News for 07 January 2020
All the news for Tuesday 7 January 2020
USA Gold Wins Rohrmax Cup Bronze, Indoor USMNT & USA Blue Finish Final Day Strong
VIENNA, Austria - On the final day of competition at the 2020 Rohrmax Cup in Vienna, Austria, both the U.S. Men's and Women's National Indoor Teams had multiple scoring opportunities against their opponents. The Indoor USWNT's Blue squad opened the day against SV Arminen in the seventh place match. A tight game from the start, a scoreless deadlock was not broken until the third period when USA tallied two in the final frame for a 2-1 win. The Indoor USMNT dropped their final match for seventh place against SV Arminen, 12-0. USA created more quality chances but were unable to convert against a well-structured opponent. Lastly, USA Gold faced No. 5 Czech Republic in a hard-fought, physical battle. After being down 2-0 at the end of the first period, USA made some adjustments and continued to attack together on their way to a thrilling 8-5 bronze medal victory.
USA Blue 2 - 1 SV Arminen
Both USA Blue and SV Arminen created numerous chances in an open, exciting game but found their opposing goalkeepers in good form. The deadlock was not broken until after the horn sounded at the end of the third period when SV Arminen converted on a penalty corner. USA Blue changed to a high press at the beginning of the fourth quarter to win more possession in the offensive end. Mayv Clune (Quakertown, Pa.) picked up a loose ball in the circle and beat SV Arminen's goalkeeper with a pinpoint shot into the bottom corner of the net to tie the game.
With time running down Clune dumped a ball into the circle to Makayla Gallen (Glen Mills, Pa.) who beat the goalkeeper to the ball and forced it home with five seconds left.
“This team has played so well throughout the tournament," said Jun Kentwell, Indoor USWNT Head Coach, who was pleased with the result. "Today they eliminated the unforced errors which has hurt them in each of the other games and showed that they can play quality hockey.”
With the win USA Blue finished the Rohrmax Cup in seventh place, with a record of 1-1-2
USA 0 - 12 SV Arminen
The Indoor USMNT dropped the final match for seventh place at the Rohrmax Cup in Vienna, Austria played at USZ Heitzing. SV Arminen set the tone with an early goal in the opening period and USA’s numerous chances to score fell short.
After a shaky start, USA’s Vincent Heller (Stuttgart, Germany) made a break for SV Arminen’s circle and was taken to the ground by the goalkeeper, which resulted in a penalty stroke earned for the red, white and blue. Sadly, SV Arminen’s goalkeeper was stellar between the pipes and denied USA the goal.
SV Arminen subsequently capitalized on two penalty corners and a penalty stroke opportunity to increase their advantage to 4-0. USA continued to apply pressure and earned a penalty corner late in the second period but were unable to convert. While the opponent continued their forward progress with much success, USA did not falter in their attempts to manufacture goals. Multiple shots and circle penetrations throughout the remainder of the second and third periods ultimately resulted in a solid combination from USA’s Michael Young (Syracuse, N.Y.) to Colin Hennessy (Marlborough, Mass.) who put the ball across the goal line. Unfortunately, the goal was waved off.
USA created more quality chances in their final match of the tournament but ultimately were unable to convert on any of their multiple opportunities. SV Arminen played a well-structured game and earned the win with a final 12-0 tally.
"We saw real progress in the first quarter of the game but missed chances and defensive mistakes allowed [SV] Arminen to take the lead," said Billy McPherson, Indoor USMNT Special Consultant Coach. "Throughout the remainder of the match we played with more structure and composure. Overall a vast improvement on the first game of the tournament."
"We started the game very well and created several opportunities to score," said Alex Gheorghe, Indoor USMNT Head Coach. "We were definitely more composed, aggressive and efficient in pressing. SV Arminen were a very good team with a lot of experience and they capitalized on each of our small mistakes.Overall, this was the best competition we could have prior to the Indoor Pan American Cup and highlighted areas that we will focus on in our final months of preparation."
USA Gold 8 - 5 Czech Republic
USA Gold fought back from being down 0-2 at the end of the first period to beat No. 5 Czech Republic 8-5 in a thrilling bronze medal game. Having made some adjustments during the break USA Gold attacked from the opening whistle of the second period. Midway through the period Anarose McDonough (Kennett Square, Pa.) took a quick free hit, dribbled into the circle and shot past the Czech Republic goalkeeper. Despite numerous opportunities, the score remained 2-1 at halftime.
As USA Gold continued to pressure, the quickness of Ashley Sessa (Schwenksville, Pa.) started to cause the Czech Republic defense some problems. Stealing the ball on the halfway line, Sessa rolled and found Corinne Zanolli (Newtown Square, Pa.) who deflected the pass on to Elizabeth Yeager (Rye, N.Y.) to tie the game at 2-2. It was Sessa again who intercepted an outlet pass and sent it through to Zanolli to give USA Gold the lead. Then it was Yeager’s turn to win the ball at midfield and fed Sessa who cut into the circle and deflected it past the rushing goalkeeper. Hope Rose (Dauphin, Pa.) converted a penalty stroke to give USA Gold a 5-2 lead before the Czech Republic put a goal back to make it 5-3 at the end of the third.
Two flowing, passing moves extended USA Gold's lead in the fourth. First, Sessa found Zanolli who released a penetrating pass to the overlapping Kelly Marks (Huntington Station, N.Y.) to score. Then Sessa, who was causing the Czech Republic defense issues with her darting runs, stole the ball, released Zanolli on the left who eluded two defenders and shot into the empty net.
The Czech Republic scored a penalty corner before Zanolli smartly took a quick free hit and ran it in to score to give USA Gold an excellent 8-5 win in an exciting and highly charged game against a quality Czech Republic team.
Rose received the Top Goal Scorer Award, a tremendous achievement at only 16 years old in such elite company.
“We learned a lot and grew with every game in the tournament,” said Kentwell. "Playing against five of the top eight teams in the world was a very good experience for our young team and gives us a strong foundation from which to continue to grow.”
USA Field Hockey would like to thank Osaka for their sponsorship of the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Indoor Team programs, as well as the United States Men’s Field Hockey Foundation. Another special thanks to Longstreth for providing gear to each indoor team, as well as the USA Field Hockey Foundation and Board of Trustees for their generous contributions.
For more information regarding the upcoming Rohrmax Cup, including the full schedule and results, visit the event page by clicking here.
USFHA media release
Netherlands clash always special, says Argentina’s Sofia Toccalino
The FIH Hockey Pro League second season gets underway in January 2020 after a hugely successful first edition. We caught up with the coaches and players from the participating teams as they prepare for the new look FIH Hockey Pro League season to get underway. In the following interview, Argentina women’s defender Sofia Toccalino looks ahead to the forthcoming season.
Las Leonas (FIH World Ranking: 3) finished the 2019 FIH Hockey Pro League season in fourth position, qualifying for the Grand Final event before suffering agonising shoot-out defeats against both Australia (semi-final) and Germany (third-place play-off). Their 2020 campaign starts with a home fixture against USA (WR:13) on 7 February 2020 in Buenos Aires.
How will season two of the FIH Hockey Pro League be different for Argentina compared to season one?
Sofia Toccalino: “The difference between the first season and the second season is in this one we will train as much as we did in the first season, but we can train with all of the team [players] here in Argentina.”
What are your thoughts on the new FIH Hockey Pro League format that will be introduced in the second season?
Sofia Toccalino: “In the first season you had to play all of the tournament and then the best four teams qualified for the Final Four [Grand Final]. But this season you have to be your best version of you in all of [the games to win the competition].”
Which fixture are you most looking forward to?
Sofia Toccalino: “I know that all of the fixtures are important, and we do not want to underestimate anyone, but we also know that the Netherlands match is always special.”
What was your #MyProLeagueMoment from the first season?
Sofia Toccalino: “My Pro League moment was when we qualified for the Final Four, because we trained a lot this year and we deserved it.”
What message have you got for the fans to get them along to watch the matches in the second season?
Sofia Toccalino: “I invite all the fans to come and support us in the FIH Pro League. It is important to us, and you will have a great time.”
#FIHProLeague
#HockeyInvites
Official FIH Pro League Site
Campo land Copa de la Reina and Polo win Copa Del Rey
Club de Campo celebrate
Club de Campo landed the Copa de la Reina for the fifth time in succession and their 17th in total as they got the best of fellow Madrid club SPV Complutense in the final 4-2 in Terrassa just before Christmas.
It followed a narrow 3-2 win over Real Club de Polo in the quarter-final before storming by the challenge of Atlètic Terrassa 6-0 in the semi-final.
In the final, Campo got off to a super start with Begoña García opening the scoring in the fifth minute but the students fought back and were level via Patricia Álvarez’s precise shot.
Laura Barrios returned Campo to the lead by the end of the first quarter and they created further daylight between the teams with Garcia finding her second goal for a 3-1 lead.
María López, with her fifth goal of the tournament, added another for Campo in the 22nd minute for an imposing 4-1 lead before Lola Riera dragged in a corner a minute for the big break.
That proved to be the last goal of the contest, however, with both defences ending on top, allowing Club de Campo to continue their fine season. They currently lead the Spanish league by four points, putting them in great shape for the EHL FINAL8 next Easter.
In the men’s Copa del Rey, Real Club de Polo were the victors for the 31st time after an eventful 4-3 win over Atlètic Terrassa at the Can Salas, retaining the title they won nine months earlier.
Polo reached the final with wins over Egara and Junior FC while Atlèti saw off Complutense and Campo.
The Barcelona club were first to hit the scoreboard courtesy of Manuel Bordás but Albert Beltrán equalised in the 11th minute from a corner and Jan Malgosa swapped the lead when he capitalised on a defensive error.
Marc Calzada made some excellent saves to keep it at 2-1 until the 21st minute when Xavi Lleonart picked up a corner rebound, keeping it all level at half-time.
Atlètic went back in front from Beltrán’s second goal, giving them the impetus going into the final quarter and they held that advantage until four minutes from the end.
Llorenç Piera fired home a penalty corner for 3-3 and they were not satisfied to settle for a shoot-out, going out for the winner which Marc Reyné connected in the final minute for a 4-3 success.
Euro Hockey League media release
Vanasch set for new challenge with Rot-Weiss Köln next season
Rot-Weiss President Stefan Seitz, Vincent Vanasch, RWK head coach André Henning (from left).
Just a few days into 2020, Rot-Weiss Köln have made what is probably going to be one of the most eye-catching transfers of the year with two-time world goalkeeper of the year Vincent Vanasch set to move from Waterloo Ducks during the summer.
The 32-year-old helped the Belgian club win EHL Men in 2019 as well as lead his country to World Cup and European gold in the past 13 months.
He will replace German national goalkeeper Victor Aly who has already signalled his intent to return to his hometown of Hamburg after several strong seasons with the club.
The future Rot-Weiss keeper has committed himself on a long-term basis and said of his move: “I was looking for the last major challenge of my career and was curious to play in a new league.
“The culture, vision and ambitions of Rot-Weiss quickly convinced me to take this step. I have only one goal on the field: to win the German Championship and the EHL together with the team. In addition to the pitch, I look forward to getting to know German culture better and making many new friends.”
Rot-Weiss trainer André Henning said of the new arrival: “Vincent did not need to convince us in terms of sport; his performance and success speak for themselves.
“In the discussions, he enthused us with his down-to-earthness, his hard work, his extremely high will to win and the willingness to lead the team to hard work to achieve success. We are of course also looking forward to the international spirit that he will bring to our team.”
Aly moves on to progress his legal career. He originally joined Rot Weiss as number two to Mex Weinhold in 2012 before developing his game to be international class.
Henning added:: “Victor is one of the finest guys I’ve ever been able to train. An insanely loyal, unpretentious, trustworthy character who never tells you how good he is, but prefers to show it in his modesty and flow.
“He has made an outstanding development, has become one of the best in the world and is an anchor for everyone, both human and athletic. We already have a long way to go and now I’m looking forward to the coming months with him. ”
Aly said of his upcoming departure: “Cologne, Rot-Weiss and, above all, my team have become my second home over the past few years. I can only thank them for the opportunity I was given here and for this incredible time that I will never forget. Now I’m really looking forward to a successful six months as part of this team! ”
Euro Hockey League media release
Bowdon Hightown and East Grinstead show indoor credentials
Rod Gilmour 
Bowdon Hightown's Tina Cullen talks at half time . Bowdon Hightown are aiming for third indoor title in six years Credit: Simon Parker
The opening weekend of this year's Jaffa Super 6s saw English club hockey's indoor powerhouses remain unbeaten while the sport's old guard came to the fore.
After two days of action in Telford, East Grinstead lead Bowdon Hightown on goal difference after four matches - both sides have won the national indoor title twice in the past five years - with newly-promoted Sutton Coldfield, who fielded 52-year-old Jane Sixsmith, lying in third place. The final phase will be played this weekend, with the top four teams advancing to Finals day at London's Copper Box on Feb 2
Bowdon's Sally Walton, a former GB international, proved a class act over the weekend, with 15 goals in four matches, including nine penalty corner goals, three penalty strokes and three strikes from open play.
"Sally is formidable, particularly at penalty corner attack," said Bowdon coach Tina Cullen, suffering from laryngitis over the weekend. "Others don't get a look in at times but we know what works for us and we drill it. It's also the rest of the routine which is drilled and gets overlooked. Our drag and trap is pretty slick, the girls are also team-first people and everyone plays their part."
Bowdon revel in the fast-paced and tactical play of the indoor game, while their form usually sees them perform better in the second half of the outdoor season, thanks to stalwart specialists Walton, Sam Quek and Kirsty Mackay in the side. Meanwhile Cullen, 50 in March, has ended her fine indoor career after helping Bowdon to promotion at last year's EuroHockey Women's Indoor Club Trophy.
By their own admission, Bowdon underperformed at the 2019 Super 6s Finals, but Cullen is adamant that their indoor ethos can lead them to regaining a European club place by lifting the Jaffa Super 6s trophy next month.
Holcombe's Philippa Lewis in action at the round robins in Telford. Credit: Simon Parker
"We know we have so much to improve upon," she added. "We have it in our history, we value and enjoy it. We also train for it quite seriously, because we travel from long distances as we can only train one night, but the players commit to a four-hour session, outdoor then indoor, through November and December."
While Walton remains top scorer, Sophie Bray continues to be a threat, with her eight goals contributing to East Grinstead's table-topping form ahead of the final set of matches. She scored five in the biggest win of the weekend, a 10-2 mauling of Surbiton.
Sixsmith turns back the clock
When Sutton Coldfield, the 1987 champions, were short of numbers ahead of their return to the indoor Premier Division, four-time Olympian Jane Sixsmith was initially reluctant to play.
But after a four-year hiatus, the 52-year-old, who still plays outdoors for Sutton Coldfield 2s with her daughter, entered the fray and played an opening hand for her beloved club on Saturday, with prior commitments forcing her to miss Sunday's games.
"As soon as she came on the pitch it was like she’d never been away," admitted captain Vicky Woolford. "Although a little rusty, she never loses her competitive nature and determination on and off the ball. Her experience and calmness always gives the team a huge boost and it’s always great to have her involved."
England missing an indoor trick
England Hockey's low priority for the indoor game has been remarkably evident in recent seasons, highlighted by a raft of internationals missing from Surbiton's team at the weekend and omission from European nations' tournaments.
There were a sprinkling of GB central programme players in action this weekend, but Finals day is likely to be devoid of any internationals, with the national squad - which includes a welcome return for Alex Danson - reconvening back at Bisham Abbey on Monday after a winter break.
On the international stage, England, who returned to indoor scene 11 years ago, have slipped down the world rankings, finishing third in the second tier of the last tournaments in 2018, while the men fared worse and were relegated.
The indoor game is as an important part of a player's armoury, with the likes of Germany seeing the shortened version as pivotal to adapting to outdoors. At the European Women's Indoor Nations later this month in Minsk, Belarus, heavyweights Belgium, Holland and Germany will all compete, with England once again absent.
Jaffa Super 6s Championships: Women's Premier Division Results
Saturday:
Leicester 5 Bowdon Hightown 6
Buckingham 4 Clifton Robinsons 0
Sutton Coldfield 2 Slough 1
Surbiton 2 East Grinstead 10
Holcombe 5 Leicester 4
Bowdon Hightown 7 Buckingham 3
Clifton Robinsons 4 Sutton Coldfield 5
Slough 6 Surbiton 1
East Grinstead 5 Holcombe 2.
Sunday:
Buckingham 2 Sutton Coldfield 2
Surbiton 3 Holcombe 5
Bowdon Hightown 5 Clifton Robinsons 1
Slough 1 East Grinstead 2
Leicester 3 Buckingham 4
Sutton Coldfield 4 Surbiton 3
Holcombe 2 Bowdon Hightown 4
Clifton Robinsons 1 Slough 4
East Grinstead 5 Leicester 1.
Standings (after four games)
1. East Grinstead
2. Bowdon Hightown
3. Sutton Coldfield
4. Buckingham
5. Slough
6. Holcombe
7. Leicester
8. Clifton Robinsons
9. Surbiton
The Telegraph
QPCC repeat as UWI champs
by Nigel Simon
Members of Queen’s Park Cricket Club celebrate their come-from-behind 4-3 win over Defence Force in the Men's Division final of UWI annual Invitational Indoor Hockey Tournament on Sunday night. In photo standing from left to right are Ryan Cowie, Raphael Govia, Arrielle Bowen, Shawn Lee Quay, Mahindersingh Mali, Allan Henderson, Evan Farrell, Aidan De Gannes. Kneeling from left to right are Ethan Reynos, Marcus Pascal, Reiza Hosein (goalkeeper), Darren Cowie (player/coach), Dominic Young.
Evan Farrell netted a hat-trick as Queen’s Park Cricket Club hochey players came from 0-2 deficit to defeat Defence Force 4-3 to repeat as champions in the Men's division of the University of the West Indies (UWI) Third annual Invitational Indoor Hockey Tournament on Sunday night.
Playing in the final match of the tournament at the UWI Sports and Physical Educational Centre (UWI SPEC), St Augustine, Defence Force which defeated the Parkites 4-2 in their Pool B round-robin match took a 2-0 lead in the decider through Isaiah Scott in the 11th and Dylan Francis three minutes later
Former national captain Darren Cowie started the fight-back for the Parkites when he scored in the 21st minute, but national defender Marcus James restored Defence Force's two-goal cushion in the 25th.
Farrell then charges for the Parkites and scored three quick items in the 29th, 30th and 31st minutes to put his team 4-3 and the Tragarete Road club held on until the final whistle to secure the $3,000 winner prize and a case of Gatorade while Police had to settle for runner-up prize of $2,000.
Earlier in the day, QPCC outplayed Police 5-3 in their semifinal, a repeat of last year's title-match while Defence Force blanked a youthful Malvern 7-0.
The Lawmen took third spot and the $1,000 prize courtesy a 7-4 spanking of Malvern led by a hat-trick from the veteran player and national rifle shooter Roger Daniel.
In last year's final the Parkites got hat-tricks from Aidan De Gannes (third, 16th, 23rd) and Dominic Young (7th, 15th, 20th) to deny Police 8-2.
Layne, Govia fires SIS to victory
Krizia Layne scored twice and Brianna Govia, the other to fire team SIS which featured several national players in training for the Pan American Indoor Cup in the USA in March, to a 3-1 come-from-behind triumph over Carib Magnolias in the women's final for the $3,000 top prize.
Magnolias went ahead as early as the first minute via Shaniah De Freitas, but Layne hit back for SIS in the 15th and 16th minutes before Govia added the third against her regular club-mates in the 21st to seal the victory and reduce the runners-up to the $2,000 collection.
SIS won its semifinal by default over last year's winners' Ventures 5-0, and Magnolias blanked Paragon 3-0.
Paragon finished third behind a default win over from Ventures (5-0) to secure the $1,000 prize.
In the women's title match last year, Ventures came from a goal down to beat UWI 2-1.
SELECTED RESULTS
Sunday
Women
Semifinals:
SIS 5 vs Ventures 0 - default
Magnolias 3 (Samantha Olton 6th, 11th, Shaniah De Freitas 14th) vs Paragon 0
Third place
Paragon 5 vs Ventures 0 - by default
Final
SIS 3 (Krizia Layne 15th, 16th, Brianna Govia 21st) vs Magnolias 1 (Shaniah De Freitas 1st)
Individual honours
Most Valuable Player: Amy Olton (SIS) - Two night stay at Crews Inn Hotel and Yachting
Most Goals: Kaitlyn Olton (Magnolias) - Angostura LLB and Regal Hamper
Men
Semifinals
QPCC 5 (Arrielle Bowen 8th, Darren Cowie 11th, Evan Farrell 16th, Dominic Young 20th, Shawn Lee Quay 32nd) vs Police I 3 (Jordan Reynos 4th, 18th, Solomon Eccles 29th)
Defence Force 7 (Shaquille Daniel 14th, 23rd, Marcus James 19th, 27th, Jordan Vieira 29th, Isaiah Scott 29th, 30th) vs Malvern 0
Third place
Police 7 (Nicholas Grant 7th, Roger Daniel 8th, 21st, 22nd, Jordan Reynos 9th, 25th, Akim Toussaint ) vs Malvern 4 (Tariq Marcano 6th, 12th, Teague Marcano 15th, Akeem Rudder 24th)
Final
QPCC 4 (Darren Cowie 21st, Evan Farrell 29th, 30th, 31st) vs Defence Force 3 (Isaiah Scott 11th, Dylan Francis 14th, Marcus James 25th)
Individual honours
Most Valuable Player: Mickel Pierre (Defence Force) - Two night stay at Tradewinds Hotel
Most Goals: Jordan Reynos (Police) - Angostura LLB and Regal Hamper
The Trinidad Guardian
After 20 years, Kumar wants a double in 2020
By T. AVINESHWARAN
PETALING JAYA: Tenaga Nasional goalkeeper S. Kumar is looking to celebrate his 20th year in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) by winning a double in 2020.
The veteran national player said it has been a while since he achieved a double success with his club, and he believes the mix of experienced and young players are capable of pulling off the feat this year.
The last time he achieved that success was in 2003.
“The team has targeted to win both trophies, and I would love to do it again after 18 years. Like any other team in the league, we have lofty ambitions, ” said the 40-year-old, who will be the first player to play in the league for 20 years.
“I won the league in 2001,2002 and 2003 and the overall title in 2003,2004,2007 and 2010. It has been a long time since I won something with Tenaga.
“I believe the boys in the team, whether experienced or inexperienced, will give their best. What we need to aim for is consistency, and that has been said countless times during training sessions.”
Kumar will be competing for his place in the team with fellow national goalkeeper Mohd Hairi Abdul Rahman but he emphasised that no individual was bigger than the team.
“I have trained with Hairi for several years, and we understand each other well. In training, we are not fighting for ourselves, but for the team.
“The coaches said there would be a rotation policy, but we won’t rest on our laurels. It is selfish to think the spot is mine. Hockey is a team sport, and we have to work together.”
Being a veteran among youngsters does not faze Kumar, who said that being the elder in the team gives him extra responsibility.
He said players like Amirul Hamizar Azhar, Norsyafiq Sumantri, Mohd Akhimullah Anuar Esook, Mohd Arif Syafie Ishak and Mohd Noor Firdaus Rosdi have the potential to be game-changers.
“They are young, but they are quite experienced. They are young and agile, which augurs well for us.
“On their day, they can be unstoppable. My hope is to see them having lots of good days during the league.”
Of the eight teams in the MHL, only two teams – Tenaga and Maybank – are fielding an all-local line-up but Kumar does not see that as a disadvantage.
“We are looking to develop young local talents, and the league is the best platform to do so. Tenaga have always produced a pool of top quality players for the national team.
“In 2010, we won the overall title with all local players. So, I do not see a problem.”
The Star of Malaysia
Cargo’s life-changing opportunity an inspiration for future stars as Bangor man retires
"Hopefully I showed there is a chance to play for Ireland and we will see people from smaller clubs and schools coming through, believing they can wear the green shirt if they work hard enough and don’t give up." Chris Cargo on his Irish legacy
Chris Cargo celebrates a goal against Ukraine in 2012. Pic: Adrian Boehm
“He is someone I reference a lot when coach kids; he made the absolute most of his opportunity and the most of his talents. He is someone any young player looking up to can see it’s achievable.
“He achieved it even when he was never expecting to and that is a really good lesson for any young kid.”
John Jackson knows more than most about Chris Cargo, his team mate of nearly 20 years, dating back to their days as an incredibly attacking full-back duo – Jackson at right-back, Cargo on the left for the Ulster Under-16s.
The former’s words encapsulate the essence of Cargo’s remarkable journey from obscurity to a position in the pantheon of Irish greats, appearing seemingly from nowhere to play an integral role.
The utility player from Bangor retired from the international game just before Christmas, ending as the eighth most capped Irish men’s player with 195 caps, picking up a myriad of medals along the way, chipping in with a healthy goal tally to boot.
He was there for the 2015 European bronze, Olympic and World Cup qualification; he has gold medals from the Celtic Cup, the Champions Challenge II and an INSEP tournament featuring Australia, Argentina and Korea; a Challenge I bronze in Argentina and more besides.
And yet it is an international career that may never have started but for an injury to David Ames on the eve of the 2008 senior interprovincials in Garryduff.
Learning the game at Bangor Grammar and Bangor Hockey Club, Cargo had been a youth international but his move to Bath for university saw him slip off the radar. His college coach Bobby Crutchley – who went on to coach England and GB – did put forward his case for an Irish trial but he could not accept the invitation due to illness.
And so it seemed his chance had gone until Ames had to withdraw from the Ulster side and Cargo got a late phone call to jet over.
“At 22 or 23, I had kind of given up on it really,” Cargo told The Hook. “I played Under-21 interpros but there was no national team at that level and was never part of the development teams.
“Everyone who I played with underage like John Jackson, Eugene Magee, Timmy Lewis, Alan Sothern had already caps and so it was like everyone from my era had already been called in. Younger guys were getting them as well so I thought my time had gone.”
Indeed, he was not travelling to Cork as an Irish trial, more “just a cool thing to do” but he was in good shape with a recent move to Reading – with whom he would won the English title and an EHL bronze – had him high on confidence
He played with the pressure off, scored a couple of goals and rattled a few feathers of the best players in the country of the time, scoring a couple of goals.
Newly installed coach Paul Revington, however, took note and the Irish camp soon got in touch. Just a few months later, he made his debut at the now famous 2009 Celtic Cup where many of the golden generation got their start with a shock victory.
Cargo signs autographs in 2016. Pic: Adrian Boehm
“It helped that a lot of us were very new,” he said of his first caps. “Jacko was our captain with about 10 caps. Usually on debut, you expect to have a lot of experience around you and it could be daunting.
“For us, it was all brand new, 10 of us in the same boat. I got a few messages from lads in the team [when I retired] like Andy Herbert to say congrats. They were the only three caps he got; he was really good and deserved more.
“Cookie [Peter Caruth] was there, Gareth Watkins scored one probably of the best goals I have ever seen in an Irish shirt. We got on a roll and probably didn’t realise how well we did to win it. We kind of expected it from ourselves and it was really fun to be part of!”
It would take another year, though, to become a central figure in the squad as he missed out on selection for the European B division and World Cup qualifiers.
“2010 when I really became part of it,” he says, remembering that Revington had put it up to the new faces to make their mark. Indeed, the genesis of the “no excuses” mantra came from those times.
“Early on, Revs wanted us to write down our goals. We all wanted to be Olympians but he challenged us to be a top ten team in the world. If you believe you can, you can. It made us realise it wasn’t about qualifying for one major tournament. To do it, you have to get your ranking higher and higher.”
Winning the Challenge II in Lille in 2011 was a big moment; so was beating Spain – who were Olympic silver medalists at the time – to fifth place in the Euros a few months later.
The 2012 Olympic qualifiers in Dublin were brutal, amplified by some surreal highs, as Nam Jong Lee’s devastating touch delayed the dream.
“The crowds that week were unreal; the noise was amazing, so many in UCD watching. The night before the final, you had random kids in the shop wishing us luck.
“Driving in on the bus, loads of people were beeping their horn and Irish hockey posters in their cars. At the game, there were people pressing up against the fence who couldn’t get tickets. Realising the president was there, you knew how big it was.
“But that ending was so numb. I was on the bench and looking straight down the line of it. We all knew immediately.
Captaining Ireland against Pakistan. Pic: Adrian Boehm
“We were driving back to Belfast and stopped at a service station – all of the newspapers had one of us crying. Gutting but you also realised how followed it was that week, how close we had been to an Olympics.
“It also probably made us realise we could do it. Korea were a big, big team at the time, fifth in the world, and we were right up there.”
It fed into a remarkable run, reaching an apex in 2015, beating Pakistan for the first time and then Malaysia a few days later in Antwerp for the Rio ticket. Soon after, they stunned Europe with their maiden bronze.
Rio, though, carries thoughts of what could have been.
“It was a big learning curve. An amazing experience, the highlight of my career but we didn’t win anything. I do think back on all the things we won and the big results – we wanted to get out of the group and didn’t quite do it.
“We weren’t quite at the level we were the summer before but still played pretty well. The game we regret the most is the India one – we could have at least got a draw but the nerves and everything maybe got the better of us.
“Against Holland, we had one of our best games in terms of stats but they were super clinical. We played Argentina and a win would have knocked them out – it was 2-2 with eight minutes to go and they go on to win the Olympic Games. Fine margins and we weren’t that far from knocking them out!”
The 2018 World Cup followed a similar theme; a fine performance against Australia did not yield a result to match and the cutting edge deserted them against China and England.
By this stage, personal perspective was changing. A home renovation with his fiancé and increased work focus saw Cargo take a break for the early part of 2019. He had hoped to return earlier in the year but made his comeback for the ill-fated Tokyo 2020 qualifiers in Vancouver, a crushing video nasty.
He knew it was the moment to call time on his unlikely international career.
“It was an amazing time and changed my life. In 2008, if you said I would travel the world, winning medals at all these competitions, I would never believe it.
“When Beijing was on, I was away and didn’t watch a single minute of it! It wasn’t on my radar. To then play in one, was unbelievable. I have played with some of the best ever in a green shirt. The talent, what they did on the biggest stages… they helped me improve and hopefully I helped them a little bit as well. The life experience that comes with all that.
“Revs said early on ‘it’s not a sacrifice, it’s a life choice; do you want to do this?’ If you want it, you shouldn’t see it as a sacrifice. These are opportunities that you are very lucky to have.
“I loved training camps and was lucky enough to make some incredible friends for life. In years to come, we will talk about all those special memories and all the fun that comes with being in the team which people on the outside never see, the same crap jokes! Getting to win stuff along the way with your country makes it even better!
With his European bronze medal
“Hopefully we will be remembered as the first team to qualify for the Olympics which has enabled further success across Hockey Ireland; that would be a great legacy.
“Hopefully the right funding gets in place for Hockey Ireland and the structures so it is a continuous thing for both teams into the future. It’s not easy but it is something we can do with the talent coming through.
“We never under-estimated ourselves as ‘little old Ireland’. We were more confident than that. I definitely wouldn’t say I was a legend but I played with plenty and hopefully I was a small cog in helping them.
“Not everyone progresses at the same rate and there’s nothing wrong with getting your first cap aged 25 or 26. Jonny Bell has now captained Ireland loads of times and been a massive part of the team and he never played any Irish underage stuff.
“Hopefully I showed there is a chance to play for Ireland and we will see people from smaller clubs and schools coming through, believing they can wear the green shirt if they work hard enough and don’t give up.”
He will continue to enjoy his club hockey with Hampstead & Westminster in London with whom he won another English crown. Recently, he helped them defeat Dutch club HGC, earning a unique stat in EHL history – on the rare occasions English clubs have beaten Dutch sides in the elite competition, Cargo has always been on the pitch – twice with Reading, once with H&W.
Reflecting on his international career, he is seriously thankful to those who made it happen: “I have loved wearing the green shirt for 10 years in countries all over the world and making history with this group.
“I would particularly like to thank Paul Revington for giving me my first opportunity to wear a green shirt. I had given up on that dream so I will always be truly grateful to him for giving me that chance and changing my life. He made me, and the whole group, believe that we could make history and instilled in us a huge drive and determination.
“To Ned, for galvanising the team after the disappointment of 2012, you pushed us on again through our “No excuses” mantra. Finally, to Tum for coming in and making this group enjoy their hockey again. 
Picture: Adrian Boehm
“To all the lads I have shared a pitch with over the years; Thanks! It was an amazing journey and I was lucky enough to forge some enduring friendships, whilst making history with this team and having a great laugh along the way.
“There have been many low points on the journey, but they make the successes so much sweeter.
“To my parents, thank you for all your support along the way and for trusting and backing me in all the decisions I have made. To Sarah, my fiancée, thank you for being so understanding and allowing me to chase my dreams with unconditional support. Furthermore, thank you to all the families in Dublin, especially the Loughreys, who have welcomed me into their homes.
“I look forward to wearing my green shirt as a supporter of Irish Hockey in future years.”
The Hook
2020: biggest year of change in English club hockey?
By The Hockey Paper
England Hockey AGM will see vote on restructure changes but the review has met resistance from some leagues
England Hockey’s restructure plans for regional and county leagues will be the biggest change in 50 years – if it is given the green light for “clear purpose and leadership” ahead of the 2021/22 season.
Following a governance review of domestic hockey which started in 2017, a working group was led by vice president Liz Pelling to undertake a recommendation for change. It follows a number of clubs putting forward a resolution requesting that EH review the way the sport is structured.
Proposals for ‘A Structure Fit for the Future’ include moving the current five regions to eight areas, having 50 fewer organisations, 100 fewer committees across England and one streamlined set of league rules.
EH say that the roadshows over the autumn received “positive” feedback and “confirmed that this is a once in a generation opportunity to change the way hockey is administered for the benefit of all involved.”
A final vote will be taken by members at England Hockey’s AGM in March with the hope that a fresh structure will be put into place in time for September 2021.
England Hockey’s vision is to have a more simpler more consistent, more effective governance structure in hockey that helps make club administrators lives easier.
England Hockey say the current governance structure in hockey is disjointed and complex, with too many different rules and regulations. If the vote is passed, clubs will see one set of rules, consistent across genders, with better junior structures in place.
The South Men’s League, which is against the restructure, currently has 181 clubs and will have a third of the teams under the current proposals.
THP has led coverage on EH’s domestic restructure plans
The Midlands is set to become the biggest league in England, with the eight “more equal areas” based on density of teams and travel times. England Hockey say that the plans offer a “fairer structure” for progression.
With the South Men’s League split up, three new areas are mooted: Greater London, South East and South Central.
Boundary clubs (M25) will choose one area to play in, while EH claim that 140,000 miles will be axed in travel for London clubs, with a “significant saving” in the offing.
The London League (not part of the South League) and some East League teams would also form part of the three new areas.
Mike Ward, South League chairman, is against such changes.
He said: “We do not believe the proposals are in the interests of hockey in the South and its members.
“Or indeed are practical, and we believe that any decision on possible implementation should be delayed at least a year with EH publishing greater details for consideration and debate later.”
Meanwhile Peter McInulty, of North West Hockey League, said there would be “no massive changes” as the league had restructured geographically a few years ago.
South League Hockey were critical in their views of the restructure in our December issue
“Problems could arise with some ladies teams in the Lancashire leagues, however, with the potential for several mergers for some clubs.
The Hockey Paper will report on the wider picture concerning women’s leagues in an upcoming edition.
Rich Beer, of England Hockey, said: “The request to do this review came from the membership and these proposals are aimed at addressing many of the issues that players, clubs and associations have raised with us through the consultations.
“Simplification is key, aiming to help make club and league administrators lives easier.
“Rather than our current structure which has grown organically over the years and has become inconsistent and imbalanced we are proposing a structure that allows more fairness and consistency for clubs in terms of opportunity to progress within competitions.
“Our final proposals respond to the most recent round of open feedback we requested from clubs and associations and will provide much more of the detail behind the proposals for those that requested it.
“We believe these are forward thinking proposals that will appeal to clubs and association volunteers that have a passion to improve and update the way our sport is run for generations to come. The membership will have the chance to decide in March 2020.”
View from the West
“We are probably the least affected region in the country. There are a few concerns over how we retain the volunteers we’ve currently got. Individuals could see it as a good time to give up, but there would be no one to take over responsibilities as there aren’t enough volunteers. But we do need to change things to become more transparent and make it easier for the players to understand what’s going on in the sport.”
Charles Hallows, West Hockey Council president
It’s a huge year for the sport – and our mission is for all juniors, grass roots, masters and general hockey lovers to read the game.
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The Hockey Paper
USA Field Hockey ADM Transforming Field Hockey for Kenyan Youth
Image Courtesy of Tunza Sports Academy
Since its formal introduction at the 2019 USA Field Hockey Summit in Baltimore, the American Development Model (ADM) has sprouted several success stories across the United States through its supporting staff, aligned programming and equipment. Among the intrigued crowd at the discussion was Rael Otieno, who not only saw the positive potential stateside, but also the perfect program to grow the game through her non-profit youth sports organization, Tunza Sports Academy, in Kenya.
“I started the program with the intention of harnessing the power of sports to reduce poverty, promote health and inspire academic success for kids in under-served rural areas,” said Otieno. “We empower girls with life changing skills that will enable them to become women of integrity, women of substance and functional community leaders by ensuring they go beyond high school education. The initiative stems from my passion for sport, specifically field hockey, and compassion for humanity. Our mission is to work with communities to enhance quality of life by ending the cycle of poverty through sports and implement a cycle of giving back.”
Having gone through much of what young children experience daily growing up in her home country, Otieno is a living representation of the challenges, hardships and roadblocks one faces in Kenya. At the same time, she hopes she can also be a symbol of inspiration by providing opportunities for kids to learn, play and develop.
“My self-driven role is to solicit resources, such as equipment and coaching personnel by engaging my friends and the field hockey community around me,” added Otieno.
Through Tunza Sports Academy resources such as the ADM are showing positive impact in the most remote villages in the country. Her adventures may seem far away from the United States and USA Field Hockey, but intention of growing the game is being used as an international language. Otieno’s biggest takeaway from the unveiling and demonstration of the ADM was participants could adapt and play quite evenly despite individual talent levels.
“I knew right there and then that I wanted to have the equipment in my program because we coach players from scratch and these players have never even watched a field hockey game or known of its existence,” continued Otieno. “However, the main seller for me was the safety aspect. The kids in my program do not have shoes nor are they insured. We must solicit all protective equipment through donations and therefore the more injuries that can be prevented, the more chances they will stay with the program.”
The ADM resources and equipment were an instant hit among eager participants in Kenya over the holidays as they couldn’t decide between their favorite color sticks while dribbling the GO Balls. Otieno also made great use of the simplistic GAME ON Equipment Packs packages and demonstrated basic skills through accompanying games. It’s the perfect fit for beginners and young players according to Otieno, not only for safety but also accelerating learning by the coach and players alike.
“For those starting a program from scratch, buying the equipment in bulk is quite affordable”, said Otieno. “The USA Field Hockey ADM is about teaching and growing the game not about having the latest and most fashionable expensive equipment in the market.”
She also credits the ADM equipment versatility for allowing Tunza Sports Academy participants to grow and develop on several types of playing surface, from murram fields to uneven grass and cement floors.
“The difference in the speed of the ball and ability to maneuver by beginners is not too significant to impact the level of play as normally witnessed using the traditional equipment,” added Otieno. “The dimpled, bigger but lighter ball is much more pronounced above uneven surfaces and so the contact with the stick is maintained. Similarly, on hard floors, the player does not have to scrape the floor to get good contact with the ball. In essence, the ball size and weight make it easy to swap between surfaces without influencing skill progress. All the above factors make is easy to bring field hockey in the neighborhood or the beach for some fun time with family and friends who don’t play the game.”
Back in the United States, Otieno is eager to put the ADM to the test, but for the time being is focused on the technical aspect of the game especially with Junior Premier Hockey. As she put it, the thirst for growing the game is worldwide and believes the ADM will be a front runner in providing guidance to beginners both young and old.
“Anyone can create their own teaching model by borrowing ideas from the ADM and transform what works for their environment and level of play,” said Otieno. “The best part is that the ADM has not changed the rules of the game. It has only made equipment easier to handle by beginners and provided an excellent guide to coaching by breaking down the steps on how to teach the game, full of ideas on how to run a successful beginner program.”
Interested in starting a program near you? For more information regarding the USA Field Hockey ADM, including supporting programs, equipment and more, click here.
USFHA media release
Hockey Australia committed to raising funds for bushfire crisis
Hockey Australia President Mel Woosnam has made the following statement regarding the ongoing bushfire crisis.
On behalf of the Australian hockey community, our thoughts and condolences go out to all those who have been affected by the fires.
We acknowledge the amazing and tireless work that continues to be done by individuals and organisations in the safety and relief effort.
Hockey Australia’s Indoor Hockey Festival is currently being held in Wollongong and we sincerely thank the Rural Fire Service for their support, including the regular updates and advice they have provided which has helped to ensure all participants, families and friends attending the event are up to date with the latest developments.
Hockey Australia will continue to provide updates regarding any risk including the assessment of air quality as the festival progresses, however we encourage everyone attending the festival to monitor the latest updates via the RFS, the LIVE Traffic NSW app and Emergency Radio.
Hockey is a sport played and followed in many of the regional areas that have been severely impacted by the fires and we have been inspired by our fellow national sporting organisations and athletes to play our part and make a commitment to fundraise and support those affected.
Full details will be announced in due course as we look forward to engaging the Australian hockey community to get behind the relief effort and maximise the support to raise funds for those in need.
Hockey Australia media release