News for 05 June 2020
All the news for Friday 5 June 2020
Eyeing 'home advantage' to go to World Cup
By Jugjet Singh
File Photo: The national hockey team have set their sights on qualifying for the 2023 World Cup in India. - NSTP/EFFENDY RASHID
THE national hockey team have set their sights on qualifying for the 2023 World Cup in India.
Three slots have been allocated to Asia by the International Hockey Federation.
With one taken up by hosts India, the other teams in the continent will fight for the remaining two berths at the Men's Asia Cup next year.
The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) have confirmed that they will bid to host the continental championship.
Since its inception in 1982, the Asia Cup has been a qualifier for the World Cup.
In the 2017 Asia Cup in Dhaka, Malaysia were edged 2-1 by India in the final and had to play in the World League to qualify for the Bhubaneswar World Cup.
"Our focus is to qualify for the 2023 World Cup. I believe India, even though they have qualified as hosts, will be in the semi-finals or the final of the Asia Cup.
"And that is why Malaysia will bid to host it," said MHC president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal yesterday.
A check with Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) chief executive officer Datuk Tayyab Ikram revealed that bidding process for the Asia Cup has yet to open.
"We will do so as soon as we get a window opening concerning the Asia Cup dates," said Tayyab.
Malaysia finished fourth when they last hosted the Asia Cup in 2013 in Ipoh.
"Following the cancellation or postponement of tournaments, except for the Asian Champions Trophy, this year, Malaysia would like to host a world-class event in their backyard.
"We want to give our players the home ground advantage to qualify for the World Cup, and not wait for the second route, which will be much more difficult," Subahan added.
The FIH have allocated 11 slots (one — Africa, three — Asia, four — Europe, 2 — Oceania and one — Pan America), and five more will be from another qualifier based on the world rankings.
However, for the Malaysian women, it would be harder as only the Women's Asia Cup finalists will qualify for the World Cup, jointly hosted by Spain and Netherlands, in 2022.
New Straits Times
PHF Secretary welcomes inclusion of more Asian teams in World Cup
LAHORE - Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Secretary Muhammad Asif Bajwa has welcomed the decision of inclusion of more Asian teams in the World Hockey Cup, to be played in early 2023 in India.
The International Hockey Federation, in its recent executive board meeting, decided to give direct qualification to top three teams of the Asia Cup.
“It is a very a encouraging decision for the further development of hockey in Asia as in the past only the winner of the Asia Cup had direct qualification into the World Cup and top three teams directly playing in the World Cup will definitely make the Asia Cup more challenging and competitive with every participating team aiming to win a berth in the Cup,“ he said here on Thursday.
Bajwa said the FIH decision had boosted Pakistan’s chances to qualify for the next World Cup as the green shirts enjoy good record in the Asia Cup due to their good performance in the previous editions of the event.
“If you look at the our team’s previous record, it supports our claim of now having bright chances to play in the World Cup. But it does not mean that we should be feeling contended with our record and not to aim to win the Asia Cup to emerge as the top ranking team in Asia and to improve our ranking in Asia,” he added.
“We have to put in a lot of hard work and our team should be well prepared to take on a tough challenge in the next Asia Cup and we have to draw a road map which could ensure our high level performance in the Asia Cup and also a place for our team in the World Cup,” Bajwa concluded.
The Nation
Delighted to be nominated for Arjuna award: Harmanpreet
Harmanpreet Singh, on Tuesday, was nominated for the Arjuna Award. - K. MURALI KUMAR
In contention for the Arjuna award after being nominated by the national federation, the Indian men’s hockey team defender Harmanpreet Singh, on Thursday, said his teammates have had a huge role in making him successful.
Hockey India, on Tuesday, nominated Harmanpreet and women’s team members Vandana Katariya and Monika Malik for the Arjuna Award, while recommending women’s team captain Rani Rampal for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award.
Harmanpreet was part of the team that won the FIH Olympic Qualifiers against Russia last year.
“I am very happy with the way I have been contributing to the team in the last couple of years. However, I have been able to come up with the goods only because of the way my teammates have supported me,” he told Hockey India.
“Hockey is a team sport and all of us ensure that we are contributing to the team’s cause in some way or the other. If we score a goal, then it’s not only the goal-scorer, who takes the credit, but the entire team is credited for the effort.”
“I was extremely delighted to hear the news,” he added.
Singh also acknowledged the support from Hockey India over the years.
“I was extremely happy to know that Rani has been nominated for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and Vandana and Monika have been nominated for the Arjuna Award.
“They have put up some brilliant performances in the recent past and I would like to extend my congratulations to them.”
The dragflick sensation was instrumental in the team’s winning performance in the FIH Series Finals in Odisha.
At the Tokyo Olympics Test Event, he also captained India to victory in the absence of Manpreet Singh who was rested for the event.
The 24-year-old said booking a place in the now postponed Tokyo Olympics was the biggest achievement for the team last year.
“It was simply amazing to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics in front of our home crowd last year. I will cherish the memory forever. The balance of our side was fantastic and everyone chipped in to make the tournament a memorable one,” he said.
“Now, we will give everything we can to come up with great results at the Olympics next year. It’s our sole target at the moment and all of us are up for the challenge. Hopefully, we will become a much better side once we play our first match in Tokyo.”
Sportstar
Here’s hoping Irish hockey’s greatest team don’t miss out on Olympic dream
Having found a way into our sporting hearts they deserve their chance to shine once more
Johnny Watterson
Ireland players celebrate with their silver medals after the Women’s World Cup final against the Netherlands at Lee Valley Stadium in London in August 2018. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho
In April the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach said that everyone would have to make sacrifices and compromises. We heard him. We already were.
His views were expressed just after Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, speaking in the Japanese parliament, gave the starkest warning yet that the rearranged 2020 Tokyo Olympics, now to take place next summer, might have to be cancelled completely if the Covid-19 pandemic is not contained.
Abe stressed the importance of developing vaccines and drugs before the Games begin on July 23rd, 2021. Otherwise, he added, it will be difficult to hold them.
Athletes are the ultimate pragmatists but with uncertainty still alive and the world of Olympic sport not so much sprinting as slouching towards Tokyo, the personal cost to some Irish athletes could be irredeemable.
Two years ago the Irish women’s hockey team improbably captured the imagination of the country. A modest sport boldly sticking its head up and saying look how good we can be. After drawing two matches in the knockout phase of the World Cup, the team won magical, jittery shoot-outs against India and Spain for a place in final.
Prior to that it was a triumph if the Irish team qualified for the World Cup and won a few games. In 1986 the team came 12th and in 1994 11th. In 2002 Ireland finished 15th before the silver medal in London 2018 propelled the team to a highest ever eighth in the world rankings. The previous highest position was 14th.
This team was different. A group of women who the public had never previously heard of curiously captured the sporting and cultural climate of the summer. School teachers, accountants, students, solicitors stepping up, their lives and careers on hold and all of them holding on to a gloriously harebrained idea that if they believed hard enough and played hard enough they could win the World Cup. They didn’t quite do that. But their journey was a blast.
Ireland’s players celebrate qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after the second leg of the playoff against Canada at Donnybrook. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho
They lit a fuse and made history in a baking hot Olympic Park in London’s east end and 10,000 people came into Dame Street in Dublin for the homecoming, more than had ever actually watched a hockey match in Ireland.
Then they backed it up. Keeping with the ‘Big Idea’ attitude they threw down a pop-up pitch in Leinster’s rugby ground at Donnybrook and went and qualified for the Olympic Games for the first time in history. Even those fell to the final spectacle of another do-or-die shoot-out. This was a team full of proven goal achievers. Life ambitions realised, the Olympics was real.
So the words of the IOC’s Bach and prime minister Abe might have recently dimmed some fires and while the centre continues to hold thoughts of Tokyo 2021 being cancelled entirely and the cost to this team are huge. They would become the lost generation of women’s hockey, women’s sport.
At the time of the Donnybrook qualification series and according to ages issued by Hockey Ireland, Shirley McKay, who won her 301st cap in the Sunday evening match against Canada, and Nikki Daly were 31-years-old. For the summer Olympics scheduled to take place in Paris 2024, if Ireland was to qualify again, those players would both be 35.
Three of the Irish players – Lizzie Colvin, Nicola Evans and Anna O’Flanagan – were 29 for the two matches against Canada and in four years’ time will be 33.
Teacher and coach Hannah Matthews was 28, with another four-year wait making her 32 for the next Games. Deidre Duke was 27 for last November’s two legs and will be 31 when Paris comes around, as would the shoot-out star Chloe Watkins and Gillian Pinder.
The words of Bach and Abe will weigh heavily because they have said there will not be another postponement of Tokyo but a cancellation. News reports have outlined the amount of money Japan is already haemorrhaging with insurance pay outs to the IOC said to be greater for a cancellation than for another postponement. But none of that is yet clear.
The reality is that Ireland could not carry a team to the 2024 Olympic Games with such an age profile, nine of the 18-woman squad 30-years-old or more. Team captain Katie Mullan and Róisín Upton, now 25-years-old, would be 29. Not a problem but not all of them together. It could not work.
For comparison the Dutch squad that defeated Ireland in the London World Cup final announced a squad for this year’s professional Hockey League, a tournament for elite world teams in which Ireland cannot afford to play.
There were 19 Dutch names listed with just three players over 30 and 14 of the squad aged 26 or younger, among them defender Pien Sanders, 21-years-old and already with 53 international caps.
There is nothing that can be done to change the path of a pandemic, with the optimists firmly believing Olympic hockey will take place in Oi Stadium. But this bunch of players, who strung along the country for a week or so in the summer of 2018, will eventually fall back into their offices and work places to become mothers, partners and careerists with the opportunity to play in amateur sports theatre of dreams possibly denied.
“We have worked so hard, some of us have put in 10, 12 years, and it’s also for all the players that have gone before us, all those who committed so much of their lives to international hockey and never made it to an Olympics,” said captain Mullan last year.
What a shame if fate was to deny Irish hockey’s greatest team this one bright opportunity.
The Irish Times
Hockeyroos and Kookaburras return to the pitch
A number of the Hockeyroos and Kookaburras took to the pitch at the Perth Hockey Stadium for the first time since the Hockey Australia High Performance and Daily Training Environment closed on March 23 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
With restrictions having eased allowing for a measured return to training, strict safety protocols were implemented including temperature checking and a ‘get in, train, and get out’ philosophy.
For Jane Claxton, who works as a qualified Occupational Therapist, having her temperature checked was nothing new, but arriving with her training gear on and stick in her hand took her back to playing as a youngster.
“It definitely took me back to those days of junior hockey when my parents made me leave the house in full kit, so when I got out of the car this morning it felt very reminiscent of those times,” said Claxton.
“Working in the health field I have been getting temperature checks done every day so I’m used to that, but this is definitely an important aspect in us returning to training.”
Claxton, who was named joint 2019 Hockeyroos Player of the Year along with Kaitlin Nobbs, said it was amazing to get back on the turf.
“The girls hadn’t seen each other for the last eight weeks and we are used to seeing a lot of each other, so it was great to catch up on what everyone has been up to,” said Claxton.
“The best thing about getting back out there is just playing hockey. The last eight weeks have been great in focusing on a different aspect of our lives but after the fourth week of running by yourself it started to get a bit tiresome, so getting back on the pitch was a great mix up for the week.”
After confirmation that this year’s Tokyo Olympics has been postponed, Claxton believes many of the Hockeyroos have used the lockdown period to think about off field pursuits to counter the disappointment.
“You work for four years up to this moment (of competing at an Olympics) but I think this has allowed the girls and the team to refocus on different aspects of their lives,” said Claxton.
“Some girls concentrated on university and study, I dived deeper into my OT role, so I think it allowed everyone to realise what we have outside of hockey rather than dwelling on the aspect of another 12 month lead up to an Olympics.”
Matt Swann warms up ahead of the Kookaburras’ first pitch session back.
Heralding from Brisbane but choosing to stay in Perth during the lockdown, Kookaburras midfielder Jake Whetton said it was a thrill to be back on the pitch and catch up with teammates that he would normally be used to seeing every day.
“It felt really good to be back on the field with my mates. It has been a long time since I’ve seen most them so to be finally back out there was fantastic and really good fun,” said Whetton.
“I’m probably speaking on behalf of all of the boys but it’s probably the camaraderie that we’ve missed the most.
“We have been training alone for the last eight weeks in isolation and not having that team aspect of our training, so it was really good to be around each other.”
Whetton, who recently completed a marathon, was preparing to compete at his second Olympics.
The 28 year old, who has made 203 appearances and scored 64 goals, admits the announcement of Tokyo 2020 being postponed by 12 months was tough and took time to digest.
“Going to the Olympics is something that you strive for and being an elite competition that only comes around every four years, for that to be taken away in a short space of time was pretty surreal,” said Whetton.
“It probably took me a good week to sink in of having to put in the same effort for another 12 months which is going to be tough, but you want to represent Australia at the pinnacle of our sport which is the Olympic Games, so motivation for me and the rest of the guys is just as high.”
The remaining athletes in both squads are still in their home states/territories and are training at their respective National Training Centres.
Hockey Australia media release
Hockey Tasmania hoping to give community clarity about 2020 season
Jarryd McGuane
POSSIBLE RETURN DRAWS CLOSER: Burnie Baptist's Jarrad Poke plays it forward during the 2019 GNL season. Picture: Simon Sturzaker
The hockey community could have clarity about the makeup of 2020 season as soon as next week, says Hockey Tasmania chief executive Damian Smith.
Discussions between the state government and Hockey Tasmania remain ongoing with the goal of having games starting in every competition by mid-July.
Smith said there were positive signs that the roster planning stage was coming to an end.
"Planning competitions is still a work in progress at the moment as all competition conveners across the state are madly working within their teams and committees to pull together rosters," he said.
"We are hoping that we would have rosters up as soon as next week, I would like to see some sort of draft by then because a lot of work has been done in those competition committees.
"We have had to be careful in putting processes in place to mitigate any risks with coronavirus, after they are set, we will be shifting our focus to the middle of July to hopefully recommence our competitions."
Smith said planning for the Greater Northern League and North-West Coast competitions.
"It is a little harder on the North-West Coast and in the North because we haven't started the season up there and there is a little apprehension from club presidents about creating traction for their members this year," he said
"It has been a little problematic in the region because it hadn't started yet, so we want to get something out there as soon as possible to maintain a connection with our members.
"Hopefully rosters would give players something to work towards knowing there was incentive of games coming up."
Smith said the process had also been impacted by regulations on how hockey could operate.
"We are having to factor in staggering times, which we are already doing for our training plans, and we may keep our allotted 90-minute period for games to allow for it," he said.
PLANNING ONGOING: Hockey Tasmania chief executive Damian Smith. Picture: Rob Shaw
"It may mean we play 15-minute quarters during those periods to allow players to get in and out of venues around their games.
"We will need sanitise all the benches between games and there will likely be no access to showers and club rooms as we recommend keeping those areas out of bounds.
"It will all be a little different in terms of how we run matches and there is obviously more work that needs to be done in terms of people movement and gatherings and we will work through that."
Clubs across the state have had the option to to resume training, except in the Hockey Tasmania run facilities, which will reopen on June 15.
The Advocate
Assistant Coaches Garcia and Revington take up new roles
Russell Garcia and Paul Revington; England and Great Britain Hockey coaches
After three years as Great Britain's men's Assistant Coach, Russell Garcia is moving back to his former club GTHGC in Germany for family reasons.
At the same time, Great Britain's women's Assistant Coach Paul Revington will return as planned to his position as Head Coach of our women's Elite Development Programme.
Danny Kerry and Russell Garcia; England and Great Britain Hockey coaches
Russell became Britain's youngest ever Olympic champion in any sport when he was part of the victorious Great Britain men’s squad in Seoul in 1988 at the age of just 18. A former nominee for FIH World Player of the Year, he then took his skills into coaching. Since he became Assistant Coach England's men finished third at both the EuroHockey Championships and Commonwealth Games, while Great Britain successfully qualified for the Tokyo Olympics and finished in the top four in the first ever FIH Hockey Pro League.
Having lived in Germany for a number of years previously, 49-year-old Russell has a German wife and his two children were born there, so moving back to Hamburg is the perfect fit for the family.
Russell said, “I would like to say a massive thanks to the organisation for giving me the opportunity to share in so many people’s dreams. Working with the team over the last three years has been an absolute honour. The experiences and relationships I’ve made during this period I will cherish forever. To my ‘Band Of Brothers,’ hold true to your values. And remember you are all Time-Travellers. Make the future worth playing for.”
Paul Revington; England and Great Britain Hockey coach
South African-born Revington joined Great Britain Hockey in 2017 as Head Coach of our women's Elite Development Programme (EDP), then became Assistant Coach with the women's senior team in September of last year when the coaching structure was increased leading into Tokyo. It was always planned that he would revert back to the EDP role in September of this year.
Paul is a vastly experienced international Head Coach in his own right, having led the Ireland, Malaysia and South Africa senior teams in the past. Having played a key role in the likes of Tess Howard, Lizzie Neal, Esme Burge, Charlotte Watson and Izzy Petter's EDP journeys and, with the women's Junior World Cup coming up in his homeland in 2021, Paul is reverting as planned to his EDP Head Coach role. He will undertake a pivotal position in developing the best young talent in the nation.
Paul said, "I am very excited about returning to the EDP and back to a programme that is responsible for preparing athletes for the senior international environment. I loved the experience of the Olympic qualification process and preparing for Tokyo over the past months and I would like to convey a special thank you to everyone involved in the GB senior squad, players and staff, for a wonderful 10-month period together and to Jody Paul and his EDP staff for steering the programme so well in my absence."
Russell Garcia; England and Great Britain Hockey coach
Great Britain Hockey Performance Director Ed Barney commented, "Firstly I would like to wish Russell and Paul all the best in their new roles.
"It goes without saying that we are incredibly sad to see Russell go. He has brought a wealth of experience, coaching acumen, personality and vibrancy not only to the senior men’s programme, but also to the performance department and to the whole of the organisation. It has been a delight to have Russell in the UK and we recognised from the outset what a significant decision it was for he and his family to relocate to Bisham. However, it’s clear that returning to Germany is the right decision for the Garcia family as they consider ties and schooling. Organisationally, we will miss his wife Mona who has been working for England Hockey's finance team. We wish Russell, Mona and their children Milia and Phoenix all the very best.
"In the same breath, Paul has a huge amount to offer talented young hockey players in the UK and we recognise his desire to commit and excel in the role that he originally joined GB Hockey for. He has done a fantastic job as Assistant Coach with the women's senior squad, and as he moves to the EDP we know it will be an exciting time and period for this programme over the coming 12 months and as we look to Paris 2024.”
With regards to recruiting for Russell and Paul's replacements, Ed continued, "We will commence imminently. Both roles will be full-time and appointed with the aim of ensuring we recruit the best possible candidates to support the senior women’s and men’s programme.”
Great Britain Hockey media release
Lead From Within; Don’t Drag from Out Front
By Jamie E. Robbins, Ph.D., Sport Psychology Certified Mental Performance Consultant and Professor of Exercise & Sport Science, Methodist University
The word “leader” is often times misunderstood and misused. Not every person in a leadership position is an effective leader and sometimes the best leaders have no title at all. A leader, by definition, is just a person with followers. You can acquire followers using coercion and fear or understanding and motivation. Athletes can be fantastic team leaders if they utilize more discussion and collaboration rather than demand and reprimand. There is no single way to be an effective leader, but there are methods that typically work best in athletics.
According to Hodge, Henry and Smith (2014) the most effective leaders: recognize the needs of the individual, focus on core values, demonstrate optimism and enthusiasm, and inspire creativity and risk-taking in performance. These tactics are best executed by individuals standing in the mix, not athletes standing out front. Therefore, athletes who are named captain or are part of a leadership group should first recognize the position does not make them more important than their teammates, it merely makes them the facilitator between coaches, and the ones who should maintain the pulse of the team.
Good team leaders take time to get to know their teammates. They learn about their goals, motivation, personality and history. These differences can influence perspectives regarding core values and therefore, must be discussed. Rather than telling teammates about the team’s values; set those core values together so each person feels a part of the process and each person has a chance to provide his/her opinion. Once these values are set, the leader can encourage behaviors that match the values and help set the team culture.
For example, one team’s core values included: being on time, supporting each other on and off the field, and making off-field decisions that best represent the team. Lilly showed up late for practice. Hannah yelled at her teammate for not passing her the ball, and Sophie went to a party the night before a game. How would you handle these situations as a captain or team leader? Would you punish the behaviors, shame the individual or would you create an environment that motivates others to want to do the right thing?
Do you immediately think about punishments or do you consider talking to your teammate and finding out why they made those choices? Rather than immediately punishing a mistake, give your teammates a chance to make the correction or explain their actions. Help them want to be on time. Create fun pre-practice routines that athletes enjoy. Discuss useful alternatives to yelling or build an environment where mistakes are recognized as part of the game and worked on, not condemned and punished. Encourage teammates to practice outside of regularly scheduled practices. By focusing on building rather than punishing, you create a space where people want to be and want to work. When punishment is the primary focus, athletes tend to play with a fear of failure and hide, rather than own, their off-field mistakes.
Leadership is not always easy, but it does not have to be extremely difficult if you allow others to be part of the process. You don’t have to be the loud and outspoken leader, but you should find teammates who have those qualities and encourage them to accept that role. Good leaders know how to designate responsibilities and urge others to use their strengths to the fullest. There should be no issue of “stepping on toes” among a team who all should be working together. Therefore, as a leader, use your own and your teammates’ strengths and be willing to listen to the group. Be open to hearing if your current style is or is not effective. If you feel the team is working as a cohesive unit toward the same goal, then keep on your path. However, if the team is not responding to you, ask what they need and be willing to change.
For instance, Emily, Sierra and Molly were named team leaders. All were great students, hardworking athletes and generally positive people. They modeled the behaviors they wanted in the rest of the team, yet the team was not connecting. The three leaders held team events where no one showed up and the level of energy in practices appeared to be waning. The problem was, the coach picked the leadership group and the rest of the team was not pleased with her selections. These athletes were put in a very tough situation. Rather than trying to go in and “lead,” they addressed the importance of building from within. During the next team meeting, the three “leaders” asked their teammates to write down what they thought would make the team stronger and what responsibilities each player would like to accept to ensure that happens. Each athlete shared their voice and agreed to a new role as leader in her area of strength.
There is no guarantee these methods will work for everyone’s team but don’t give up so quickly. Leadership is more of an art than a science and it often requires do-overs and revisions to find the method that works best for each team. The style you prefer might not be the same as your teammates, which is why talking is so important. Address possible issues early and often as little misunderstandings become huge barriers to team cohesion when left to fix themselves. Also, remember that just because one holds the title of “captain” or “leader” does not mean his/her opinion should hold more weight than others. Therefore, to effectively lead, step back and first assess your personal style. Talk with your teammates and ask what style they prefer and help your teammates all feel equally important in the team building process. When you drag your teammates from out front, you risk them not developing intrinsic motivation to do it themselves.
When you lead from within, teammates can see how it is done and develop their own motivation to keep pushing.
This article is featured in the Fall 2019 issue of FHLife magazine. To read more inspiring, knowledge-packed and fun features revolving around hockey, fitness, healthy eating and how to strengthen your game, subscribe to our quarterly publication or to order additional copies, clicking here.
USFHA media release
USA Field Hockey’s COVID-19 Restructuring
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - In a move designed to mitigate the financial impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, USA Field Hockey has announced a restructuring of the organization that includes staff cuts and reductions in pay for all staff as well as a number of reassignments of responsibilities. The cuts and restructuring were made to sustain the organization through this challenging time while enabling the National Governing Body to continue to focus on its mission to Grow the Game, Serve Members, and Succeed Internationally.
Under the plan, all national office employees are taking a reduction in salary. All salaries are frozen for a 12-month period. In addition, three full-time national office positions and five contractual positions have been eliminated.
In announcing the plan, Simon Hoskins, USA Field Hockey’s Executive Director, noted the cancellation of scheduled regional and national events and other programming due to the pandemic, associated government mandates and social distancing guidelines. The safety, health and well-being of all members of the field hockey community is a core value, steering all decisions around these cancellations.
“I applaud the entire team’s work to adjust and provide as much programming as possible given the parameters,” said Hoskins, “This includes their work to prepare for return to play as soon as it is safe to do so. Given the uncertainties and challenges that have arisen worldwide and in the United States, and in looking ahead to the second half of the year, we had to make some tough decisions. We remain dedicated to our mission and values, both now and in the long-term, and to deliver on these we had to re-examine how we were operating as an organization.”
Significant changes are also being made to the organization of the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Team programs. With the suspension of the FIH Hockey Pro League for the remainder of the year and a pause on international travel for the foreseeable future, the opportunities for USA Field Hockey athletes to represent this country have been temporarily reduced. As a result, the organization is taking this opportunity to restructure within the Succeed Internationally pillar.
On the women’s side, the contracts of head coach Caroline Nelson-Nichols and assistant coach Marc Hardy come to an end on June 30. On the men’s side, the contracts of head coach Rutger Wiese and associate head coach Brian Schledorn have both ended. USA Field Hockey will look to hire full-time coaches for both the men’s and women’s senior national teams in the coming months.
The move to a full-time coach for the men’s program reaffirms the organization’s commitment to a team that has risen rapidly in the world rankings and made a large impression in the eyes of the men’s field hockey world. The growing number of boys in the United States playing the sport at the under-18 level and efforts to fuel this growth provide further incentive to help shape the program moving forward. It will be bolstered by the oversight of a full-time coach within the organization.
In addition, to create further alignment and support, current USA Field Hockey staff member Phil Edwards, Senior Manager of Coaching and Performance, has been reassigned to oversee the development pathways of both the men’s and women’s junior high performance programs. With the Junior Pan American Games now slated for April 2021 and the resumption of the FIH Hockey Pro League in May 2021, the future is promising for the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Team Olympic Pathways and programs.
USFHA media release
Janet White
Scottish Hockey was sad to hear of the death of Janet White, former Scottish Hockey Vice President and a longstanding Grange member, who had been unwell for some time.
Janet was Vice President of Scottish Hockey, and was also Chair of the Centenary Celebrations in the 90s during which a programme of events were staged along with memorabilia; a Scottish Hockey tartan; branded whiskey; and the publication of the 100 Years of Scottish Hockey book.
Janet joined Grange to play hockey in the late 1970s, shortly after Grange Ladies amalgamated with Edinburgh Western Wanderers. For well over 30 years, Janet was a club stalwart who helped out in all manner of ways. She served as Ladies Hockey President for many years, helped organise numerous Easter Hockey Festivals, sat on the Club’s General Committee and was the driving force behind the legendary Auld Reekies’ tours to Barbados – indeed she umpired the final of the Ladies tournament there in 1993.
Janet was a Grade 1 National League Umpire and she was regularly appointed as tournament director at international indoor hockey events across Europe on behalf of Scottish Hockey.
She retired from the Royal Bank of Scotland over 20 years ago before working for Scottish Hockey and then as Assistant Secretary at Merchants Golf Club.
Janet was a great friend to Grange, and to hockey in Scotland, and she will be sadly missed at the club, and far beyond. The funeral arrangements are unclear at the moment.
Scottish Hockey Union media release