News for 02 September 2020
All the news for Wednesday 2 September 2020
M.H.Atif - 3 Golds, 2 Silvers & 1 Bronze at the Olympics
Ijaz Chaudhry
Brig. Manzoor Hussain Atif
When Olympic icons are discussed, competitors from team sports are rarely mentioned. But hockey boasts a person directly involved with all the three gold medals his country has won at the Olympic games, and he has three other medals of lesser shades.
What makes his achievements even more special is that participation spanned four decades.
Manzoor Hussain Atif, who later raised to the rank of brigadier in the Pakistan army, made his Olympic debut in 1952 when the Pakistan hockey team finished fourth.
He was a regular in the XI by the time Pakistan won its first ever medal in any sport, a silver in 1956.
The 6 ft 2 inch left fullback was at the peak of his powers when his country won its first gold, dethroning fierce rivals India in the 1960 Olympics final.
In 1964, in his last Olympic appearance as a player, Atif captained the silver medal winning side.
At the next Olympics in 1968, Atif returned as the manager of the Pakistan team which regained the gold in some style- winning all its nine matches.
As the manager, his only `failure` was the bronze at the 1976 Olympics.
The master brain again guided the national side as the manager when Pakistan won its third, and so far the last, Olympic gold in 1984.
M.H.Atif`s Olympic Medals:
As a Player: One Gold (1960) & Two Silver (1956 & 1964); also captained the team in 1964
As the Manager: Two Gold (1968 & 1984) & One Bronze (1976)
Ijaz Chaudhry writes on hockey & other sports. For more about him and his work, visit: www.sportscorrespondent.info
Fieldhockey.com
For training-starved hockey teams, light at the end of pandemic tunnel
With the men’s and women’s teams gradually returning to action, coaches Graham Reid and Sjoerd Marijne plot the road ahead.
Written by Mihir Vasavda
Graham Reid's focus is to first bring their ‘basics back to a reasonable level’ before advancing to play matches within the team. (Source: File)
Graham Reid calls it the Groundhog Day syndrome.
In the 1993 fantasy-comedy, Bill Murray wakes up every morning and realises he is reliving the same day over and over again. Reid has experienced something similar in the last several weeks.
In June, the Indian hockey players and coaches at the Sports Authority of India campus in Bengaluru went home for a break that stretched nearly two months. Reid, the Australian coach of the men’s team, and his wife Julia chose not to travel in the middle of the pandemic and stayed back.
As the number of Covid-19 cases in the rest of Bengaluru surged, the SAI facility felt like a safe zone. The campus chef also ensured they didn’t miss a meal. What they did miss, though, was human contact.
For close to 50 days, the couple was by themselves inside the centre – a sprawling, 100-acre campus; slightly uphill, in the outskirts of the city and in the middle of what resembles a forest. Occasionally, a snake or two would slither past Reid as he went on a stroll.
But their constant companions were the stray dogs inside the campus, with whom the two developed a bond. “Because there was no one, the dogs were struggling with their food. Julia loves animals… she talks to the dogs a little bit,” Reid says. “One day, I told her, ‘Julia, I don’t mind you talking to the dogs…’ but she was talking to the washing machine!” the Reids laugh.
A dash of humour was essential to see off the phase, which the 56-year-old utilised to understand the players and their struggles better. Before they went on a break, Reid had got them to tell their stories on video. After they were gone, he enhanced it with some slick editing. “I incorporated photos of their families and past games into their interviews. The amount of struggle everyone has gone through their lives is incredible, especially when you compare it to others from Australia or Holland,” he says.
Graham Reid with his wife Julia; the couple was inside the Bengaluru SAI Centre for close to 50 days all by themselves during the lockdown.
Reid’s plan is to share the video with the entire squad in the coming months as a team-building exercise closer to the Tokyo Olympics.
Forced to stay away from the turf due to the pandemic, there’s not a lot that he, or the others, could do. The last time India – both women’s and men’s teams – had a full-fledged, high-intensity training session was in March. Although socially-distanced training has resumed, it will still be some more time before they will be able to return to the old training routines. And matches will take even longer.
Meanwhile, the rest of the world is moving on. Europe begins competitive hockey next month – with the domestic league followed by the FIH Pro League, the international body’s flagship tournament involving the world’s top nine national teams. The Indian players, however, will only be distant spectators, watching them play on their computer screens and analysing them.
With the pandemic still posing a threat in India, and given the travel restrictions, all commitments of the national teams have been wiped off for this year. Competitive hockey, for the women’s and men’s teams, will begin only in January 2021.
For Reid and his women’s team counterpart, Dutchman Sjoerd Marijne, the situation is unique. Both have had a calming influence on their teams. But to keep the players patient, especially when the rest of the hockey world is moving on, will be a challenge. The last time the women’s team played a competitive match was in January, while the men last played in February. Now, they have started a six-week camp, and possibly for another six weeks after that, knowing there is nothing to look forward to this year.
Although, there is another proposal on the table.
“In the back of my mind, I hope we can go to The Netherlands in October. We have made a request because the activities there have begun and we can play matches against good teams,” Marijne says, explaining that the resumption of the Dutch league and Pro League will give his side some decent match practice. Reid adds: “It will be a good motivating factor and we hope to go. But I don’t think realistically that’s going to happen the way things are panning out right now.”
Sjoerd Marijne has been able to watch the team’s training from sidelines because of the social-distancing measures adopted at the national camp.
Curiously, the Sports Authority of India said they have received no such proposal from Hockey India.
Plan B is to have intra-squad matches along with a gradual increase in the training workload. Marijne, under whom the women’s team has made substantial progress, is not worried about the fitness of the players, who he says ‘followed the fitness programme in a disciplined manner’ during the quarantine days as well as while they were at home. His agenda is to add new dimensions to their game, by introducing different plays, and making them quicker to execute his give-and-go style better.
For Reid, the focus is to first bring their ‘basics back to a reasonable level’ before advancing to play matches within the team.
January onwards, the calendar returns to some kind of normalcy. The women’s team, Marijne says, will start next year with a training tour to Singapore followed by the Asian Champions Trophy in March. A trip to Australia is being planned for April and the finishing touches to the preparations for the Tokyo Games will be applied in the Netherlands, where they are likely to travel in June.
The men hope to begin 2021 in Kuala Lumpur, where they have arranged for practice matches and joint training sessions with The Netherlands. That will be followed by a four-nation tournament in New Zealand and the Asian Champions Trophy in Dhaka, before their Pro League season resumes in April.
Both Reid and Marijne know all this comes with a huge ‘conditions apply’ warning. But for now, they are just relieved that the tedious Groundhog Days have turned into the good old training days.
Indian Express
New Zealand's Premier Hockey League Delayed
The inaugural Premier Hockey League has been postponed to November due to the recent Covid-19 outbreak in Auckland.
The new domestic league, originally scheduled to start on 20 August, will now be held in November with a start date to be confirmed. Club hockey finals and tertiary exams prevented a postponement to October.
Hockey New Zealand Performance Network Manager Simon Brill says it is disappointing to have to postpone the league but player safety has to come first.
“We needed to make sure players had enough time after lockdown to prepare for a pinnacle tournament which doubles as a selection event for the Vantage Black Sticks as they build towards next year’s postponed Tokyo Olympics,” says Brill.
“It also allows for the large contingent of student-athletes to prepare for their tertiary exams without the pressures of high-performance hockey.”
The eight-team (four men and four women), round-robin competition will be held at the new purpose-built National Hockey Centre in Albany, Auckland and matches will be free to attend.
All matches will be broadcast live on Sky Sport NEXT, SkyTV’s platform for more than 50 sports to showcase their events and athletes for free to all New Zealanders.
The exact dates of the league will be announced shortly.
Hockey New Zealand Media release
EH Champs Finals insight: Sat 5 September
Hockey will make its long-awaited comeback on Saturday 5 September in the first day of the postponed EH Championships Finals.
Though the event will be following Step 4 of the Return To Play guidelines (more info HERE), matches will be played behind closed doors with no spectators. However, you can still keep up with the action through our live stream, social media updates and live match info.
Women’s T1 Final – Clifton Robinsons v Beeston at 15:00
The Women’s T1 Final will take centre stage at Nottingham Hockey Centre as Premier Division sides Clifton Robinsons and Beeston meet at 3pm, a match you can watch live on England Hockey’s Facebook page.
Clifton Robinsons narrowly reached the final as Flora Fletcher’s 70th minute goal sealed a 1-0 victory over Bowdon Hightown in the semi-finals. After only conceding once on their way to the final, Clifton have proved to be a strong side and look well prepared to defend their crown.
Though Hampstead & Westminster conceded at the semi-final stage, Beeston had to battle past the University of Nottingham in the quarter-finals where a penalty shootout decided the game. The side are no strangers to a penalty shootout though, having twice advanced through that method.
How they got to the final:
Clifton Robinsons: QF 7-1 v Buckingham, SF 1-0 v Bowdon
Beeston: R1 0-0 v University of Birmingham (4-1 shootout victory), QF 2-2 University of Nottingham (3-2 shootout victory), SF Hampstead & Westminster conceded
Last year’s winners – Clifton Robinsons (3-1 shootout victory after 2-2 draw against Hampstead & Westminster)
Women’s Over 35s T1 Final – Olton & West Warwickshire v Clifton Robinsons at 12:30
There’ll be more involvement from Clifton Robinsons who face Olton & West Warwickshire in the Women’s Over 35s T1 Final.
Clifton have shown their attacking capabilities throughout the competition, putting four past both Trojans (4-0) and Taunton Vale (4-2) on their way to the semi-finals. They then reached the final by surpassing Epsom 2-0 in the semi-finals as Kate Helps and Joanna Walton netted, taking the team’s tally to 10 goals from just three games.
Olton & West Warwickshire began the competition with an emphatic 8-2 victory over Oxford Hawks before seeing off Harleston Magpies in the semi-finals and, with Sally Walton (5) and Carole Quill (3) scoring for fun, will be full of confidence heading into the final where two ferocious attacks will meet.
How they got to the final:
Clifton Robinsons: R1 4-0 v Trojans, QF 4-2 v Taunton Vale, SF 2-0 v Epsom
Olton & West Warwickshire: R1 8-2 v Oxford Hawks, QF Bye, SF 4-3 v Harleston Magpies
Last year’s winners – Canterbury (3-0 v Trojans)
EH Champs Stourport v Reading
Men’s Over 50s T1 Final – Indian Gymkhana v Stourport at 10:00
The first of four Men’s Masters fixtures sees Indian Gymkhana contest Stourport in the Over 50s T1 Final.
Indian Gymkhana have impressed on their way to the final having begun their campaign with a clinical 7-3 demolition of Tunbridge Wells. While it took a shootout to get past Sevenoaks, the team surpassed reigning champions Reading with a 2-0 victory in the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, Stourport booked their Finals birth with two narrow victories, the first a tense 1-0 triumph over Isca before they came out on top in an 11-goal thriller against Ben Rhydding with a 6-5 semi-final win.
How they got to the final:
Indian Gymkhana: R1 7-3 v Tunbride Wells, QF 2-2 v Sevenoaks (4-2 shootout winners), SF 2-0 v Reading
Stourport: QF 1-0 v Isca, SF 6-5 v Ben Rhydding
Last year’s winners – Reading (4-1 v Stourport)
Men’s Over 60s T1 Final – Reading v Iceni Rex Essex at 11:15
Beginning their campaign with a 2-1 victory over last season’s champions, Warwickshire & Worcestershire, Reading went on to topple Yorkshire 2-0 in the semi-finals to secure their spot in the final.
Iceni Rex Essex will be looking to put last year’s humbling 10-1 final defeat to bed and go one step further this weekend. Yet to concede a goal on the way to the final, Iceni Rex Essex have proved a lethal opposition and will be feeling confident they can avoid being beaten finalists two years on the trot.
How they got to the final:
Reading: QF 2-1 v Warwickshire & Worcestershire, SF 2-0 v Yorkshire
Iceni Rex Essex: QF 1-0 v Kent, SF 4-0 v Somerset & Wiltshire
Last year’s winners – Warwickshire & Worcestershire (10-1 v Iceni Rex Essex)
Men’s Over 60s T2 Final – Cheshire v Indian Gymkhana at 13:45
Cheshire ruthlessly marched their way to the final as they put seven goals past their opponents in consecutive matches. Opening with a 7-3 bruising of Staffordshire, the team then tore past Old Silhillians (7-0), making them the highest scoring side despite only playing two matches.
Indian Gymkhana emphatically booked their place in the final with a 5-1 crushing of Devon & Cornwall in the semi-finals. With victories over Suffolk (4-2) and Amersham & Chalfont (2-1) prior to that, the team have looked sharp on their run to Nottingham.
How they got to the final:
Cheshire: QF 7-3 v Staffordshire, SF 7-0 v Old Silhillians
Indian Gymkhana: R1 4-2 v Suffolk, QF 2-1 v Amersham & Chalfont, SF 5-1 v Devon & Cornwall
Last year’s winners – Kent (7-1 v Southampton)
Last year’s winners – Rugby & East Warwickshire
Men’s Over 40s T1 Final – Epsom v Rugby & East Warwickshire at 17:30
The final match of the opening day sees Epsom tackle Rugby & East Warwickshire in the Men’s Over 40s T1 Final.
Despite making a storming start to the competition with a 7-1 victory over Tulse Hill & Dulwich, Epsom could only pass quarter-final opponents Henley via a shootout after the teams couldn’t be separated in a 2-2 regular time draw.
The team will be looking to go all the way, and a closely battled semi-final victory over Canterbury will give them confidence heading into their match against the reigning champions.
It’s certainly not been an easy run for Rugby & East Warwickshire who fought their way through each round with narrow victories against Isca (3-2) and Belper (3-2). The team have shown their ability to win throughout the campaign and will be hungry to make it back to back titles when they face Epsom in the final.
How they got to the final:
Epsom: R1 7-1 v Tulse Hill & Dulwich, QF 2-2 v Henley (9-8 shootout win), SF 2-1 v Canterbury
Rugby & East Warwickshire: R1 4-2 v Clifton Robinsons, QF 3-2 v Isca, SF 3-2 v Belper
Last year’s winners – Rugby & East Warwickshire (3-1 v Isca)
September 5 schedule:
10:00 – Men’s Over 50s T1 Final (available on England Hockey Facebook live stream)
11:15 – Men’s Over 60s T1 Final
12:30 – Women’s Over 35s T1 Final (available on England Hockey Facebook live stream)
13:45 – Men’s Over 60s T2 Final
15:00 – Women’s T1 Final (available on England Hockey Facebook live stream)
17:30 – Men’s Over 40s T1 Final (available on England Hockey Facebook live stream)
To see all remaining outstanding 2019/20 EH Championships fixtures list, click HERE
England Hockey Board Media release
A Goalkeeper with Fortitude
(pic: Rose Thomas and Tom Millington)
Having joined the Wales set-up in June 2011, Rose Thomas is one of the longest serving members of the Wales Senior Womens Squad.
Since her Senior Debut against Ireland, Rose has achieved 73 Welsh caps and 4 with GB. Her Welsh appearances include five EuroHockey Championship II tournaments and the Commonwealth Games in 2018 out in the Gold Coast.
In 2016 Thomas achieved the title of Best Goalkeeper in the FIH Hockey World League and more recently in the FIH series Finals 2019.
As one of the elite group of Welsh players to represent Great Britain, she was delighted to be part of the Programme from 2016-2018 as a National Lottery funded elite athlete, having had the ambition to reach that level since she was 13.
Now, as we emerge from the strangest of times and look forward to the season ahead, Rose explained what she is looking forward to with her Welsh teammates,
“It will be great to get back out on the pitch again! Whilst the virtual camps have been invaluable through lockdown, to train with the squad and see them in person will be great.
“Over the coming year I am really looking forward to the European Championships in Prague. This will be my sixth European tournament so I am hoping that things will be back to some level of normality and we get out there and perform.”
During lockdown Rose helped with our craving for hockey by posting her various training sessions and, more recently, clips of her return to the pitch with some hardcore sessions that were delivered by her new sponsor for the season ahead, Fortitude, the hockey goalkeeper specialists.
Rose has worked with Fortitude for a long time, so this sponsorship seemed like natural progression,
“It seems obvious, but I have a natural affinity with the work they do with goalkeepers. They understand that we are a rare breed and they genuinely put enjoyment first which, in turn, encourages the best out of the player.”
Tom Millington has been working with Rose as part of the Fortitude brand for several years, and has recently been helping get her back out on the pitch after lockdown,
“It is great that Fortitude are going to be able to sponsor Rose over the coming season.
“She is a great goalkeeper but even more than that, she always gives 100% effort whether she’s playing, training or coaching others and this truly reflects our company ethic.
“We look forward to seeing Rose out on the pitch for Wales and supporting her ambitions for the coming season.”
Hockey Wales media release
Field Hockey Canada appoints Adam Janssen as High Performance Director
Former high performance leader at Athletics Canada joins Field Hockey Canada
Field Hockey Canada (FHC) is delighted to announce the appointment of Adam Janssen as High Performance Director. Adam comes to FHC with significant system expertise having previously served in high performance leadership roles with Athletics Canada, Table Tennis Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee.
A former Canadian National Soccer team goalkeeper, Adam is familiar with team sport environments. Adam will be supported in his role by international sport-specific experts and our high-performance coaching team who, together, will ensure FHC’s high-performance programs and broader system is set for success. Janssen is excited to join the team at FHC and looks forward to having an immediate impact.
“I am thrilled to be joining Field Hockey Canada and I look forward to working with athletes, coaches and stakeholders to build on current successes, and ensuring a sustainable, podium focused, high performance program as we move forward,” he said. “The commitment to a high-performance strategy from Field Hockey Canada is clear, and I am keen to get started at an exciting time for the sport in this country.”
Adam will lead the system transformation that FHC has committed to, following the outcome of the recent high performance review. Field Hockey Canada CEO Susan Ahrens believes Adam is perfectly suited for the position and expects him to fit in with the staff team at FHC.
“This is a crucial new role for Field Hockey Canada and a cornerstone to achieving our goal of future and sustained success at the highest international level,” Ahrens said. “Adam will lead the system implementation across the country, impacting our pathway from current national team players to those currently in schools and clubs dreaming of future podium success. We are delighted to have someone with Adam’s system and team expertise at the helm of our high-performance structure.”
Welcome to the team Adam!
Field Hockey Canada media release