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All the news for Thursday 5 March 2020

2020 FIH Pro League (Men) - This weekend

6 Mar 2020 20:30 (GMT +8)     AUS v ARG (RR)     Perth Hockey Stadium, Perth
7 Mar 2020 18:30 (GMT +8)     AUS v ARG (RR)     Perth Hockey Stadium, Perth

Live streaming and full game replay on https://fih.live (May be Geo blocked if there is TV coverage)

Pool Standings

FIH Match Centre

2020 FIH Pro League (Women) - This weekend

6 Mar 2020 18:00 (GMT +8)     AUS v ARG (RR)     Perth Hockey Stadium, Perth
7 Mar 2020 16:00 (GMT +8)     AUS v ARG (RR)     Perth Hockey Stadium, Perth

Live streaming and full game replay on https://fih.live (May be Geo blocked if there is TV coverage)

Pool Standings

USA v NED (26.01.2020) worth double points because of the match cancelled on 24.01.2020
AUS v GBR (01.02.2020) worth double points because of the match cancelled on 02.02.2020

FIH Match Centre

Heritage and culture celebrated over FIH Hockey Pro League weekend



For Brooke Peris and Mariah Williams, the FIH Hockey Pro League double headers against Argentina on 6 and 7 March will take on extra significance as Hockey Australia recognises and celebrates the role Indigenous Australians have had in Australian sporting success.

Both players have Indigenous heritage, and are two of a number of Indigenous athletes that have represented Australia in a range of sports over the years.

To celebrate Indigenous sporting heritage, both the Hockeyroos and the Kookaburras will be wearing a specially designed kit, The Seven Sisters and the Emu in the Sky. The designer is none other than double Olympian – in hockey and sprinting – Nova Peris, who is Brooke’s cousin. Nova won gold with Australia in the 1996 Olympic Games and then swapped to track to represent her country in the 2000 Games in Sydney.

Brooke Peris said it meant a great deal to her to be involved and to compete as an Indigenous Australian.

“This is really special and I’m extremely proud to be able to represent Indigenous people and have the opportunity to be part of this occasion,” says Brooke.

“I cherish every time I get to play for Australia, and if I can help to inspire other Indigenous people, whether it is to pick up a hockey stick or following any other pursuit in life while being proud of their heritage, it makes it all the more worthwhile.”

Nova Peris explains that her polo shirt design represents the ancient and traditional relationship the Indigenous people have with the stars and astronomy. The legend of the Emu and the Seven Sisters, told through the ages to generations of Indigenous children is all about bringing people together.

As well as the commemorative shirts, there will be a weekend-long programme of Indigenous themed activities. This includes a group of young indigenous players from the Cairns Aspire to be Deadly Programme – as reported in our first of six articles to mark International Women’s Day – taking part in a five-a-side game at half time of both Pro League matches.

“This is an opportunity for hockey in Australia to celebrate Indigenous players who have played for Australia over time,” said Hockey Australia CEO Matt Favier.

“It is our chance to say thank you and to acknowledge them, and more broadly to recognise and celebrate the role that Indigenous people play in Australian culture and our community, particularly through sport.

“Surprisingly we haven’t done something like this as a sport before despite our history which has seen talented Indigenous players such as Nova Peris, Des Abbott, Joel Carroll, Baeden Choppy and Lorelle Morrissey.

“We have some players of Indigenous heritage also playing now, so the timing is appropriate and we are thrilled that we are able to do it.”

Schedule of Australia v Argentina FIH Hockey Pro League matches

Friday 6 March

Australia women v Argentina women (6:00pm local)
Australia men v Argentina men (8:30pm local)

Saturday 7 March
Australia women v Argentina women (4:00pm local)
Australia men v Argentina men (6:30pm local)

#FIHProLeague

Official FIH Pro League Site

Hockeyroos aim for the stars during special celebrations



This weekend (6 & 7 March) Australia face Argentina in the FIH Hockey Pro League. For hockey fans everywhere this is a chance to watch two of the most skilful and physical women's teams in the world in action. The teams are evenly matched – the Hockeyroos are ranked XX in the FIH World Rankings, one place behind Las Leonas.

For Brooke Peris, the matches will be even more special as the striker will be wearing kit designed by her cousin Nova Peris, celebrating Australia's indigenous heritage. Nova was the first indigenous hockey player to win gold at an Olympic Games (1996). She then switched sports and represented Australia at athletics in the 2000 Olympic Games.

The kit design features seven sisters and an emu in the sky – symbolising the Aboriginal people's skill at astronomy, as well as delving into ancient culture and mythology.

The match against Argentina will take on extra significance for you as you are wearing our playing uniform that was designed by your cousin Novo Peris. And the teams and fans will be celebrating your indigenous heritage. How do you think you will feel as you step onto the pitch?
Brooke Peris: "It’s always an honour to wear the Australia body suit and to play in front of a home crowd but it is an extra special touch when you get an indigenous design by a family member. This is the first time we are celebrating our indigenous ground in the hockey community, so I am very excited and very honoured to have that opportunity."

Australia and Argentina are currently tussling for second place in the word rankings, what do you expect of these two matches?
Brooke Peris: “I expect that it will be a great fight and neither team will stop until the final whistle. We are both very fast paced teams, we are both very skilful teams and we match each other very well. I think that it will be a very exciting couple of games.

How will the Hockeyroos cope with the attacking skills of Argentina?
Brooke Peris: “I think we have one of the best defences in the world to be honest. They are strong, they are fit, they have unique skills. The defenders have a really good opportunity to show their skills and they will do their job on the day.

What will be your tactics when it comes to breaking down their defence?
Brooke Peris: “We just go off together as an attacking group. We always work together as a group and fight from the front position and we will be looking to  execute [skills] in the circle when we need to. We have been working on that for the last couple of weeks so I hopefully on the weekend now we will get to show that we can do it.

How important is it for the team's mindset to beat such close rivals?
Brooke Peris: “It’s hugely important. Everyone has an individual opportunity to get ready for the game and I have no doubt that each player will be ready to perform at their best. I am just looking forward to how they will all perform.”

How important will the fans be when it comes to creating an atmosphere that your team can thrive on?
Brooke Peris: “Argentina always have a great crowd and their atmosphere is incredible. Australia can match that. The crowd will cheer for us and when we get the ball running, the crowd will get involved. It makes hockey super exciting and it is important to get as many people as we can down here to watch a great game of hockey.”

#FIHProLeague

Official FIH Pro League Site

Kookaburras Coach Colin Batch calling for more consistency against reigning Olympic champs

Confidence is high but Kookaburras Head Coach Colin Batch wants more consistency from his playing group when they host Argentina in two highly anticipated FIH Pro League matches at the Perth Hockey Stadium at Curtin University tomorrow and Saturday.

Despite securing four out of a possible six points in their two matches in their recent trip to India, which is more points than any other side has secured in the subcontinent so far this year, Batch knows the Kookaburras were guilty of letting their opponents back into both matches.

This has given the 2019 FIH Coach of the Year and his coaching staff something to ponder, with Batch set to welcome a number of players back into the fold and also make some personnel changes from Friday to Saturday in an attempt to discover the depth in the squad.

“Even though we will have some changes from match one to match two, I want to see some consistency in our performances, both individually and as a collective,” said Batch.

“If we go ahead in a game, we need to deal with those situations better than what we have done in the past, and if we happen to find ourselves behind, we are confident we have a plan and a style that can overcome that.

“We have got a lot of confidence within the group but we still need to execute and that is what this weekend is about.”

From the team that played in India, Matt Swann, Flynn Ogilvie and Josh Simmonds are all inclusions for the opening match against Argentina, who are the reigning Olympic gold medallists, while Tom Craig and Jacob Anderson will not be considered due to injury.

Jake Whetton is another who will miss the matches after suffering a hamstring injury in the second match against India.

On a positive note, Batch hinted that Blake Govers, the Pro League’s leading goal scorer last year, could come into contention for Saturday’s match in what would be his first appearance since tearing his adductor playing in the Sultana Bran Hockey One League back in late October.

“It is always a challenge for a player who has had a long term injury, and for Blake it was disrupted by the summer break, so he hasn’t played much hockey since the injury,” said Batch.

“It’s difficult to pick the pace of the game up when you first come back, but I think Blake is capable of it. He has been training well, so he will be very keen to play.”

Coming up against a largely experienced Argentinian team who have scored 18 times in their six Pro League matches this campaign, Batch believes the matches against the South Americans will be vastly different to what the Kookaburras faced against India.

“Argentina can be very direct and break really quickly from defence, but at other times they like to slow the game down, so we’ve got to make sure we play at the tempo that we want to play at,” said Batch.

“Just like India, Argentina is in our pool at the Olympics, so it is important that we have two good matches against them.”

While Batch will take his normal place in charge for Friday’s game, he will be absent on Saturday as he attends his son’s wedding. Assistant Coach Anthony Potter will take the reigns in Batch’s absence, together with fellow assistant Rob Hammond.

The Kookaburras will wear a special Indigenous playing kit for the matches against Argentina as part of Hockey Australia’s Indigenous themed weekend which will celebrate the contribution of past and present Indigenous Australian players.

Kookaburras team v Argentina - Match 1 (6 March 2020)

Hockey Australia media release

Eddie Ockenden set to surpass Kookaburras legend Jamie Dwyer’s games record



Proud Tasmanian Eddie Ockenden is in line to become the Kookaburras’ most capped player when he takes the field in this weekend’s two FIH Pro League matches against Argentina in Perth.

Currently with 364 appearances to his name, the 32 year old Kookaburras co-captain will equal the 365 game record of Australian hockey legend Jamie Dwyer tomorrow before eclipsing it on Saturday.

A triple Olympian who has been part of two World Cup winning teams and three Commonwealth gold medal winning teams among other major tournament successes, Ockenden has had hockey and the Kookaburras running through his veins since making his debut as a 19 year old in June 2006.

Ockenden started his Kookaburras career as a striker before moving into the midfield, and now he plays predominantly as a defender.

Never one to enjoy the spotlight, Ockenden accepts the significance of the milestone he is about to reach and the player and mate he is going to surpass, but he prefers to focus his attention on to the privilege of being part of the Kookaburras.

“In the scheme of things, it doesn’t feel like it means a lot because it is just a number of games, but when I sit back and think about it, it means a lot to have been in this team for this amount of time,” said Ockenden.

“I reflect on the guys that I have been able to play alongside and the friendships and my best mates in this team, so I think that is really cool…they are the things I have been reflecting on.”

“It is a special team and I love being part of the Kookaburras so that is what means the most to me.”

Ockenden expressed the honour of being about to take a record held by Dwyer, and the influence the five time World Player of the Year has had on his career and their lasting friendship.

“As a player, I remember when Jamie (Dwyer) broke the record and when you play in big milestone games, when it is not you it is really special, so I’ve loved playing in those games when someone else has had a milestone,” said Ockenden.

“Then when it is your turn you think you don’t want to make a big deal about it, but it is nice that the whole team puts that energy and effort into it.”

“Jamie was a special player and I have been lucky to have played a lot of games with him. I came into the team after the Kookaburras had won the gold medal in Athens and that was a great time for hockey in Australia.

“Jamie was very helpful for me back then and we are great friends so that is pretty special.”

Despite the increased media attention on him in the build up to the matches against Argentina, the laid back Ockenden has taken it in his stride and says he has not put a limit on how much longer he will play while his enjoyment and passion for playing hockey continues.

“You don’t think about how many games you have played when you’re training every day at 6am, you are doing it because you love it and that is the philosophy in the Kookaburras,” said Ockenden.

“I really love playing hockey so there is not a time limit on how long I’ll keep going for. When you get older there are other things that you have to take into consideration, but I’m pretty focussed on the Olympics and I will try to keep playing after Tokyo because I’m loving it at the moment, so there is no real timeline.”

Ockenden’s parents are making the trip across from Hobart to watch their son in action, while there is also set to be a contingent of former Kookaburras who will be in attendance to be part of the history making weekend.

Ahead of Ockenden’s impending milestone, the following comments are from some who have been privy to a considerable part of his journey to date.

Colin Batch (Kookaburras Head Coach)

“Eddie doesn’t chase these sorts of accolades. He has been a super player for the Kookaburras…we love Eddie Ockenden and Eddie Ockenden loves the Kookaburras.”

“He is such a team person and almost shy on individual accolades…that’s him. He has played for such a long time and has been such a good contributor and an outstanding player, and he is developing his leadership role more and more in this current group. We are seeing some great signs, not just as a player still, but as a leader together with Aran Zalewski.”

“It’s a tremendous honour for him to break Jamie’s record…what an amazing player Jamie was. I know that all of the players who have played with Eddie over the years, including the current group, just respect him so much for what he has achieved and how he goes about his hockey.”

“It is just the little things that he constantly does that would go unnoticed, but we know he is doing all of the extra stuff, and he has great support from his family. His parents are flying over for the weekend, his wife Louise and two boys are great supporters of him, and without this support he wouldn’t be able to spend the time required to get to the level he needs to, so you certainly need to acknowledge the support he gets from his close family.”

Rob Hammond (current Kookaburras Assistant Coach and former teammate)

“One thing that is evident about Eddie is his talent and his work ethic has meant that his career is so enduring.

“If anyone is going to hold a games record for the Kookaburras, and probably the three or four guys that have come before Ed that held the games records, they are unique players for a whole lot of reasons. They have the talent but they also have a huge desire to work hard and a huge hunger to succeed.”

“You don’t hang around the Kookaburras for this long just to play hockey. You hang around to win trophies and tournaments and I think that is testament to Eddie’s desire to wear the green and gold.”

“Ed has shown constant innovation in his game. To make a comparison to some of the greatest athletes in other sports, they constantly innovate and improve…they are not settled with where they are. He is constantly changing his game but I also think he has stayed relevant to being a very modern player irrespective of what era he is in.”

Jamie Dwyer (former Kookaburra and record games holder)

“For young guys looking up to Eddie, what he has done is a pretty amazing achievement.

“If there was anyone to pass the record, I’d want Eddie to pass it. I think he will hold it for a fair while and there is no reason why he can’t keep going and reach 400 games.”

“I have seen a lot of people come in with a lot of talent and play more than 100 games for Australia. Eddie is really passionate and a hockey lover. He learnt how his body worked from a young age. I don’t think he has been injured hardly at all so that’s credit to him for preparing himself right.”

Tom Wickham (Kookaburras teammate)

“Ed just goes about his business and doesn’t like the limelight on him, and I think that says a lot about the type of person he is.”

“He is the ultimate Kookaburra and I think every single person in our team looks up to him and the things he brings to the group.

“It will be pretty special for him to break the record but I think from Ed’s perspective he will just be happy to go out and put the Kookaburras shirt on.”

Tyler Lovell (Kookaburras teammate)

“He is a humble, hardworking person and outstanding athlete. He leads by example and I have loved playing with him and having the opportunity to watch him get better and better.”

Hockey Australia media release

Somerville to debut as Hockeyroos prepare for formidable Argentina

Local 20 year old defender Karri Somerville will become the Hockeyroos’ latest debutant when she takes the field against Argentina in Perth in the FIH Pro League tomorrow (Friday 6 March).

Somerville has impressed at training since joining the squad at the start of the year and Hockeyroos Head Coach Paul Gaudoin has no hesitation injecting her into the fray for her first game.

“Karri played really well during the Sultana Bran Hockey One season which gave her the opportunity to make the squad, and she has been building nicely in her training over the last six to eight weeks in Perth and deserves her spot this weekend,” said Gaudoin.

“What we say about Karri is that we think she has a great temperament to play at the elite level. She focuses on playing, doesn’t get distracted by too much, she is a very good athlete and we’re looking forward to her playing and enjoying the opportunity to represent her country.”

Somerville’s opportunity comes after the Hockeyroos have been bunkering down and spent a solid month training in the lead up to the matches with Argentina.

This solid block of work has seen every player in the squad enter this weekend with a full bill of health, giving Gaudoin a host of positive selection headaches.

“The girls have really been pushing each other. They know it is team first but one of the things we are really keen to instil is that in order to help the team, they know that they have to play their best and help their teammate next to them,” said Gaudoin.

“They have been doing that well and we have pretty much got everyone back on the track in terms of selection, so it has been nice to be able to have that ability to choose from a deep squad and people will get some opportunities this weekend.”

With a near full squad to choose from, Gaudoin says he will use the matches against Argentina to give players an opportunity to stake their claims.

“We’re certainly trying to develop our group, but we also want to make sure we give players the opportunity to show what they can do,” said Gaudoin.

“This period is about the Olympics coming up and we want to make sure we have the opportunity to select from a deeper squad come selection time for Tokyo.

“This weekend in Perth gives us that opportunity and we have also got selections for our European Pro League matches on the line as well.

“The girls are aware of the importance of their performance this weekend in terms of putting their best foot forward to be in contention for our matches in Europe.”

The last time the Hockeyroos faced Argentina was in last year’s thrilling FIH Pro League semi final, which the Hockeyroos won in a shootout.

Argentina currently sit third, one spot below the Hockeyroos on the world rankings, and have the world number one Netherlands as one of their scalps this year.

Gaudoin is expecting a fierce contest and is relishing the challenge a match hardened Argentina will pose after they had mixed results against New Zealand in Christchurch last weekend.

“They have consistently been near the top and that is for a reason. They are ultra competitive and their younger brigade who are here are hungry, so that will be a real test for us,” said Gaudoin.

“They are a very skilful team, they never lie down and they are quite physical, so it is really a great opportunity to test ourselves against one of the top teams in the world.”

Friday and Saturday’s double headers will be part of Hockey Australia’s special Indigenous themed round, which will celebrate the contribution and positive impact Indigenous players and the Indigenous community

Hockeyroos team v Argentina - Match 1 (6 March 2020)

Hockey Australia media release

U-21 USMNT Heads to Argentina for First Test Series of 2020



BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – The U.S. U-21 Men’s National Team is starting the year 2020 with a trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina for a training camp and test series against the host nation from March 7 to 14. As USA’s first international competition of the year, the U-21 squad will play three games against Argentina’s U-21 team on March 9, 11 and 12, while playing two friendlies against a local men’s team on March 8.

“We haven’t played against Argentina in a long time, so this is a great opportunity for us this early in the year to see where we stand in our development,” said Rutger Wiese, USMNT Head Coach. “Argentina is historically the best team in the region and one of the best in the world so I expect our learning curve to be steep.”

With two training camps under their belts in January, the Junior USMNT program has an active year including more training camps in March, July, August and October and more test matches in August. This is all in preparation for the Junior Pan American Championship taking place November 30 to December 13 in Santiago, Chile.

U-21 USMNT vs. Argentina Schedule:

Sunday, March 8            Friendlies vs. local men’s team    12:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.     
Monday, March 9            vs. Argentina U-21                       4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, March 11        vs. Argentina U-21                  4:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 12        vs. Argentina U-21                     8:30 p.m.

*All times are in Eastern Time Zone
**These games will not be live streamed.

U-21 USMNT vs. Argentina Roster:

Leo Baumgarder (Thousand Oaks, Calif.), Payton Breslow (Moorpark, Calif.), Shomik Chakraborty (Washington, D.C.), Gerald Cutone (Reading, Mass.), Christian DeAngelis (Doylestown, Pa.), Corey Dykema (Newport News, Va.), Brett Eisner (Lafayette, Calif.), Jack Gallucci (Trumbull, Conn.), Zaid Hassan (Santa Clara, Calif.), Liam Hawley (Ventura, Calif.), Colin Hennessy (Marlborough, Mass.), Wander Hommes (Westlake Village, Calif.), Wyatt Katz (Santa Rose Valley, Calif.), Michael Mendoza (Monument, Colo.), Jatin Sharma (South San Francisco, Calif.), Amar Singh (Santa Clara, Calif.), Cameron Spach (Thousand Oaks, Calif.), Damien Tarala (Hong Kong, China)

USFHA media release

Build strong foundations and hockey will grow



International Women's Day gives the global hockey community the perfect opportunity to showcase and celebrate some of the great work being carried out by women across the world. Many of the women celebrated during our week-long recognition of achievements have become leaders within our sport and are the driving forces behind change, progress and development.

Whether it is having the vision to provide leadership experience opportunities through  coaching hockey or whether it is developing the skills to lead a national team, these are all instances where the hockey community is demonstrating yet again, its huge and uncompromising approach to equality in all aspects of life.

Day Three - Pan American Hockey Federation

“A world where everyone has the opportunity to participate in hockey. I know that for nations, that means different things. For some nations it is about facilities, for others it is about education.

“There are some countries in our hockey family who cannot even afford to travel for competitions. My dream is for the FIH to be so strong that everyone has the same opportunities. I would love to be able to look back in 20 years time and say that the FIH has managed to open up hockey to every nation.”

Danae Andrada is President of the Uruguay Hockey Federation, one of the nations that has been steadily making its way up the world rankings (the women are currently ranked 25th in the world, the men 56th).

She is also Director of the Uruguayan Sports Confederation and sits on the executive board of the FIH, a position she has held since 2017. Despite sitting on various boards and committees where it is traditionally all about reserve, pragmatism and hard-headed business acumen, Danae is unapologetically passionate when it comes to her beloved sport.

“I have a picture of myself when I was eight years old and dreaming about playing hockey. If you had told me that I would have played for my country and then become President of my country’s national hockey federation, been involved in Olympic sport and also sitting on the board of the FIH, then I would have not believed it.”

Danae is an international hockey athlete herself, having been invited onto the national programme in Uruguay at the age of 13. She progressed through the age group categories into the senior team. On her retirement from competition, Danae threw herself wholeheartedly into the administration and development side of the game.

As the head of the sport in Uruguay now, Danae is a strong advocate for junior hockey – Uruguay women’s sixth place finish at the 2014 Youth Olympics is a source of immense pride to her and it is, she says, a sign that Uruguay hockey is only going to get better and better.

“This is where it starts,” she says. “Build your strong foundations and the rest will follow. Invest time into providing a quality experience for young players and they will stick with the sport and you will have a wider talent pool to draw from.”

Danae is also an ardent fan of team work in all its guises.

“One of the most beautiful things about our game is the team work it involves. I am not just talking about the players in the squad, it is about the coaches, the manager, the officials. It is about all the things that come together to make the sport happen. Yes, it even means the federations and the other institutions involved in the process.

“When I am thinking about hockey, I am not thinking about it from a national perspective, or even a continental perspective. I have to think about it from a global perspective – that is what my role on the FIH Executive Board means.

#IWD2020
#EachForEqual

FIH site

Face masks should be obligatory in hockey, says top South Africa flicker

By Sophie Penney


Matt Guise-Brown unleashes for H&W PIC: WORLD SPORT PICS

One of the world’s best drag flickers has told The Hockey Paper that he wants face masks to be made mandatory at PCs but disagrees with other suggested changes.

Matt Guise-Brown flicks the ball at around 75 miles per hour. His hat-trick of drag flicks in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations final secured South Africa a place in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, and last season he finished as top goal scorer from PCs in the Premier Division, his brace of licks winning Hampstead & Westminster the play-off final.

The 28-year-old says that it is important to put the right precautions in place to limit the danger from PCs, where currently face masks are only ‘recommended’. “Making face masks in penalty corners obligatory makes sense,” said Guise-Brown. “I fully agree with that. For safety purposes really. Gloves and knee pads can be quite important but face masks are definitely most important as a precaution.”

The FIH explained that it is not currently considering changing the rule because equipment might not be available in certain countries, therefore the accessibility of the sport would be adversely affected. However they point out that national associations can apply to make slight changes to rules if they deem them necessary.

Guise-Brown has been training his PC skills since he was a young boy growing up on the grounds of the school where his father taught in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, with the hockey pitch as his back garden. As a teenager and at university he used to flick for an hour a day most days.

Perhaps unsurprisingly the South African international is not in favour of suggestions by our readers that the height of drag flicks should be limited in line with regulations on hits at penalty corners.

“I’d be a little bit upset if they did away with it,” said Guise-Brown. “I mean it is quite dangerous the whole nature of it but there’s lots of precautions that are taken.”

Aside from trying to secure a place in South Africa’s squad for the Tokyo Olympics this summer where he could play four of his HWHC teammates in their opening match against Great Britain, Guise-Brown is also a coach, working as a PE teacher at St Anthony’s boys preparatory school in North London.

Given this experience does he agree with John Shaw, two-time Olympian and leading coach at his former club Southgate HC, who told the Hockey Paper that there should be a minimum age restriction on reverse stick hits because juniors have little control over the shot?

“I think you just end up limiting the juniors if you put in a minimum age,” said Guise-Brown. “There’s always going to be dangerous elements to it but at the same time if you teach a 13-year-old how to hit a backhand they’re not going to have that much more control of it than they would have if they had learnt it a few years earlier, and they’d possibly be able to hit it harder so it might even be more dangerous with just as little control.”

This originally featured in a previous Hockey Paper edition. Don’t miss out. Subscribe in print or in digital format.

The Hockey Paper

Celebrating the Life of David Harris



USA Field Hockey celebrates the life of David Harris, a true pioneer and legend of the sport in the United States, who passed away on February 26, 2020. A man of all trades, David was instrumental on a number of fronts for field hockey on the West Coast, and in general around the country, from being one of the first male International Hockey Federation (FIH) certified umpires to coaching and managing the Junior U.S. Men’s National Team. He represented the red, white and blue on the field as a member of the U.S. Men’s National Team, but above all, was a key figure in the development of the sport in Moorpark, Calif. with his name synonymous with the California Cup, Moorpark College Hockey Center and inspiring countless athletes over the decades.

The entire USA Field Hockey Family extends its thoughts and condolences to David’s family and loved ones, including his wife Elaine, brother Tom and sons Patrick and Sean.

“I have continued to discover more and more of the great contributions David made to field hockey, both big and small, throughout his life,” said Simon Hoskins, USA Field Hockey’s Executive Director. “As a player, goalkeeper, organizer, supporter, coach, umpire, field hockey dad and more, he was truly a founding father of every aspect of the game in this country.”

Born in 1947, David was an early recruit to field hockey in the late 1960’s through his brother, who fondly recalled the early days of simply hitting balls as hard as they could up and down an open field. In an interview in 2017, David reminisced about hitting balls in grass a foot high and working with Tom to make goals out of plastic pipe and fishnets between the uneven chalk lines. To them, it was doing whatever it took to play the game. It was from these early days in the Golden State that the California Cup was seeded and has been facilitated by the brothers ever since. In 2016 at the 45th edition of the event, David was honored as the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, not only for helping found the international tournament, but for his tireless contributions as an athlete, coordinator, director and manger.

“Dave Harris was loving, witty and a selfless hockey hero to many," said Marc Bakerman, California Cup Tournament Director. "Dave was Mr. Hockey. He was a pioneer for male youth hockey development, our first FIH Umpire, helped construct local hockey facilities and co-founded the California Cup Tourney. The legend of Dave lives on with the stories that continue to be told by everyone he encountered. His greatest legacy are the examples he set for boys to play hockey at the highest levels internationally, no matter their family's lack of money to pay. Dave Harris cared and kept male youth hockey alive when there was no formal infrastructure that could bare its weight. One must ask 'where would male hockey in the United States be today without Dave?' Super Dave is owed a deep debt of gratitude from the hockey community he gave his life to.”

Above all, David and Elaine were known to opening up their home to hundreds of families over the years. This hospitality became iconic to any player or team that looked to play in Moorpark. The couple were also founding members of the U.S. Men’s Field Hockey Booster Club, which has helped fund costs of travel, food and board, as well as distribute equipment to members of the junior and senior USMNT.

Field hockey was an unbreakable bond David had with his family, especially his sons, Patrick and Sean, who shared a commonality with their father that very few can experience: representing Team USA on the international stage. He guided generations of players as a jack-of-all-trades individual and fueled by the love of the game.

As he once said, “I think I will be involved in [field] hockey until the Lord calls me home.”

A memorial service honoring David’s life is scheduled for  Saturday, March 21, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. PT. A GoFundMe has also been created, which fans are encouraged to contribute to by clicking here.


USFHA media release