The Diamondback)
After missing a decisive penalty stroke in Maryland field hockey’s 1-0 defeat to No. 2 Duke on Sunday, defender Bodil Keus palmed her face in frustration.
So Keus spent the beginning of Tuesday’s practice working on her shooting. The reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year rifled a shot just outside the shooting circle into the top left corner of the cage.
Then she did it again. And again. And again. In fact, by the time the rest of the team had started to filter onto the pitch, Keus had left a trail of balls in and around the cage.
Keus’ shooting practice was indicative of a Maryland team that, after getting shut out by the Blue Devils, is looking to get its attack back to its best. And Wednesday’s matchup against Towson provides the No. 4 Terps with the perfect opportunity to redeem themselves and find their goal-scoring form once again.
“Knowing what [a loss] feels like is really important early in the season,” goalkeeper Noelle Frost said. “We’re going to make sure we work our butts off in practice so we never feel like that for the rest of the season, hopefully.”
The Terps came into last weekend’s B1G/ACC Cup on an offensive high, scoring 10 goals in their first two games of the season. Maryland kept its rich vein of goalscoring form going against Boston College, defeating the then-No. 13 Eagles 3-1.
But the Terps were unable to get their offense clicking in their matchup against the Blue Devils, who held coach Missy Meharg’s squad to two shots in the first half. Even after Frost’s impressive goalkeeping display, Maryland was unable to break through Duke’s backline.
And with Frost’s performances giving her teammates increased faith in their ability to break forward and drive at team’s defenses, the Terps’ attackers are looking to increase their scoring output.
“We [need] to respect that trust more, and keep up our end of it,” forward Jen Bleakney said.
Despite the shutout, Maryland’s looking to build off a solid second-half performance in which it applied continual pressure on Duke’s goal — best evidenced by a 39-second period in the third quarter in which the Blue Devils were forced into four saves, including one off Keus’ penalty stroke.
“We evolved into a much better, safer [team with] more communication in the third and fourth quarter,” Meharg said. “We put ourselves in position to not only tie it, but win it.”
On Wednesday, Maryland will be looking to turn its missed opportunities into goals as the Terps face off against a Towson squad that has had a difficult start to the season, losing each of its first three games.
Historically, Maryland has been particularly ruthless against the Tigers, most recently drubbing them 8-0 in 2017.
And after spending the last couple days working on their offensive fluidity and finishing, the Terps expect to put up a more well-rounded offensive display on Wednesday.
“I think we were very ill-disciplined last game,” midfielder Madison Maguire said. “[If we] keep that consistency throughout the game and start off a lot more disciplined than we did last game, … we’ll probably score a lot more goals.”
The Diamondback
No. 4 Maryland field hockey gets back on track with 5-0 drubbing of Towson
David Suggs
Defender Bodil Keus dribbles with the ball in Maryland field hockey’s 5-1 win over the Richmond Spiders. (Gabby Baniqued/The Diamondback)
Despite Maryland field hockey holding a 3-0 lead over Towson on Wednesday, coach Missy Meharg spent the whole of halftime looking for more out of her team.
After scoring three goals in the first six minutes of the game, it looked as if the Terps were going to hang a crooked number on the Tigers. However, the offense slowed in the second quarter, recording only four shots.
So, Meharg pushed her team to continue to press on and attack Towson — something that it had failed to do in Sunday’s matchup against then-No. 3 Duke.
The Terps responded, scoring two goals in the fourth quarter to bookend a dominant attacking and defensive display in which they outshot Towson 27-0 en route to a 5-0 victory.
“We spoke about … starting with a really high intensity and getting ourselves on the board early,” junior defender Hannah Bond said. “It was really good that we came out with that mentality.”
Meharg’s squad had a point to prove after getting shut out for the first time this season in Sunday’s 1-0 defeat to the Blue Devils. The Terps spent the week working on finishing and discipline, hoping to reestablish their offensive firepower against a Towson side they have dominated in recent years — most notably in an 8-0 drubbing in 2017.
And after struggling to contain Duke’s speed Sunday, Maryland embraced their own quickness Wednesday in the first quarter. The Terps’ attackers made a series of incisive runs into the shooting circle and used their quick, short passing to dissect a hapless Towson defense.
“I applaud the team for taking on a very simple tactic, which was to pass,” Meharg said. “No dribbling. I thought in the first quarter we really stuck to that.”
Bond opened her scoring account for the season with a short-range effort just over a minute into the game to give Maryland the lead. Less than two minutes later, midfielder/forward Madison Maguire added a second for the Terps, deflecting Bodil Keus’ penalty corner effort beyond Tigers goalkeeper Tess Okkerse.
Maryland pushed its lead to three in quick succession, as freshman midfielder Linda Cobano found the back of the cage from a penalty corner. The Terps racked up 13 shots in the first period, seven of which were on target — their best single-quarter tallies in both categories this season.
“We definitely realized that we needed to get more shots on goal and just keep shooting,” freshman midfielder Emma DeBerdine said. “That was a big part of what we worked on today.”
The Tigers defense was far more resolute in the second quarter, though, conceding four shots. And while Maryland continued to ramp up the pressure on offense, Towson didn’t budge, shutting the Terps out in the second frame.
Despite their improved defensive performance in the second quarter, the Tigers struggled to get the ball to their attack, failing to record a shot in the first half.
“I think our players have been very vigilant in making sure they have defensive structure,” Meharg said. “If a team wants to play with two high forwards or three high forwards or one high forward, we’ll always have a player in a line marking them so they can’t get the ball.”
It was much of the same in the third quarter, with the Terps continuing to dominate possession. However, the Tigers were able to knick the ball away from Maryland’s defenders at times, putting them in advantageous attacking positions.
But those dangerous chances never gave way to results, and when the game clock struck zero, the Tigers’ shot total mirrored it.
“I think we did kind of take our foot off the gas … and let them have a few fast breakaways,” Bond said. “But I think we did well to keep a clean sheet.”
Maryland added to its lead early in the fourth quarter, as freshman forward Sam Zywna wriggled her way out of a defensive challenge to flick the ball in front of Towson’s goal. DeBerdine, also a freshman, reacted well to the pass, calmly slotting the ball away to give the Terps a 4-0 lead.
“The fact that [the freshmen] were setting up goal-scoring opportunities for us,” Bond said, “That’s such a crucial part of the game. I think they did really well.”
Six minutes later, forward Jen Bleakney scored, the beneficiary of a well-worked penalty corner routine. Bleakney’s goal pushed her to three on the season — tied for the team lead with Maguire.
The ease by which the Terps took down the Tigers was a confidence booster for the more challenging road that lay ahead: bouts with No. 6 Virginia and James Madison in the Terrapin Invitational.
“What was nice about this game is that we were able to use this game to prepare for Virginia on Friday,” Meharg said. “A lot of the things we were doing were to set up for what we’re going to be doing on Friday and Sunday with James Madison.”
The Diamondback
Cal field hockey loses 2nd-straight game to ranked opponent
By Jack Whaley
College sports is full of upsets and tales of the underdog, with surprises happening year after year in every sport. Unfortunately for the Bears field hockey team, they have yet to produce any such results despite playing well against ranked opponents this season.
Cal took on No. 7 Michigan over the weekend, ultimately coming up short in what was a close game right up to the final whistle. Despite the Bears’ efforts, the match ended with a 2-1 victory for the Wolverines.
The game started slow, with a scoreless first quarter before the Bears’ redshirt senior Katrina Carter finally found the back of the net after more than 28 minutes. The second period, in particular, was a great one for Cal, as the team recorded five shots after going the first period without a single one.
The Bears were unable to keep the lead in the second half though, as the Wolverines responded with two goals of their own. A 2-1 defeat in which the Bears played up to the level of the No. 7 team in the nation should not be overlooked, though, as the Bears season will roll on.
“I think its really really positive,” said head coach Shellie Onstead. “We can play with these ranked teams, we’re just as good as they are.”
The confidence by Onstead is backed by the numbers, as Cal only recorded four fewer shots and three fewer penalty opportunities than Michigan. Unfortunately, the second half was one that Michigan dominated, with seven shots to Cal’s two.
The Bears star from last season, junior Megan Rodgers, is still scoreless this year after scoring 13 goals in 2018 and 17 goals in 2017. Cal will be hoping that Rodgers can get back in a rhythm so that she can help lead the offense again as the season goes on.
If the Bears continue their strong play against such high-ranked opponents, and Rodgers rediscovers her form soon, fans everywhere should be optimistic about the team’s season, especially as conference play draws nearer.
If Cal can continue strong performances like this in the future, fans may see the team creating some of those upsets that have become so common in college sports. Cal’s next opportunity to prove themselves will be on Sept. 13 against Iowa.
The Daily Californian
Field hockey breezes past Brown in first road game, claims winning record
by Holden Foreman
After upsetting then-No. 7 Michigan last Friday, Stanford began a four-game road trip with a 6-0 win over Brown. (Photo: John P. Lozano/isiphotos.com)
No. 18 Stanford field hockey (3-2, 0-0 America East) traveled to Brown (1-2, 0-0 Ivy League) and put on a clinic Tuesday afternoon, with five different Cardinal players netting goals in a 6-0 victory over the Bears.
Stanford’s lesson for Brown was in efficiency, as the Bears came up empty-handed despite matching the Cardinal 17-17 in shots and 5-5 in penalty corners. Stanford was also consistent, netting three goals in each half of the game.
Per usual, junior attacker and America East Offensive Player of the Week Corinne Zanolli led the Cardinal in scoring, notching two goals and bringing her total to eight on the season.
But Zanolli wasn’t alone on Tuesday. Redshirt sophomore defender Sarah Johnson scored her second goal of the season, while senior attacker Emma Alderton, senior midfielder Phoebe Crosthwaite and sophomore defender Molly Redgrove each scored their first.
Senior goalkeeper Kelsey Bing recorded six saves before sophomore Hannah Santos replaced her at the start of the fourth quarter. Santos picked up a save of her own to maintain the shutout.
Stanford will look to build upon Tuesday’s dominance in another Ivy League road matchup, this time against Harvard, on Thursday at 1 p.m. PST.
The Stanford Daily
Lynch proud to share R U OK? message
Nic Kerber
September 12 is R U OK?™ Day and Hockeyroos goalkeeper Rachael Lynch is one of the key drivers of the campaign.
R U OK? Day is the national day of action dedicated to reminding everyone to ask, “Are you OK?” and to remember every day of the year to support people who may be struggling with life’s ups and downs. This year’s theme is to encourage everyone to Trust the Signs, Trust your Gut & Ask R U OK?
Lynch has been an ambassador of R U OK?™ for the past seven years after being founded in 2009 by the late Gavin Larkin after his father committed suicide in 1995.
Together with former Hockeyroo Ash Nelson, Lynch introduced a number of the R U OK?™ initiatives into the Hockeyroos setup, something she is proud to say has become ingrained in the squad.
“I believe ‘R U OK?’ has become part of our language and the culture around the Hockeyroos in that we practise it every single day,” said Lynch.
“Being away from home and away from your support networks living over in Perth, we realised that we need to look out for each other and try and notice things and check in as much as we can because we have challenges as does everyone in life.
“Certainly the pressures of sport, but also being away from home and away from friends and family makes it hard, so there’s little things that we’ve introduced and I’m so proud of the fact that the Hockeyroos do practise the ‘R U OK?’ message and ask each other if we’re alright and listen and check in.”
A registered nurse who has experience and seen her share of people dealing with mental health issues, Lynch says it is a cause that has long been close to her heart.
“I just like the simple message of ‘R U OK?’ and I think it’s more around wellbeing initially…and just everyday practices where you can look after yourself and look after each other, so the fact it’s so simple is what I really like.”
“I think it’s really applicable to every area of life, obviously my nursing at the hospital but also with hockey, and then friends and family as well.
“It’s a really simple thing that anyone could do, so I’m proud to share the message and represent ‘R U OK?’ and hopefully make a positive difference to the statistics around suicide.”
Click here to watch a video around the R U OK? campaign, for more information visit https://www.ruok.org.au/
Hockey Australia media release