News for 12 November 2020
All the news for Thursday 12 November 2020
‘Hockey Pod’ – the podcast for all hockey devotees
This Thursday (12 November), the International Hockey Federation (FIH) will release episode one of ‘Hockey Pod’, a monthly podcast featuring news and exclusive interviews from the world of hockey.
In the first instalment, hosts and seasoned hockey correspondents Sarah Juggins and Richard Stainthorpe are joined by guest-host Rogier Hofman, the former Netherlands men’s international who now has a crucial role as co-chair of the FIH Athletes’ Committee. As well as talking about the important work being done by his committee, Rogier takes the opportunity to ask some questions to our two special guests: 2018 and 2019 FIH Player of the Year Eva de Goede of the Netherlands and FIH Umpire Ayanna McClean, from Trinidad and Tobago.
De Goede, a double Olympic gold medallist and two time World Cup winner with 233 international appearances, discusses her team’s big ambitions over the coming 12 months, her working relationship with Netherlands head coach Alyson Annan and how a deep love and passion for playing the sport is helping her to sharpen her already world class attributes in her 30s.
“I really love the game. I just love to play hockey. I think I’ve been very fortunate that I have loved hockey, that the support from home in Holland and all over the world is just amazing, that I can actually play it like the way I am playing it. I just think I am very lucky and fortunate that I am already able to play at the highest level for 14 years.”
Netherlands captain Eva de Goede. Hockey Pod – Episode 1 (Nov 2020)
Having umpired 94 international matches on the field, Ayanna McClean is rapidly closing in on the coveted golden whistle, which is awarded to umpires in recognition of 100 international matches. In addition, McLean has been a video umpire no less than 48 times and talks openly about her reasons for thoroughly enjoying this very different approach to applying the rules of hockey.
“You look at the game in a different light [as a video umpire]. In the video role, it’s very much black and white, in terms of the rules. At the end of the day, if I see it on camera, if it applies directly to the rule, that is the only thing I can come down with. I kind of like the strictness of that situation, versus a situation on the pitch where there might be a little bit more grey area.”
FIH Umpire Ayanna McClean. Hockey Pod – Episode 1 (Nov 2020)
The podcast will be available from Thursday on Spotify.
We hope that you enjoy the conversation!
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FIH site
Indian hockey forward Gurjant Singh hopes to prove his mettle ahead of Olympic Games
Indian team's core probable group has been living in a bio-secure environment at the SAI facility since August this year after a six-week break.
Indian hockey forward Gurjant Singh (Photo | Hockey India Twitter)
BENGALURU: Forward Gurjant Singh, who was part of the Indian men's team for the FIH Hockey Pro League earlier in the year, feels a little more accuracy in his game can help him be a regular in the team.
"Playing against top teams like Belgium and Netherlands was a great exposure for me. I feel there is more that I can do in order to improve and execute my role to perfection. These next few months will be important for me and I hope I can prove my mettle ahead of the Olympic Games," Singh said.
The team's core probable group has been living in a bio-secure environment at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) facility since August this year after a six-week break.
Living in a bubble where the players are not permitted out of particular zones can be difficult but Gurjant highlighted that the effort has been made easy with teammates.
"It is not easy going about a set routine and living in a bio-bubble where moving around out of the permitted zones within the campus is prohibited. The rules are followed to the T and these circumstances can be challenging for any player," said Singh, who was part of the FIH Junior Men's World Cup winning team in 2016.
"We couldn't have done it without the team-bonding we share and the support we have received from the coaching staff who themselves have not stepped out of the campus since the last nine months. They have become our family away from home," he added.
The forward further emphasised that this period has given him an opportunity to learn from his seniors and also understand the areas which he needs to pay more attention.
"I think as chief coach Graham (Reid) says, we need to make the most of the situation and utilize this time off competition to introspect about our own game. I have in these past months tried to pin point the areas I am not up to the mark and I have also been speaking to other forwards in the group about right positioning and timing. Players like Sunil, Akashdeep, Ramandeep have all been quite helpful in this regard," he said.
New Indian Express
Indian women's hockey team's Salima Tete says she's determined to be a consistent performer
Speaking about the Olympic preparations, the 18-year-old said that the Indian players are on the right track.
File image of Salima Tete. Hockey India
Bengaluru: Having made the Indian women's hockey team last year, defender Salima Tete is seeking to hold on to her place ahead of the Tokyo Olympics with a string of consistent performances.
Tete was part of India's triumphant campaign at the FIH Women's Series Finals in Hiroshima last year and the Olympic Qualifiers.
"2019 will remain the most important year for me. I became a regular member of the Indian side last year and I was very fortunate to be part of key victories at the Women's Series Finals and Olympic Qualifiers," Tete said in a Hockey India release.
"I am very determined to keep improving my game and be a consistent performer for the national side in the next few years. I feel consistency is very important for any athlete and it's my biggest priority," she added.
Speaking about the Olympic preparations, the 18-year-old said that the Indian players are on the right track.
"Preparation is very important for any tournament and we want to be well prepared for the Olympics especially. We couldn't have begun our preparations if Hockey India and SAI didn't put all the procedures in place."
"The team is shaping up very well at the moment and we are on the right track as far as our preparation for the Olympics is concerned," said the defender.
Tete added that she is fortunate to be playing alongside senior players such as Deep Grace Ekka and Gurjit Kaur.
"It's the best time to be a youngster in the Indian team. There are so many experienced players who are always there to guide and help us with our games.
"I am very fortunate to be playing with Deep Grace Ekka and Gurjit Kaur. I have learned a lot from them and I am certain that there's so much more left to learn as well," said Tete.
Firstpost
FIH offer lifeline to Junior Asia Cup players
By Jugjet Singh
AHF CEO Datuk Tayyab Ikram. NSTP FILE PIC
KUALA LUMPUR: The International Hockey Federation (FIH) have generously agreed to extend a lifeline to the Junior Asia Cup (JAC) players.
The twice postponed JAC will now be held before July 18 in Dhaka, and players who are 21-years-old this year can still play in the age-group tournament.
"The FIH have agreed to extend the playing date of Junior Asia Cup to July 18, and players who were eligible in 2020 will be allowed to play until the cut-off date.
"Now the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) are working with the hosts and FIH to fix the dates," said AHF CEO Tayyab Ikram today.
The Junior World Cup Qualifier was supposed to be held on June 4-12 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, but was postponed to Jan 21-30 at the same venue due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, the AHF were forced to postpone it again.
Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) president Datuk Seri Subshan Kamal said: "Looking at the current Covid-19 situation around the world, it's understandable the decision made by AHF and FIH "Allowing the players who are eligible to play this year is sensible and a great decision as these boys have been training hard and looking forward to this JAC.
"MHC would d like to thank AHF and FIH for making this decision.
"As for Malaysia, the boys will still train hard even in this difficult and uncertain times to be ready for the tournament."
New Straits Times
Karen Brown to mentor UK Sport aim of doubling female coaches
Hockey at Lee Valley
Former GB Hockey women’s coach Karen Brown will mentor a new UK Sport programme which aims to more than double the representation of female coaches in the Olympic and Paralympic high-performance community by the Paris Olympics in 2024.
Currently, only around 10 per cent of coaching positions within the high-performance community are held by women. UK Sport’s aim is to ensure that the number of female coaches reaches 25 per cent by 2024.
The leadership programme will involve six of the best female coaches in the UK, including swimming’s Mel Marshall, coach to Adam Peaty, who will offer key insights into their high-performance environment.
Brown, a 1992 Olympian who also spent over 15 years coaching with GB Hockey, will act as a mentor throughout the programme.
On the under-representation of female coaches, UK Sport chief executive Sally Munday, said: “There are currently far too few female coaches operating at the highest level of performance and we are committed to addressing this reality and, working with our stakeholders, driving the change we want to see.”
UK Sport added that it had a responsibility to play a part in closing gender gaps and increasing opportunities for female coaches to take up senior and leadership roles.
Sports Minister, Nigel Huddleston, said: “I welcome UK Sport’s ambitious leadership programme, which I hope will mark a turning point in greater diversity at the highest levels of coaching in elite sport.”
The move to close the coaching disparity saw UK Coaching welcome talented coaches to its 2019-2020 Women into High Performance programme.
Last year, Kelly Pryde-Fillingham, Scotland under-16 girls and Alderley Edge Ladies head coach, was one of 15 coaches across eight sports who were identified as being eligible to apply for the signature programme, which supports female coaches who have the potential to transition into high performance coaching.
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Hall of Fame - Charlie Morley
The late Charlie Morley will go down as one of Australian hockey’s unique characters and a national coach who nurtured some of the country’s best hockey talent.
Heralding from Victoria, Charlie was captain and coach of the Australian Team in 1948 for the tour of New Zealand and the one off Test match against New Zealand in Dunedin. His one playing appearance for the Kookaburras came in August 1948.
Charlie continued as national coach in 1950, 1952 and 1954 for the tests against New Zealand, and was coach of the team for the cancelled Test against the visiting Indian National Team in 1955. Despite his successful record he was surprisingly replaced as Coach of the team for the 1956 Olympics when Fred Browne from WA was appointed.
Charlie was once again appointed coach in 1960 for the Rome Olympics. The team won four matches, lost three and drew two to finish in 6th place. He continued as National Coach from 1961-1967, barring the 1963 Tour of New Zealand when he was unavailable.
It was during this time Charlie continued to develop his own style of play, with defence an important part of the team strategy. He also developed many players, some of whom went onto become champions of our sport. Players of the calibre of the three Pearce brothers, John McBryde, Des Piper, Brian Glencross, Don McWatters, Don Smart, Pat Nilan, Ray Evans, Kevin Carton and champion goalkeeper Paul Dearing all of whom went on to be inducted into Hockey Australia’s Hall of Fame.
This was an outstanding team captained by John McBryde. The team played some brilliant hockey culminating in a exceptional performance at the Tokyo Olympics when they won a Bronze Medal despite having to play both India and Pakistan before defeating Spain.
After the successes of Tokyo, Charlie was in charge for the 1965 Test matches against New Zealand and in 1966 against the touring Great Britain team. However, the team’s performances dropped off and in 1967 after the Pre-Olympic tour to Pakistan and Europe he was replaced as coach by fellow Victorian Arthur Sturgess.
Charlie coached the national team in 56 international matches for a win loss record of over 65%.
Charlie’s induction into the Hockey Australia Hall of Fame was ratified in 2019.
From those in the know…
“Charlie Morley was unique in many ways with his coaching and managing style that was more akin to European hockey rather than Asian hockey. In many ways he was before his time with many of his tactics used today by coaches across the world.” Richard Aggiss (Chair, Hockey Australia Hall of Fame Committee)
Hockey Australia media release
WAPDA, NBP, Sui Southern, MP, PAF win hockey matches
LAHORE-WAPDA, National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), Sui Southern, Mari Petroleum (MP) and Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Wednesday earned victories in the matches of the ongoing 66th edition of Pakistan's National Senior Hockey Championship at Mari Petroleum Hockey Stadium, Ayub Park, Rawalpindi.
According to information made available here, WAPDA beat Pakistan Army 4-3 in the first match. For WAPDA, Aleem Bilal scored two while Aleem Usman and Taswar Abbas scored one goal each. Wasim Akram, M Farhan and Ali Haider scored one goal each for Army.
In the second match, NBP outclassed Port Qasim 8-1. For NBP, Arsalan Qadir and Bilal Qadir struck two while Shaan Irshad, Faizan, M Dilbar and Abu Bakar hit one apiece. Sami scored the only goal for Port Qasim.
Sui Southern routed Navy 4-0 in the third match. Mubashir Ali scored a brace while Ahmed Nadeem and Ghazanfar scored one each.
In the fourth match, Mari Petroleum downed Police 6-1. For MP, Arbaaz Ahmed scored three while Abdul Rehman two and Umair Sattar one goal. The lone goal for Police was scored by Umair. PAF thumped Punjab 3-0 in the fifth match.
The Nation
PHF, SBP to establish Center of Excellence for hockey revival
LAHORE-Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) and Sports Board Punjab (SBP) have decided to establish a Center of Excellence for the revival of hockey.
This decision was taken during an important meeting between PHF Secretary Asif Bajwa and Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh here at National Hockey Stadium on Wednesday. National hockey team head coach Olympian Kh Junaid, Director Admin Javed Chohan, Director Sports Hafeez Bhatti and others were also present on this occasion. The PHF officials presented a detailed report of the project through projector during the meeting.
PHF Secretary Asif Bajwa said: “Setting up a Center of Excellence will definitely be a revolutionary measure for the cause of the national game. We are targeting to raise a top standard team for Junior Hockey World Cup 2024. We have prepared a plan to take Pakistan hockey on top spot again with the cooperation of Sports Board Punjab.”
Aulakh said the Center of Excellence will be established at the National Hockey Stadium. “The project will consist of three phases of 3 years each and it will be completed within a period of 10 years. In the first phase, a batch of 60 players of 13 to 18 years of age will be given top class training, setting a target to prepare a bunch of talented hockey players for Junior Hockey World Cup 2024.”
The DG SBP said there is acute dearth of quality coaches, umpires and fitness trainers in the country and that’s why coaching camps for trainers and training of umpires have also been included in the project besides holding school hockey, competitive tournaments and fitness camps. “Moreover, the programmes of physio training, biomechanics lab, nutrition, sports medicine, video analysis lab are also included in the project,” he added.
Aulakh said that the SBP will continue to make effective efforts for the promotion of hockey in the province in line with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan. “This project is being launched to regain the lost glory in hockey and for this purpose; we will utilize all of our resources.”
The Nation
Irish National Indoor Finals Postponed
The National Indoor finals will be unable to take place as scheduled February 7th 2021 as per the Hockey Ireland existing calendar of events. Due current COVID-19 restrictions, the Provincial Indoor competitions are unlikely to be completed appropriately prior to the originally scheduled February date.
The indoor committee will liaise with the Competitions Committee and Provinces to secure a date which will be announced in due course.
Irish Hockey Association media release
Maryland Field Hockey announces incoming 2021 quartet
Jacob Richman
Maryland field hockey coach Missy Meharg before her team's 6-0 win over Indiana on Oct. 13, 2019 at the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex. (Gabby Baniqued/The Diamondback)
Maryland field hockey announced its 2021 recruiting class on Wednesday, highlighted by MAX Field Hockey’s No. 4 ranked recruit, Carly Hynd.
Joining Hynd in fall 2021 will be forward Hope Rose, goalkeeper Paige Kieft and midfielder Kylee Niswonger.
The Terps have had their eyes on Hynd since her freshman year of high school, when they made their initial offer to the midfielder. In March 2018, she verbally committed to Maryland.
“Carly has been a Terp in heart and head since middle school,” Coach Missy Meharg said in a statement. “She is very well-developed technically and plays with tactical discipline.”
Hynd scored 40 career goals and tallied 54 assists for her high school squad, made numerous appearances for USA Field Hockey youth teams and was named the Gatorade Top Performer in her class at the 2017 Under Armour Select Game, according to MAX Field Hockey.
Hope Rose, a club WC Eagles teammate of Hynd’s, is a MAX Field Hockey All-American, two-time Mid-Penn Player of the Year and current member of the U.S. Rise National Team. She led Mid Penn in scoring in 2018 and 2019. Hope committed to Maryland in September 2018.
Paige Kieft also joins the Terps as a WC Eagles alumnus. She was a 2019 MAX Field Hockey Second Team All-Pennsylvania Region selection and won First Team All-Main Line and First Team All-Delco honors in 2019. Kieft committed to the Terps in September 2019.
Kylee Niswonger, a teammate of Hope in the U.S. Rise National Team, comes to Maryland after earning First Team All-State honors in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Niswonger played for Pinnacle club hockey and committed to this university in September 2019.
The Terps are starting to amp up for a planned spring 2021 competitive season, following cancellations due to COVID-19. The four new additions to Maryland will be available come fall 2021.
The Diamondback
Former NHL GM Mike Gillis calls for forensic audit of Field Hockey Canada
Robert Fife/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tgam/5RJBJ3EKQFAYLKKGOZCJJNSRDY.JPG)
'There is a mountain of evidence that should have people up in arms in this country. It is our money that’s going to this,' former Canucks president and general manager Mike Gillis, seen here in Vancouver in April, 2011, said in an interview. DARRYL DYCK/The Canadian Press
Former Vancouver Canucks president and general manager Mike Gillis is calling for a forensic investigation into the governance and operations of Field Hockey Canada and how its board of directors has treated the women’s team.
Gillis, who played for the Boston Bruins and Colorado Rockies, has been embroiled in a long-running dispute with the board of directors of FHC over financial accountability and management of the Canadian women’s team. His daughter Kate Wright is the captain.
“There is a mountain of evidence that should have people up in arms in this country. It is our money that’s going to this,” Gillis said in an interview. “They have been bankrupt on at least three separate occasions in the last 10 years, and our funding partner, the people we brought to the table, bailed them out to the tune of $150,000 that was supposed to go to the women’s team. It didn’t go anywhere near the women’s team. It went to pay off a line of credit.”
He applied to the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada, but the arbitration was dismissed in August – not on the merits of the case but because Gillis had filed it too late.
His allegations of a poorly run organization are partly supported by an independent review that was commissioned by the FHC and obtained by The Globe and Mail. The report concluded in June that “the board of directors have failed to provide the structure and leadership or to own the mandate of the relevant stakeholders of the system as a whole to run HP [the high performance program] which aims for world class.”
The report, written by German field hockey coach Markus Weise, criticized the board for the “disconnect, anger and mistrust, lack of vision and purpose” and noted the “uneducated and unqualified coaches.”
Board chair Ann Doggett‚ who has been on the board for a decade, acknowledged in her introduction that the “report is hard-hitting in terms of the deficiencies in our system and highlights the need for urgent and major change in several areas.”
FHC CEO Susan Ahrens said in a statement that the organization has undergone a “complete transformation,” including the hiring of high-performance coaches and staff. She called Gillis’s allegations unfounded.
But Gillis said Weise’s findings support what he has been saying for years about the management of FHC.
He alleges the board has shown favouritism to the men’s team and pointed to an apparent conflict of interest with lawyer Gordon Plottel, who sat on the board while his wife was a paid member of the men’s coaching team.
Gillis complained that a former CEO spent more time working on his PhD than managing FHC and claimed the financial books have not been properly kept.
“Their financial statements are a mess. They have things listed there that are complete misrepresentations,” he said. “They said there was a hosting fund. It was $142,000 that has been listed on their financial statement for years as an asset that is for Olympic hosting, but when confronted they said that was spent years ago.”
Ahrens provided a copy of the latest treasurer’s report, which indicates FHC is trying to resolve issues of financial mismanagement, including cancelling and paying off all credit cards. Budgets must now be based on funds guaranteed by government agencies. No invoices should be paid without the approval of the CEO. And fundraising criteria have been improved.
She said Plottel recently stepped down from the board and insisted he always declared his spouse as a conflict of interest.
“Notably, one third of the board is new to their role while, of the remaining directors, all but two are in their first term,” she said.
What really infuriates Gillis – who in 1997 successfully sued former National Hockey League Players' Association executive director Alan Eagleson for $570,000 for stealing a portion of his disability insurance – is how the women’s team has been treated.
The team hired South African coach Giles Bonnet, who took them from 21st to 14th place in the world. They finished a record fifth at the Commonwealth Games in Australia in 2018 and won a silver at the 2019 Pan American Games.
They later lost to Ireland in a tight shootout and were eliminated from going to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, which have been postponed because of the pandemic.
Before the Pan Am Games, FHC dismissed Bonnet, saying it was unable to pay his salary when the team lost its Own the Podium funding for 2019-20.
“So the team raised the money to pay me up to the qualification, not the association,” said Bonnet, who is now coaching in China. “I just think with the women’s team they really had to fend for themselves largely with little direction … there were many occasions where the team felt isolated and alone.”
Gillis said the women’s team got a $2-million pledge over four years from 94 Forward, a Victoria-based organization created as a legacy of the Commonwealth Games in 1994.
94 Forward demanded financial accountability after it provided the $150,000 to the women’s team that went to pay down a line of credit. The board turned down the offer, Gillis said.
John MacMillan, the president of 94 Forward, declined to comment after discussing the issue with his board.
The Globe and Mail