News for 20 August 2020
All the news for Thursday 20 August 2020
COVID break gave us time to self-evaluate, says Savita as hockey camp resumes
Savita and other hockey players resumed training at the SAI centre in Bengaluru on Wednesday. - Special Arrangement
The Indian women’s hockey team goalkeeper Savita says the coronavirus-forced break provided them a perfect opportunity to self-evaluate and analyse life on and off the field as the national camp resumed here on Wednesday after a month.
Having completed their 14-day self-isolation period, the Indian senior men and women core probables resumed training with the national camp, which is expected to continue till September 30 at SAI South Centre.
“When you are a professional athlete, it gets really hectic sometimes...As such you don’t really get the chance to introspect at length, but these few months and especially the past 14 days, I’ve had the chance to look back on a lot of things and understand myself better,” said Savita.
“What I’ve realised is that this is the only time I might get in my life where I can analyse a lot of things - personal and professional - and work towards bettering them...I totally believe that it has been one of the most important phases in my life.”
Barring the six COVID-19 recovered male players, including skipper Manpreet Singh, all members of the men and women teams resumed training with light activities on Wednesday.
The six COVID recovered players including Manpreet, Surender Kumar, Jaskaran Singh, Varun Kumar, Krishan B. Pathak and Mandeep Singh, who were discharged from a city hospital on Monday, are currently in self isolation inside the SAI campus here.
“We have to get back to full fitness so we will be including outdoor running, high-intensity workouts and a bit of stick-work to our schedule,” Savita said.
“We started today with an outdoor exercise session maintaining social distancing, and will be resuming sports activities on the hockey pitch to get our rhythm back while also following safety protocols as stated in the SOPs.”
Sportstar
Coping with Covid: how our athletes are staying ready for action
Sarah Juggins
Scott Tupper (CAN), Hannah Haughn (CAN) and Camila Caram (CHI) Photos: Yan Huckendubler
It has been a tough few months for athletes as the Covid-19 pandemic has forced them off the pitch and into isolation or restrictive lock-down, depending where in the Pan American region they are living.
It has been difficult both physically and mentally. For elite athletes, whether they are professional or not, a large amount of their daily routine involves training and match preparation. Without the incentive of matches or competitive training situations, it is difficult for many players to remain motivated to train to the same intensity as normal. With the Olympic Games, the Indoor World Cup, the Pan American Cup and the Junior Pan American Championships all on the horizon, there will be anxieties among players and coaches about preparing for these events.
It is all very well saying to athletes “get on with your own fitness at home”. Most athletes are used to being part of a larger training group, having access to equipment and guidance, and following a set routine. No matter how high your level of motivation, there comes a point when it is difficult to train effectively at home.
Mentally, the impact of Covid-19 has been felt among the athlete community. Many players have spoken about missing the interaction with team mates and the buzz of being part of something. This mirrors the feelings of isolation that many people across the wider population have been feeling as a result of prolonged lockdown. We are social animals and athletes, who are used to interacting with an extended group on a highly regular basis, are feeling the lack of contact very keenly.
Research carried out on behalf of the news and sporting website The Conversation revealed that athletes across all sports are likely to have experienced varying levels of stress and anxiety during lockdown. These range from low-level anxiety over loss of fitness, to depression and suicidal thoughts. A recent study by the British Journal of Sports Medicine revealed that one in six track and field athletes had reported suicidal thoughts in the past few months.
For hockey players, the anxieties range from concerns over selection and losing their place in the team, worry over funding, uncertainty about the future and the unease that accompanies such an upheaval to the daily routine. For the teams of Argentina men and women and Canada men, there has been the additional question of whether and when the Olympic Games will be going ahead. For some players, the plans for a swan song at the 2020 Olympics followed by retirement from the sport have had to be put on hold. For others, the pressures of selection loom ahead for another few months.
To find out how our athletes have been faring over lockdown we spoke to three stars of the game: Chile women’s captain Camila Caram, and Canadians Hannah Haughn and Scott Tupper.
“Coping with the mental challenges posed by lockdown has been the most difficult part,” says Camila Caram. “We want to be disciplined, and stay fit and healthy, but we have struggled mentally to stay sane. These are unprecedented times, some of us have not seen our families for months, those studying haven’t been able to go to university.
“So it has become a balancing act that we have to find ways to manage our lives, be disciplined, and train, and keep to the diet. On the other hand, it has been important to also give ourselves a break from being so disciplined, because that is yet another way to stay mentally healthy.”
The Chile squad, which has the Pan Am Cup in its sights, pulled together to overcome the challenges. The team bought some weightlifting material, which was shared around so the athletes could do meaningful training at home. The team’s physical training coach gave the players a plan, and the team would often train together online as a means of encouragement and togetherness.
Camila says sticking to a healthy diet also proved a challenge. Being stuck at home meant the kitchen was in easy reach. And, she explains, with less time spent training, there was a danger that the weight would creep up on the players.
Nothing replaces the work that the team does on a pitch together, but Camila says all the players dedicated a number of hours each day to stick skills and physical challenges to keep their hockey brains sharp. Camila says that many of the team also tried to get ahead with studies or work – something, she says with a smile, that does not usually get priority!
For Canada’s Hannah Haughn, a break from hockey came at a prescient moment, giving her a chance to deal with injuries as well as build up her core strength. “I've used the time away from hockey to focus on re-habilitating chronic injuries such as my plantar fasciitis, as well as working on my core stability, which always takes a back seat during busy training periods.”
For the 25-year-old, this is the first major break from the game in 18 years. She says she hasn’t picked up a stick since March, and although that has led to some low-level anxiety, generally she sees it as a positive.
“The last few years of Olympic qualifying preparation took a big toll on my physical and mental health. Thus, taking such a long break from hockey has had a silver lining as it has allowed me to take a step back from competitive sport and focus on other areas of my life, such as starting a Masters degree.”
While her battered body recovered from a tough year of competition, Hannah and her team mates made sure they kept their fitness levels well maintained. A daily training program, comprising aerobic and anaerobic exercise, helped the squad stay in shape. They also ran weight training sessions as a group via Zoom, which added a level of motivation and camaraderie to the training.
While much of the team is spread across Canada, in recent weeks Hannah and a few other teammates who also live in Vancouver, have been meeting up for long cycle rides. Hannah herself, has also discovered some new sports – kayaking, long distance running and mountain biking among them. It is, she says, the perfect way to reawaken her love for hockey and serves as reminder as to why the sport is so important.
“After playing for so long, hockey has become intertwined with my identity, so that has been a challenge to deal with. But I’ve come to realize there is so much in our lives right now that we can't control, so by practicing daily gratitude, by identifying positive things in my day, these have helped me stay positive during this period as well.
“I guess, what I miss most is the team and seeing everyone every day during trainings. We truly are a tight knit group, as we've been through so much. It has also been hard seeing other national teams start up training.
“Between restrictions and our current lack of a dedicated head coach, there hasn't been a whole lot of program updates for our group. However, I'm hopeful that we will be on the field in the coming weeks”
While both Chile and Canada women have the Pan American Cup as their first major international to look forward to, Canada men have a date in Tokyo.
When the world was first realizing the impact of the pandemic, it was the Canadian National Olympic Committee that took the courageous step of saying it would not send a team to the 2020 Games. Eventually, their decision was picked up by the IOC and the Games were moved to 2021, with Canada’s participation back on track. Although team selection is some way off, it would be a surprise if Scott Tupper were not on the Tokyo-bound plane.
The Canadian captain has represented his country more than 300 times and is renowned for his calm and unruffled approach to life. Like everything else that presents a challenge, Scott seems to be taking Covid-19 in his stride.
“I think for all of us, it’s just been about being flexible and, at times, creative. Whether it was putting together a workout in the yard or your living room, being able to adjust and get the most out of it has been important. It might not be lifting the typical weights we’re used to, but we’ve all been able to find ways to get value from training.
“For example, you can work on your ball control with just a few meters of space, so I, like a lot of players, have managed to maintain a touch on the ball at home. It’s not like being out on the field, but we are used to overcoming problems. Again, you make the best of it.”
For Scott, the secret lies in “not looking too far down the road”. He says the team will just refocus and make sure they are ready for the Olympic Games next year, but as he says, it could still all change because “life can change very fast these days.”
Pan American Hockey Federation media release
Surbiton’s Golden addition to men’s panel for new season
Scottish international Jamie Golden has joined Surbiton from Grove Menzieshill, adding to the English champions strength as they look forward to the new 2020/21 season.
Golden was part of the Menzieshill side that played in the 2018/19 EHL season and has represented Scotland up to Under 21 level as well as receiving the Scotland Under 18 Boys Player of the Year Award in 2019.
He is a current member of the GB Elite Development Programme and was part of the GB Under 21 Sultan of Johor Cup winning squad in 2019 alongside a number of his new Surbiton team mates.
Golden said of the switch: “I decided to join Surbiton as I thought it was the best move for me – it will allow me to train and play at the highest level. I really want to push myself and be challenged by the incredible group of players at the club.
“Alan Forsyth also spoke to me and said the club was keen for me to join. At that point, I was planning on going abroad, but after speaking to Mark Pearn and a number of other people at the club, I knew I had to make the move.
“I am really looking forward to playing in EHL with this team, competing with the best clubs in Europe and challenging for the title as I have never actually won a league championship before.”
Surbiton are set to be England’s EHL Men’s representatives at the 2021 EHL Men’s competition and head coach Mark Pearn is excited about this latest addition.
“With Jamie, we have secured another young British player with exceptional potential. His enthusiasm and determination shone through when we spoke and I was delighted when he said that Surbiton would be the right place to push his hockey forward.
“He joins a very talented group of players who are focused on the exciting opportunities ahead this season and from what I have already seen in training, he is going to add another positive attacking threat to our play.”
Euro Hockey League media release
Vila makes eye-catching move to Leuven from Mannheim
Lucas Vila is set to join Pat Harris in making the move from Mannheimer HC to KHC Leuven in Belgium in one of this summer’s eye-catching transfers.
The 33-year-old Argentina international enjoyed a strong three-year spell in Germany, winning an EHL bronze medal in 2019 while he was also a gold medalist at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
It means he is bound for another new European destination following previous spells with Harvestehuder THC, Tilburg, HGC, Orée , Den Bosch, Club de Campo, Real Club de Polo and Mannheim.
Going in the opposite direction, Andreu Enrich has taken on the coaching role at Mannheim after a season at Leuven.
Vila becomes the fourth signing this summer by Leuven after Harris, Jerome Dekeyser (Uccle) and Sean Murray (Rotterdam) while Daragh Walsh has returned to Three Rock Rovers in Ireland.
Elsewhere, Philippe Simar will link up with Royal Leopold where he joins his cousin Tanguy Zimmer and brings a ferocious scoring record, netting 89 goals in the past two seasons with White Star.
“I hope I can bring that something extra to allow Leo to win the title. And playing with Tanguy, with the World Cup in sight, it’s great,” he said of the move.
Nicolas Della Torre is on the move to KHC Dragons – who will play in the EHL Men’s Cup next Easter – where he will join forces with fellow Argentine player Lucas Martinez.
Euro Hockey League media release
Local hockey star will improve his skills in Ireland in preparation for Tokyo Games
The captain of Tuks' successful men's hockey team is on his way to Ireland to improve his game there in a top league.
The Tuks hockey star Peabo Lembethe is on his way to Ireland to improve his game. Photo: Reg Caldecott
The South African and Tuks hockey player Peabo Lembethe decided to pursue a new adventure and he is already on his way to Dublin, Ireland, to play for the YMCA Hockey Club.
With this move, Lembethe hopes to not only improve his technique as a hockey player, but also gain the general experience that can benefit his career.
“It has always been a dream to play in Ireland, but first I had to fulfil a promise I made to my parents. That is to finish my studies. I am not entirely done yet. I still need to complete one module of my BA Humanities degree. Thanks to the University of Pretoria’s online classes, I can do so while being in Dublin. I feel I need to be able to play as I am close to reaching my prime. Playing in Ireland is going to stand me to good stead. I don’t want to disappoint the team during next year’s Tokyo Games,” explained the Tuks player, who is already in the South African Olympic squad.
According to Inky Zondi, Tuks’s head coach, it is likely that there will be no tournaments played in South Africa this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak.
“The university tournaments have already been cancelled. There has been no decision as to whether the provincial tournaments will proceed. I think we will only be allowed to resume play once we reach level one of the lockdown,” said Zondi.
It leaves Lembethe slightly frustrated.
“The pandemic ‘sucks’. But don’t get me wrong. I fully understand the reasoning of why there needs to be a lockdown. Lives must be saved. If everyone sticks to the rules, we can all contribute to slow down the spread of the virus and flatten the curve. The last thing I want is to play hockey, go home and infect a friend or someone in my family,” he remarked.
The 24-year old Lembethe has represented the Proteas in 28 tests. A definite highlight was playing for South African during the 2018 FIH World Cup in Bhubaneswar, India.
The Tuks player’s best quality is without a doubt his unbelievable work rate and an ever sense of what is happening on the field. He is possibly one of the best distributors. He will never just pass the ball for the sake of doing so. He has a plan with every pass he makes.
“I don’t care whether people notice what I do during a game. I only got one goal and that is to ensure the team I am playing for wins. If they do, it is mission accomplished. That is what makes doing the ‘donkey work’ worthwhile,” was Lembethe’s take on his role on the field.
Apart from playing for South Africa he considers captaining the Tuks men’s side to their first Varsity victory in 2018 as special.
Rekord East
KHA lauded for promoting hockey in metropolis
LAHORE - Provincial Sports Secretary Imtiaz Ali Shah has lauded Karachi Hockey Association (KHA) for promoting the national game hockey in the metropolis.
Ali Shah said this while speaking as chief guest at the Independence Day celebrations held under floodlights at the KHA Sports Academy, Gulshan-e-Iqbal on Friday.
Three exhibition matches between different teams, including one from Hyderabad, were organised to commemorate the occasion. The matches also marked the inauguration of floodlights installed by the Sindh government on the orders of Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah.
The venue was decorated with national flags and buntings. National anthem was played and a cake was cut by the chief guest.
The organisers have also erected a walk-through sanitizer gate for the guests, players, and officials.
Imtiaz Shah said the chief minister is taking keen interest in revival of the national game.
“Hockey is our national game and has made us proud. We will provide full support to the KHA in future as well.”
The Nation
Field Hockey Canada Inductee – Alan Hobkirk
‘Hustle and Humility’ Alan Hobkirk inducted into the Field Hockey Canada Hall of Fame
By Josh Rey
First and foremost, Alan Hobkirk considers field hockey a team sport. When he learned of his pending induction into the Field Hockey Hall of fame, he couldn’t help but think about the teammates and support that helped him along the way. An inductee in the athlete category for 2019, Hobkirk was honoured and humbled by the achievement.
“Well, I was surprised and delighted. Almost immediately afterwards, there was a great sense of humility,” said Hobkirk, who was Canada’s primary penalty corner taker in the 1970s. “What I think often is ‘why me?’ It’s a team sport. I was very fortunate I got on the scoresheet, [that] didn’t mean I was a better player than anybody else.”
Hobrik was an outstanding player in the 1970s. He was captain of the Men’s National Team from 1975-1979. His stint as captain included the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, the 1978 World Cup and participated in four Pan American Games.
He stepped away from the game after the 1979 Pan American Games, to focus on his career and family. But he couldn’t keep himself off the field for good. Hobkirk came out of retirement in 1983 and helped Canada win gold at the Pan American Games that year, qualifying them for the 1984 Olympic Games.
Despite playing as a defender, Hobkirk has been described as one of Canada’s greatest goal scorers, primarily because of his penalty corner taking ability. Hobkirk was a Rhodes Scholar, an Olympian and was awarded UBC’s most outstanding athlete, the only person recorded to have all three honours. In 1994, he was inducted into the UBC Sports Hall of Fame. Though Hobkirk has received any praise and accolades for his playing days over the years, he remains humble.
“The very first thing I thought about really were all the people who had contributed to my career both directly and indirectly over the years,” said Hobkirk. “ Many of those people have passed but their influence was profound and that was positive, whether it be my teammates, my coaches, the officials who are terribly underrated, the umpires, the medical staff. There are just so many of them who had a great influence on my life, and it really made me want to play.”
Despite hanging up the cleats in 1983, Hobkirk still gives back to the community through many years of coaching and community support. He recently signed-on as the masters national team coach for their upcoming world championship season. Hobrik’s induction into the Field Hockey Canada Hall of Fame is a celebration of a fantastic community member, a great goal scorer and a great leader in Canadian field hockey history.
Click here for a presentation and interview with Alan Hobrik
Field Hockey Canada media release
The first ever African Hockey Summit
Coaching without borders
To jump in on everything that happened in 2020, and hockey fans all over the world being hungry for getting their knowledge elsewhere, SportWays is organising the very first African Hockey Summit. A free event featuring the best of both African and other continent’s coaches and players to showcase the best in African hockey and beyond. Through both education and inspiration, they leverage access to education.
Working together with Hockey Dreams Foundation, African Hockey Federation, Scorrd and Self-Pass, the African Hockey Summit is taking place from September 3 – 5. During the 3-day virtual summit, registered participants will be able to watch unique video content from top hockey players and coaches from all over the world. Expect both interviews and inspiring lectures from over 30 speakers who are world class players and coaches including Max Caldas, Shane McLeod, Marsha Cox, Ric Charlesworth, Alyson Annan, Gregg Clark, Paul Revington, Ongeziwe Mali, Austin Smith, Cedric D’Souza, Rhett Halkett, Thomas Briels, Dr Sherylle Calder, the Cassiem brothers and many more.
“We are super proud to be making African hockey history together with this virtual summit. Hockey people are truly amazing with Olympic coaches and players willing to contribute their time and expert knowledge to develop African hockey. All players and coaches from Africa and across the world are invited to join us to learn - it’s free!” Jack Thonissen, SportWays Africa.
“Within our Hockey Dreams programmes, we see that our hockey coaches can actually make a difference through the power of sports. Keep things small, make a big impact. Education is key in that matter. This Summit is the gateway to offer that to African hockey and beyond.” Malou Janssen, Hockey Dreams Foundation
“It is with great pleasure to announce that the AfHF is endorsing and Co-hosting the 1st African Hockey Summit 2020. As the AfHF continuously works on developing and engaging African Officials and Umpires, we equally endorse and support all initiatives -alongside National Associations and Clubs- to develop and grow African coaches and players. This 1st edition of the African Hockey Summit features a well-rounded mix of talents from Africa and abroad and will surely capitalize on the concept of ‘coaching without borders’. I am looking forward to a rich and exciting 3-day online event where coaches and players can share their knowledge, experiences and best practices.” Seif Ahmed, President of African Hockey Federation (AfHF)
“Scorrd is the #1 online hockey community in the world and it’s free to join. We are super excited to be part of the first ever virtual African hockey summit. We will host a live chat and discussion segment on Scorrd, so all participants can share their thoughts about the different speakers.“ Sébastien Commeyne, Scorrd
“Self-Pass changed the game on social media with over 100,000 passionate fans in every corner of the world. We are proud to be part of Africa’s hockey journey with this summit taking hockey to new and higher places!” Bernardo Fernandes, Founder of Self-Pass
Book your FREE tickets at: www.sportwaysonlinehockeyclub.com/africanhockeysummit
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Sportways media release
Sports Ministry suspends accreditation of Russian Field Hockey Federation
By Liam Morgan
Hockey in Russia is in crisis as FHTR President Nikolai Aleksandrov is facing criminal charges ©FHTR
The Russian Sports Ministry has suspended the accreditation of the country's embattled hockey federation, which is embroiled in crisis after President Nikolai Aleksandrov was charged with embezzlement.
The Russian Field Hockey Federation (FHTR) confirmed its accreditation had been suspended and the Baseball Federation of Russia would oversee the "rights and duties" of the troubled body for a period of up to six months.
Several regional bodies have written letters to the Sports Ministry objecting to the move.
The exact reason for the decision from the Sports Ministry has not been revealed, but it is thought to be connected to the scandal involving Aleksandrov, who remains FHTR President despite the criminal charges against him.
Aleksandrov was arrested last December on suspicion of committing economic crimes during his time as chief executive of Russian construction company Mosmetrostroy.
He was released under house arrest the following month before being detained on separate charges in April.
Aleksandrov was then placed under house arrest for a second time in May.
He is accused of concluding a fictitious contract and embezzling the funds from Mosmetrostroy.
The FHTR held an election in February following the criminal charges against Aleksandrov, where Andrei Kananin, an assistant to State Duma deputy Mikhail Buger, was voted in as President.
But the Russian Olympic Committee said the election was invalid and Aleksandrov remained the legitimate President.
insidethegames has contacted the International Hockey Federation for comment.
Inside the Games