News for 16 April 2020
All the news for Thursday 16 April 2020
Hockey India restructures national championships
The previous system of A and B Division will no longer exist. Hockey India has now created separate competitions for states, institutions and academies across age-groups.
Uthra Ganesan
A day after indefinitely postponing all remaining National Championships for 2020, Hockey India on Wednesday announced a re-structured format for conducting the same from 2021 onwards, removing the existing two-tier system and creating separating competitions for states, institutions and academies across age-groups.
The new format, approved by the Hockey India Executive Board, provides for separate National Championships for registered States/Union Territories, Public Sector Units/Departments/Institutions and registered academies. While the PSUs would compete in junior and senior categories for both men and women, the academies would participate at junior and sub-junior levels. The national championships for state units, however, would be held across all age groups – sub-junior, junior and senior.
HI has also decided to allow a player to represent only one team and one age-category “to ensure more athletes are given the opportunity to participate”. It has also been mandatory for States to conduct their respective championships in each category to be eligible to field a team at the National Championships.
“The previous system of A and B Divisions would no longer prevail. By this restructuring, we want to encourage more states and Union Territories to develop players in their regions and Institutions to pursue hockey,” Hockey India president Mohd. Mushtaq Ahmad said.
The competitions, would continue to be played on a league-cum-knock out format, with pools depending on the final numbers of participants. The classifications and eligibility would be on the basis of the final results of the last National Championships before December 31, 2020. However, given the fact that the various age-group competitions for the year are uncertain, it is likely the 2019 edition might be used for classifications.
This is not the first time HI has changed the format for its national championships. The A and B Division structure was introduced in 2014 to address the issue of largely mismatched games between stronger and weaker teams, specially in the initial rounds. Prior to that, the senior tournaments were held at one go while the age-group events had zonal competitions before a national finals.
Sportstar
Gap year
With Olympics postponed, coach Reid gets 12 more precious months to turn men’s hockey team into genuine contender
Indervir Grewal
Graham Reid has provided much-needed stability after over a year of rollercoasting for the team. File
The Indian men’s hockey team had a 20/20 beginning to the year — a dramatic turnaround from the start it had last year, when the team was without a coach and looking for direction.
The year began with a 5-2 victory over hockey giants Netherlands. That stunning performance in their opening match of what has so far turned out to be an extraordinary debut season of the FIH Pro League showed a bright glimpse of what the future could hold for the team.
The year of Reid
It was almost exactly a year ago that Graham Reid joined as the coach, and judging from the team’s performances under him, the Australian seemed to be just what the doctor ordered. It’s not that the team’s brilliant showing is one man’s doing alone. It is a cumulative effect of years of slow progress. What Reid has provided is the much-needed stability and clarity after over a year of rollercoasting for the team.
In Reid’s first assignment, India hosted lowly-ranked teams in the FIH Series Final in June last year and were ruthless in their victorious campaign. They won all their matches on the tour of Belgium, which included matches against Spain as well. The cherry on the cake for the year was sealing the Olympics berth — (failing to achieve that at the 2018 Asian Games was the first step towards Harendra Singh losing the coach’s position) — by demolishing Russia in the qualifying double-header. But the team’s first serious test under Reid came with the Pro League this year; and India have been impressive so far. After six matches, they are fourth in the nine-team pool. They also defeated reigning world champions Belgium apart from taking a bonus point from their draw against defending champions Australia.
With the kind of 12 months the team has had under Reid, it’s only natural the players would have been confident going into the Olympics had they been held this year. Having fallen just short of a semifinal appearance in the 2018 World Cup, there is no shortage of confidence and ambition in the current bunch of players; and after their recent success against the top teams, their appetite for success has only grown. “We had prepared well and were ready for the Olympics,” said defender Varun Kumar from Bengaluru.
Detailed planning
That confidence is inspiring, but would India have been real contenders at the Olympics this year? Reid would be especially glad about the postponement. Having that one extra year has given Reid a realistic chance of fulfilling the usually unrealistic expectations of the Indian federation and fans. “I see this as a definite positive for us,” said Reid. “The postponement means we now have time to put together a detailed development plan that should give us the best possible chance of performing at our best come the Olympics,” he added.
Understandably, Reid is not getting ahead of himself based on his team’s performance in the Pro League so far. As history has shown, the top teams are great at long-term planning, especially for the big tournaments. The Pro League is a long round-robin tournament, and though a major event, it is not as precious as the Olympics or the World Cup.
And teams such as Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Australia turn up in a very different mindset at the big events. Everything they do is usually a preparation for the World Cup or the Olympics. At the Pro League, they would have been testing different combinations, while keeping their cards close to their chest strategy-wise. Even India were testing different players. However, from their games, it seemed India were playing at full throttle. It’s not that Netherlands, Belgium and Australia were not stretched either; but from past experiences, India would know that teams like these can raise their game even further in crunch scenarios.
Starting behind
With training and tournaments getting cancelled by the Covid-19 pandemic, each team’s planning process will be affected. “All the countries are in the same situation and will struggle with the planning phase over the next three-six months,” Reid said.
Even then, Reid will have a lot of ground to cover. All the top contenders, except Argentina, have had the same coach for at least four years now. Reid has, because of the postponement, just over two years to prepare the team for the Olympics. Also, unlike the Europeans and the Australians, India still don’t have a uniform training system and playing style. With every new coach, the Indian players must adapt much more than what is required of players in Europe or Australia. That uncertainty leads to inconsistency on the field. Even though India are getting fitter, faster and bolder, and playing in a more structured way, their game is still largely about chaos. It is exciting, but there is that danger of blowing hot and cold at crucial junctures.
“For the younger players it allows us an extra 12 months to work with them,” said Reid. “It also gives us an opportunity to increase our players’ knowledge on the playing style we wish them to play. We will also be able to give them a deeper knowledge on scenarios that are likely to come up during the Olympics,” he added.
Keeping goals
Graham Reid’s India are nowhere close to being a finished work. The midfield is inexperienced, the forward-line lacks composure and the defence keeps slipping up. India are still not a settled unit; therefore, Reid has been trying out different player combinations. He would welcome the extra time with open arms. For the Australian, one major department to work on will be goalkeeping.
PR Sreejesh
PR Sreejesh (in pic) has not been at his best since returning from his year-long injury layoff three years ago. He conceded some soft goals at the 2018 World Cup, which even drew criticism from Australian great Ric Charlesworth. Sreejesh has now started to show glimpses of his old self but how long will the old warhorse’s stay with the team last is a question on everybody’s mind. His heir apparent, Krishan Pathak, is still a work in progress. His instincts let him down at times and he is prone to making major mistakes, which was seen in the Pro League. Reid has been giving him ample playing time. One more year will give the coaches and Sreejesh the time to instil in Pathak the confidence to become a top goalkeeper.
The Tribune
No games, it’s real work for hockey striker Akhimullah
By T. AVINESHWARAN
PETALING JAYA: Just like any other teenager, national hockey player Muhd Akhimullah Anuar Esook loves playing mobile phone games like PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) when he is free.
During the movement control order (MCO), the Tenaga Nasional playerhas plenty of tie playing the game where he can hide behind trees and cut down any number of opponents with multiple weapons.
His father Anuar Esook Abdullah, however, has other ideas.
The older man is making his son do household chores. And also help him cut down trees and branches around their village area in Kemaman, Terengganu.
With less than two weeks before he turns 20 on May 2, Akhimullah is beginning to embrace adult life thanks to his father’s tutelage and also understand the true value of family.
“Every evening, I will do my workouts based on the programme given by the national coaches. That is a must in my daily routine, ” said the youngster, who made his debut for Malaysia last year during the European tour.
“At night, I spend time with my family by having dinner together, watching a movie and chatting about our daily lives. It has been a while since I have been in this environment. All this while, I have been busy with training and games.
“Also, I help my father to do some household work, such as cutting down branches of our trees. He is guiding on some things and those lessons can be brought into my game too.”
This year, Akhimullah scored 10 goals for Tenaga Nasional in the Malaysian Hockey League (MHL) and was called up to the national centralised training squad in February. The training was disbanded due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Akhimullah had wanted to impress coach Roelant Oltmans and show that he was man the national team needed in its strikeforce but that has to wait.
The Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (SSTMI) pre-university student said it was not the time to think about his hockey, as the nation grapples with a deadly disease.
“Obviously, the health and safety of everyone come first. The MCO should be taken positively, instead of lamenting that we cannot do this and that.
“We are still able to train in our homes and have a good time with the family. Savour the time with them, and just have positive thoughts.
“Right now, I just want to savour my time with my loved ones. Usually, I am busy with classes, matches and training and those times, I yearn for my family. This is the best time for me to be with my family.
“I hope this situation subsides so we can get back to our normal lives. I would like to thank the front liners, who are working day and night to keep us safe and healthy at all times. Let us all pray and hope that this ends soon.”
The Star of Malaysia
Amirul’s knee-ds longer to heal, no thanks to Covid-19
Painful ordeal: Mohd Amirul Hamizan (right) fractured his knee cap in a friendly match against TNB Thunderbolt at Bukit Jalil last December.
KUALA LUMPUR: Penalty corner drag flicker Mohd Amirul Hamizan Azahar’s left knee injury is taking a longer time to heal, no thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Tenaga Nasional defender, who has a fractured knee cap, was undergoing rehabilitation at the National Sports Institute (ISN) in Bukit Jalil since last month but has had to return home to Bukit Mertajam because of the movement control order (MCO).
Amirul suffered the injury in a friendly match against TNB Thunderbolt at Bukit Jalil last December. And he could not play for Tenaga Nasional in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) in January.
Despite his injury, he was called up for the national junior training last month in preparation for the Junior Asia Cup in Dhaka, Bangladesh from June 4-14 but the tournament has since been postponed.
The 19-year-old Amirul said he has not fully recovered.
“I was undergoing rehab at ISN since early March but after a few sessions, I could not attend the rehab due to MCO, ” said Amirul.
“I am following the programme given by the physiotherapist. But it is difficult to follow the programme without the assistance of a physio.
“It will take me longer to recover without the help of a physio. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the situation will improve by end of April so I can return to Bukit Jalil to continue under a physio, ” said Amirul, who guided Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (SSTMI) to win the double league and overall Cup in the Malaysian Junior Hockey League (MJHL) last year.
He was also the top scorer in the MJHL with 27 goals – 15 penalty corners, 10 field and two penalty strokes.
“I am glad the Junior Asia Cup in Dhaka, which is the qualifying tournament for next year’s Junior World Cup has been postponed.
“I am hoping I can recover in the next two months to be back in training and win a place for the Junior Asia Cup. My dream is to be a national player and also to feature in Junior World Cup next year, ” added Amirul.
The Star of Malaysia
Women’s coach Mark Hager on GB Hockey isolation and love of animals
By Rod Gilmour
Great Britain women’s coach Mark Hager PIC: Garry Bowden/SIPPA
Mark Hager, the Australian coach of the GB women’s team, could easily have been living in solitude during the coronavirus pandemic, with no family, cats or dogs for company in the small Berkshire village where he is currently renting.
Luckily, scheduled plans meant that his wife, Michelle, a double Olympian with the Hockeyroos, travelled back to the UK with Hager following GB’s Pro League tour to Australia and New Zealand from the family home in Auckland. “I jokingly said to my daughters ‘your mum’s coming home next week.’ They said ‘no she’s not, there’s no room for her now!’
The couple have since been able to learn more about the countryside around them near hockey’s Bisham headquarters. On one recent daily walk, the animal-loving Hagers missed the birth of two lambs by 30 minutes at a near-by veterinary school. “Most of the time when you are touring and work has you ingrained you miss what’s around you,” says Hager, 55.
Currently, that also includes the team he has coached for just over a year. “You don’t realise how much you miss the group and team environment once it’s taken away from you,” he admits.
“It’s a scenario no one predicted. For us, we looked at the programme and we looked at it as an opportunity to have a break. We took the foot off the accelarator and to be with family or friends.”
Only when the pandemic has hopefully abated in the coming weeks or months will decisions be taken. “You have some experienced players who have been around a long time and it’s how we manage the workloads,” adds Hager, who confesses he doesn’t exercise as much as he should. “I feel strongly that we need to have a block of time where players can go on holiday with their family and friends and where that fits in the programme is quite important.”
Sporting battles cast aside for now, it has meant that Hager has been forced to shelve thoughts of how GB would fare against the Dutch at the end of the month. “In one way, we felt we were getting momentum even after four games [of the 2020 Pro League]. We were all looking forward to playing the Dutch, to challenge ourselves and see where we were at and how we would manage in the rest of the Pro League.”
There is no certainty as to whether the 2020 Pro League will be concluded, or even if the 2021 Pro League will take place. That would mean coaches casting around opposition numbers to organise various three or four nation tournaments. It would also throw up several conundrums as to player availability with clubs, on top of the problem that many GB centralised players have already signed deals with continental clubs (before Tokyo 2020 was delayed).
Hager has yet to sign a contract extension to take up to next year’s rescheduled Games, but that is surely a deal which will be ironed out soon with Bisham hierarchy. “It’s a job half done,” says Hager of his Olympic commitment. “There have been no discussions as yet to the contract extension. At this stage everyone is relaxing before putting those things in place.”
And if lockdown does continue for the foreseeable? “Well, we enjoy the company of animals so we have looked online for assistance of walking dogs so we would be open for that.”
Hager open for more players
A national league player who scores more than double her nearest challenger in the Investec Premier Division is always a lively topic of discussion for an international call up. That it is a former GB player, Sophie Bray, makes the issue a touch complex.
Hager was present at East Grinstead’s final home game, the 6-1 drubbing of Surbiton, where Bray scored another two goals as she finished league top scorer, with 24.
Hager admitted that currently he hasn’t thought past the next month but didn’t completely rule out looking at other players. Whether that includes another phone call with Bray is yet to be determined.
“It may be, like anything, we will have discussions with the current group. They have made really good gains in the last six months in particular,” said Hager. “Like all coaches, we will be looking everywhere for the next potential players or those around who could assist the team moving forward. But I haven’t looked past getting back on the track at this stage.”
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The Hockey Paper
Your chance to get involved with Sam Ward's #IsolationGames
Sam Ward in Rio 2016
We’ve teamed up with @tiktok_uk & the @BritishRedCross to bring you the #IsolationGames – your opportunity to recreate the summer of sport from your own home and all for a worthy cause.
— Team GB (@TeamGB) April 15, 2020
Follow us �� ‘TeamGB’ and get creative!https://t.co/lNVR7Ymixx pic.twitter.com/Dd0W7wEj3M
The costume, the moves, the ending... ��
— Great Britain Hockey (@GBHockey) April 11, 2020
This may well be your best #IsolationGames video yet @Samuel_Ward13 ���� pic.twitter.com/tjnmmxfnhD
Great Britain Hockey media release
Changing the way we learn to coach
It is a recognised fact that hockey, while having an equal gender balance among participants, is not yet equal when it comes to the number of female coaches working within the game.
With just one female coach (the Netherlands women’s Head Coach Alyson Annan) working in the top echelons of the game, and a smattering of female head coaches working with national teams in the second tier of world ranked teams, there is an obvious gender gap.
While there are many theories to explain this, one of the most enduring surrounds that of scheduling and time commitments. Traditionally, to become a qualified coach involves many weekends and evenings spent on coaching courses or being assessed by coach mentors and educators. Taking that time away from home, particularly when a young family is involved, is difficult, if not impossible for many women.
Equally, if an aspiring coach is still playing the game, then giving additional time to following a coaching pathway is difficult – for men and women.
Which is why more coaching providers are turning to technology to offer a different way of training and educating coaches.
One such provider is Coach Logic, the video technology platform specialist who has partnered with the FIH Academy as well as a number of coaches working with national teams and clubs and those involved in the coach mentoring process.
By using Coach Logic technology, much of the coach learning process can be carried out remotely. Aside from coaching webinars where vital theoretical information can be shared, there is also the chance to video and then review the coach in action. A coach can video a session at her own club, send it to her coach mentor and receive feedback on her coaching performance. This is far removed from the traditional coaching course in which a coach is assessed while they work with a randomly selected group of players. By allowing coaches to work with their own team, in their own setting, means they are working within a context that everyone understands and they are delivering a session at a time that works for them.
By working this way, it also allows the trainee coach and mentor to arrange a time for feedback – again remotely – that suits both of their schedules and can be carried out in a relaxed manner.
The use of technology can help coaches define their own style, assess their own performance, and allows them to be self critical. Mark Cairns is one of the founders of Coach Logic and he says: “When it comes to coach development, Coach Logic is often used to generate discussion between coaches and mentors so coaches can reflect on their own practice. A coach might say ‘I use a ‘discussion’ style of coaching predominantly’, but the video will show that the coach uses a very different style.
“Conversely, we can also use the videos to show some great coaching practice. By playing back, the coach can see what interaction she was having with the players. What was the body language like? Were the players enjoying the session?
"Importantly it enables coaches then to be more authentic as they can coach in their own environment rather than a simulated coaching environment with players they have never met before and all the mentors and peers watching them. It also improves their self-awareness as they can watch back their session and be challenged to think critically by their mentor."
Taking a new approach certainly meets the approval of FIH Executive Board member Marijke Fleuren: “I am happy that we seem to have made a step from awareness to acceptance that far more men than women are hockey coaches, while our hockey playing numbers are equivalent. That makes us ready for action: how can we improve the situation?”
Fleuren is something of an expert in the area of gender equality in sport. She is a member of the IOC Women in Sport Commission and heads the FIH Women in Sport committee.
“Listening to the women coaches who are doing the job already and after having got, as an EHF partner, a lot of knowledge from the Erasmus+ project SWinG, [a project facilitating and support female leaders in sport] it is clear that to change the situation, some big steps must be taken, by the female coaches themselves, as well as external stakeholders. Female coaches must learn to overcome their fears and coach educators must look at new methods of delivery.
“I was very happy to note that Mark Caims [talking during an FIH webinar] seemed fully committed to supporting a change in approach to get more women into coaching. The webinar itself drove home the fact that new methods of delivery were very possible. An education delivered via webinar, for example, can give women more opportunities to join sessions and get involved in coaching discussions. This is all key to breaking down barriers.”
By changing the conversation around coaching and by widening the options for delivery of coach development and training, it is possible that Coach Logic and other technologies like it can be one of the major tools in disrupting gender disparities.
FIH site
Jodie Kenny stars in new Kellogg’s Sultana Bran commercial
Hockey Australia corporate partner and Hockey One naming rights partner Kellogg’s Sultana Bran has produced a brand new television commercial starring Hockeyroos co-captain Jodie Kenny.
The commercial, which is based on a true story from Kenny’s past, aired nationally for the first time on Sunday night and has received plenty of positive feedback.
Mother of three year old son Harrison, Kenny is the new face of Sultana Bran and epitomises the family values and mantra of ‘Kellogg’s Sultana Bran, proudly fuelling Australian hockey fans both big and small’ that the iconic Australian company is reaching out to through their partnership with the Sultana Bran Hockey One League and Hockey Australia.
While the child in the commercial is not Kenny’s actual son in real life, the narrative highlights the close bond and connection Kenny has with Harrison and how family orientated hockey is as a sport.
One of six kids, Kenny has fond recollections of how much hockey was part of her family life and spending the entirety of her Saturdays growing up at the local hockey field with the rest of her family.
Reflecting on the commercial, Hockey Australia CEO Matt Favier was thrilled with the finished product and Kellogg’s investment in using hockey to promote one of their signature cereal offerings.
“This is magnificent exposure and recognition for our sport to have such a recognisable, renowned and reputable brand choose to showcase hockey and Jodie to highlight their values and ethos,” said Favier.
“Among the current challenging times of COVID-19, this is some really positive news and is so exciting to see Jodie and hockey feature in this commercial that will be seen by millions of Australians.”
“The commercial looks fantastic and we thank Kellogg for their ongoing support, particularly at this time.”
Keep an eye on your TV screens for the commercial and make sure to pick up a box of Sultana Bran the next time you are at the supermarket.
View the Sultana Bran Commercial featuring Jodie Kenny
Hockey Australia media release