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FIH Match Centre

Argentina men to make FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup debut; USA women to make second appearance


Photo credit: PAHF

Argentina men and USA women will be competing at the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup in the Belgium city of Liege in February 2022.

The two teams were triumphant at the Pan Am Indoor World Cup qualifier, which was held at Spring City, Pennsylvania, USA from June 25-27th.

In the women’s competition, USA defeated Canada with a solid 3-0 victory in the final. The goals came courtesy of Ashley Sessa and Rose Hope in the fourth and sixth minute of the game and the match was sealed beyond doubt when Hope scored again to make it 3-0.

The USA had looked like potential champions throughout the course of the competition. Their opening match had seen them fire home 20 goals against tournament debutantes Guyana. They had then beaten Canada in a feisty and competitive 4-5 match before beating Uruguay in a close 2-1 encounter.

USA’s toughest match in the round robin came against Argentina, where the two teams were inseparable and the match ended 3-3.



Rose Hope, who was USA’s two-goal hero in the final was also the tournament’s top goal scorer with 13 goals, ahead of team mate Ashley Sessa, who scored seven.

Argentina took the bronze medal after they defeated the battling team from Uruguay in a close match that ended 5-4 to the Argentina team.

The men’s competition saw a tough battle for the number one spot between three teams all determined to make their dreams of a World Cup appearance come true.

In the round robin, all three competing teams, Canada, USA and Argentina, had experienced highs and lows. While Argentina beat Canada in the opening match, the north American team had reversed the scoreline in the next round. Likewise, USA had enjoyed two strong performances over Canada in the opening rounds only to succumb to Argentina in their penultimate round robin match.

Eventually however, the two teams who made it to the all important final were decided and Argentina lined up against USA.

The match was tense and cagey, with no goals conceded in the first quarter. A goal from Agustin Ceballos gave Argentina the lead in the second quarter but that was the only goal in the first half.

Aki Kaeppeler evened things up from a penalty corner in the 22nd minute before Argentina re-took the lead through Gonzalez. It was in the fourth quarter that things heated up. Ceballos scored his second to give his side a 3-1 lead before Jaja Kentwell made it 3-2. The final minutes of the match were frenetic as the USA went in search of an equaliser. In the dying seconds of the game however, Ceballos scored his third and put the title firmly in Argentina’s hands.

Top scorer for the men’s competition was USA captain Pat Harris, who scored six goals. Agustin Ceballos’ three goals in the final moved him to second place.

USA women and Argentina men will now have eight months to prepare themselves for the challenge of the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup. This will be the second consecutive world cup contested by USA, with Argentina making their debut.

#IndoorHockey
#IndoorWC22

FIH site

Field Hockey Canada announces Men’s Olympic Roster

Sixteen athletes chosen to represent Canada in Tokyo



Field Hockey Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee have announced Canada’s men’s field hockey team nominated to compete at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The team qualified by defeating Ireland in a two-game series in West Vancouver in October 2019. The thrilling qualifying series on home soil came down to a sudden-death shootout that resulted in Canada securing the win and the berth for Tokyo 2020.

It has been 20 months since that qualifying moment. This is the first time the Men’s National Team has qualified for back-to-back Olympic Games since competing at Los Angeles 1984 and Seoul 1988. Tokyo 2020 will be team captain Scott Tupper’s and veteran, Mark Pearson’s third Olympic Games following their appearances with the team at Beijing 2008 and Rio 2016.

“Personally, to be able to compete in a third Olympics is definitely something I’m incredibly proud of and excited for,” Tupper said. “Anytime you get to represent your country, it’s a huge honour. I cherish my Olympic experiences and am looking forward to this year’s Games.”

Canada’s pool includes the top four competitors from June’s European Hockey Championship and Commonwealth rival South Africa. Tupper expects his team to rise to the occasion and play their best hockey when it matters.

“Although the Olympic experience will be different this time around, I fully expect the Olympic competition to be just as fierce as ever,” he said. “Whether there are fans or not, it’s still the best teams in the world competing for medals. We’ll have our fans cheering us on from back home and we’re really looking forward to testing ourselves against the best in the world. I expect us to be competitive in every game and fighting for points at every moment.”

This year’s team features eight athletes returning from the Rio 2016 roster and eight first-time Olympians.

“Having that experience of going through a major Games or two is really important. We’ve been through it all before so we know what to expect,” he added. “With that said, it’s also really nice to have that young injection of energy and youth. They are wide-eyed and seeing things for the first time. That fresh attitude can remind us how truly amazing this experience is. I think striking that balance is great for our team.”

The Olympic men’s field hockey competition will take place July 24 to August 5 (Day 1 to Day 13) at the Oi Hockey Stadium.

“I remember the incredible victory that this team achieved to qualify for these Olympics; it was electrifying,” said Team Canada’s Tokyo 2020 Chef de Mission, Marnie McBean. “I can’t wait to see that kind of intensity and energy again from them in Tokyo!”

ROSTER

STAFF

Field Hockey Canada media release

Scott Tupper leads Field Hockey Canada to Tokyo Olympics


Canada will play South Africa in Pool stages at Tokyo 2020 Olympics

The experienced Scott Tupper will lead Canada men into his third Olympic Games against the European powerhouses.

Canada are pitted in a Pool with the top four sides from this year’s EuroHockey – Holland, Germany, Belgium and Great Britain respectively – and South Africa.

“Personally, to be able to compete in a third Olympics is definitely something I’m incredibly proud of and excited for,” Tupper said. “Anytime you get to represent your country, it’s a huge honour. I cherish my Olympic experiences and am looking forward to this year’s Games.”

Canada qualified 20 months ago following their controversial two-legged win over Ireland in Vancouver.

“Although the Olympic experience will be different this time around, I fully expect the Olympic competition to be just as fierce as ever,” added Tupper, who has 315 caps.

“Whether there are fans or not, it’s still the best teams in the world competing for medals.


Fin Boothroyd has been called up for Tokyo PIC: Field Hockey Canada

“We’ll have our fans cheering us on from back home and we’re really looking forward to testing ourselves against the best in the world. I expect us to be competitive in every game and fighting for points at every moment.”

Canada’s team features eight athletes who featured at Rio, as well as eight debutants.

“Having that experience of going through a major Games or two is really important. We’ve been through it all before so we know what to expect,” he added. “With that said, it’s also really nice to have that young injection of energy and youth. They are wide-eyed and seeing things for the first time. That fresh attitude can remind us how truly amazing this experience is. I think striking that balance is great for our team.”

Canada men’s squad:

Antoni Kindler, Brendan Guraliuk, Brenden Bissett, Fin Boothroyd, Floris Van Son, Gabriel Ho-Garcia, Gordon Johnston, James Kirkpatrick, Jamie Wallace, John Smythe, Keegan Pereira, Mark Pearson, Matthew Sarmento, Oliver Scholfield, Scott Tupper, Sukhi Panesar

TRAVELLING RESERVES
Taylor Curran, David Vandenbossche

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The Hockey Paper

Young ‘Bou Spotlight: Jamie Wallace

Rising Caribou star hoping to inspire teammates, dominate world stage and build a legacy for himself

Grace Li



Since his debut on the Men’s National Team on Canada Day in 2018, Jamie Wallace hasn’t missed a beat. He’s been named to each touring roster and has played in every major tournament since, including the 2018 FIH World Cup and 2019 Pan American Games, making his early mark on the squad.

Wallace first started playing around the age of 11 for the Vancouver Hawks FHC after being persuaded to give the sport a try. Growing up an ice hockey player, he found that many of the skills were transferable and was able to pick up field hockey quickly before joining a few provincial teams and making his junior debut.

Forty-six senior international matches later, 21-year-old Wallace is well on his way to his first major cap milestone. It’s been a journey that he describes as “non-stop,” but wouldn’t have any other way.

“Following the 2016 Junior World Cup, I trained with the National Team for about a year and a half before I was finally selected for anything,” said Wallace. “It all kind of happened so quickly. You know, you make your first junior team, you get selected to your first camp and you play in the USA series, and then you’re training with the senior team.”

In his transition to the senior stage — which Wallace calls ‘seamless’ — he praises the junior program, led by coaches Inderpal Sehmbi and Geoff Matthews, for well preparing players for the next level. While the speed and intensity are taken up a notch, tactics are relatively the same and the hours start to add up.

“With experience, you just get better. I’m a bit smarter around my training; when I was younger, I would just go to the field and think, ‘if I put in as many hours as I can, it’s going to translate into good results’ which it definitely did. But I became smarter with more focus and intent, and it’s made the process more efficient.”




Jamie Wallace celebrating in a friendly against Belgium on 05.18.21 (Photos: Emma Van Mol)

Though the pandemic has put a damper on many plans, Wallace used the time to his advantage. With school moving online and the UBC Thunderbirds season getting cancelled, he realized that he didn’t have to physically be in Vancouver. Now, he plays for Almere Hockey Club in the Dutch Hoofdklasse.

“As a field hockey player at a high level in Canada, you really want to go overseas and test yourself. It was just really special playing in probably the best league in the world. Every weekend, you’re playing against amazing guys and it’s quite motivating.”

Getting professional experience during an unpredictable year has also helped Wallace better navigate the Red Caribou’s recent tours. Consistent exposure to high quality matches has proven to be very valuable: he’s learned to keep calm and composure under pressure during league play which has translated to his international hockey as well.

Following a testing two weeks in May that saw four losses and one win against top teams like Belgium and Germany, Wallace says the group is swiftly re-adjusting to the new system ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.

“We have a new set of coaches; we have a new philosophy, and it’s been really different from what everyone was kind of used to,” Wallace explained. “We’ve had the same mindset for the past eight to ten years so I think, for everyone, it’s a balance of getting used to playing again and learning this new system, trying out what works.

“We’re still in the process of figuring it all out to make sure it works best for us. When we get to the Games, you know, we’re looking to get results in Tokyo. We don’t really care about getting results on a tour like this. It’s about the process, and building towards being able to play the best we can in Tokyo.”

“It’ll be super, super exciting if I’m selected to go and represent Canada at the Olympics. That would be a dream come true for sure.”

Wallace recalls the Olympic Qualifiers like they were just yesterday. Not only was he able to score in the dramatic shootout against Ireland, but to do it on home soil — with all of his friends in the stands  — was a euphoric moment and one he says is the highlight of his budding career.

“We knew it was going to be really tough. But it was also pretty cool because, my friends, they hear about all the places I go and [see] the pictures on Instagram from time to time, but they’ve never actually seen me play, at least at a high level, or the sport at the highest level.

“It’s hard to describe those 48 hours. I’ve never felt such euphoria in my life. I missed a midterm too because I was just out celebrating. Especially after qualifying in front of the home crowd, because that community has done so much for us and it was just awesome to be able to give them something to kind of say ‘thank you for all their help.’”




Jamie Wallace following Canada’s Tokyo 2020 qualification in October 2019. (Photos: Blair Shier)

With such a quick ascension to the top, Wallace only took a step back this past March to reflect on how far he’s come. With already many items checked off his hockey to-do list, he’s looking ahead to solidifying his career and being the best of the best.

He was recently named to the 18-person roster heading to Chile for the Junior Pan American Championship this August, and it’s no surprise that he has his eyes on the Olympics — not just Tokyo 2020, but Paris 2024 too.

“Athletically, I definitely want to have a good career in Europe and establish myself as a world-class player, being able to have huge impacts against the best teams in the world. From a field hockey standpoint, I want to help lead the team and get us to Paris. I’d like to support and mentor a bunch of the guys I went through the junior program with and be there for them.

“It’s all exciting to think about it. Obviously, it’s been a weird year and it’ll be weird Games for sure, but it’ll be super, super exciting if I’m selected to go and represent Canada at the Olympics. That would be a dream come true for sure.”


Jamie Wallace playing for Almere Hockey Club in the Netherlands. (Photo: Bert van der Toorn)

Field Hockey Canada media release

Olympic Games Tokyo 2020: Spotlight on Great Britain



In the latest of our Olympic Spotlights series, we focus on another of Europe’s heavyweight nations, whose women’s and men’s teams will feel confident about their chances of success at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

Having stunned the world by winning Olympic gold at Rio 2016, where they defeated the Netherlands in a thrilling shoot-out thanks to a sensational goalkeeping display from Maddie Hinch, Great Britain’s women will be determined to defend their title at Tokyo 2020. Following Olympic gold medal-winning head coach Danny Kerry’s switch to the England and Great Britain men’s programme in 2018, the responsibility for preparing GB for Tokyo is now in the hands of former Australian international striker Mark Hager, a man who worked wonders in New Zealand with the women’s Black Sticks team.  Hager successfully guided his team to a place at Tokyo 2020 by defeating Chile in the 2019 FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers, claiming 3-0 and 2-1 victories over Las Diablas at the Lee Valley Hockey & Tennis Centre in London.

It has been 30 years since Great Britain’s men famously claimed the gold medal at the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games. With the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 on the horizon and Danny Kerry at the helm, could another success be just around the corner? GB have produced some fine performances in the FIH Hockey Pro League, and on their day are capable of competing against the very best in the world. GB overcame Malaysia in the 2019 FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers, beating the Speedy Tigers 4-1 and 5-2 at the Lee Valley Hockey & Tennis Centre.

We caught up with Great Britain captains Adam Dixon and Hollie Pearne-Webb – who famously scored the winning shoot-out effort against the Netherlands at Rio 2016 – to talk about how their respective teams are feeling ahead of the event. The interview took place in April 2021, before their squads were announced.

Hollie Pearne-Webb, Adam Dixon, thank you so much for talking to us! It may have been delayed by a year, but the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is just around the corner. Despite all of the challenges, you and your GB team-mates must be incredibly excited. What are your thoughts, Hollie?

Hollie Pearne-Webb: “I think everyone is really excited. An extra year, when everyone was ready for it last year, certainly builds the excitement. Also, for our squad, having undergone quite a lot of changes over the past two years since the last World Cup, in terms of the coach but also new youngsters coming in, the extra year has probably been quite a good thing for us to gel as a squad, with Mark [Hager] coming in in 2019. The extra year has been really good for us, giving us a bit more time together. Everyone is really looking forward to the months ahead.”

Same question to you, Adam.

Adam Dixon: “It is a huge relief, for the same reasons as the women’s squad. The excitement levels are really high at the moment. We are so close. Obviously, there is the tension that comes around selection, but if I was to flip it on its head slightly, 12 months ago we had players who were injured and out of the running for Olympic selection. The extra 12 months has given some of those guys a bit of wriggle room to find some fitness and form and make life difficult for [head coach] Danny [Kerry]. I think we are well prepared. We’ve had enough time, with these Games now on the horizon. We cannot wait to get going.”

It was a while back now, but can you tell us what it meant to you both when you secured qualification for Tokyo? Both of you booked tickets through the FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers, with your team, Adam, overcoming Malaysia on home soil at the London’s Lee Valley Hockey & Tennis Centre.

Adam Dixon: “Honestly, on a personal level, a huge sense of relief. I was relatively new into captaincy. I did have some doubts and trepidations, which is natural going into big games like that. I didn’t want to be the captain to not lead the team to qualify for the Olympic Games. So on a personal level, it was ‘phew’! It was a pretty intense build-up to those games, that were played at the end of November [2019], but I was just really proud about how we went about the two games. If you look at all of the qualification series, across the men’s side of things, I actually think we put in the most convincing performances and the score-lines reflected that. I look at the Pakistan-Netherlands games [played in Amstelveen, NED], Pakistan ran them really close in game one. However, over two games I think we completely dominated Malaysia, and deservedly took the qualification spot.”

And Hollie, your team were also in action at Lee Valley, where your faced Chile, a team that you probably didn’t know too much about.

Hollie Pearne-Webb: “No, I don’t think any of us had played them before, so it was a potential banana skin, I guess. Similar to Adam, the months leading into those qualifying games were so focussed in terms of knowing what we had to do. I think both performances for us were quite similar as they were quite convincing. Everyone did their jobs and we knew exactly what we were going to do, so I think we were well prepared. It was a huge sense of relief to qualify, especially as there was quite a lot of media pressure, obviously being Olympic champions in Rio [2016], even though this is a completely different squad. I was really proud of all the girls and how we got through that. I think the period leading up to it was a really big lesson, and something we want to replicate going into the Olympics, to feel as prepared as we did there.”

As always at an Olympics, every match is difficult! The focus will be all about getting out of those tough looking pools and into the quarter-finals. Hollie, in Pool A your team face reigning world champions the Netherlands, India, world cup silver medallists Ireland, South Africa and Rio 2016 bronze medallists Germany, who you open your campaign against on 25 July. You’ll be looking to finish as high up the standings ahead of those quarter-final cross-overs.  

Hollie Pearne-Webb: “Yes. When you get to an Olympics or a World Cup, both pools are incredibly tough. It doesn’t really matter which one you are in. Looking ahead, that first game against Germany will be a key game for us, really tough opposition. If we can get a good performance and get three points there, I think we will be absolutely fine. That is a really big focus for us, and then obviously hoping to get as good a cross-over as we possibly can going into the next round of games.”

Adam, GB men are in Pool B alongside reigning world champions Belgium as well as multiple gold medallists Germany and the Netherlands as well as Canada and South Africa, who you face in your opening match.  

Adam Dixon: “When you look at the groups, they are both tough. You cannot really pick one over the other. I think maybe on balance, we’ve got possibly the harder group, just. Without getting ahead of ourselves, the opportunity there is that if we do get to play a cross-over game, we might get a slightly easier route to some medal matches. But that is me getting ahead of myself and dreaming big. That first game against South Africa is going to be huge. We’ve not played South Africa for some time, and I know that with their build-up and struggles to even get to the Games, they will be out for blood. It is going to be a really interesting game. With South Africa and Canada up first, we’ll be looking to get points on the board and to settle those nerves in the pool stage.”

Finally, what are your ambitions for Tokyo? Taking it one game at a time and see where the journey leads you, or is it having your eyes set firmly on the big prize, that Olympic gold medal?

Adam Dixon: “It goes without saying that we are there to win gold. I think we’d be foolish to downplay ourselves by setting any other goal. I think first and foremost, we have to target getting out of the pool to play those cross-over games. From there, just take each game as it comes. The pool stage is going to be very important for us. I honestly believe the playing field has been slightly flattened with the preparations, covid and everything else that has been going on. There are no certainties. The preparations of some nations will be slightly damaged by the travel restrictions, so I think the playing field is wide open. We are really looking forward to Tokyo.”

Hollie Pearne-Webb: “I think from our point of view as a squad, we definitely don’t see it as defending the title. We are a completely new group of players with a completely new coaching structure and a completely different way of playing. Our aim for our squad is to go and win a gold medal, and it would be the first time as our squad. That is what we are aiming to do and that is how we are looking at it. Of course, we are going there with the ambition to be at the top of the podium, but I think it is very much a case of focussing on one game at a time. Right now, our focus is Germany, and that is all we are thinking about. Once that one is done, it will be onto the next one. That is how the team in Rio did it. I think it was a huge benefit to us as a group, to not get too far ahead of ourselves. I think that is how we will go about it this time. Every game is going to be an absolute battle, and I agree with Adam, it is going to be the most unpredictable Olympics going, not just in our sport but every sport because of how covid has affected various teams. Those teams that are perhaps not on people’s radars will be a lot stronger. I know India women have been pretty much everywhere during covid playing games. They’ve probably played the most matches, so I think they are going to be really tough. Japan women as well, who have been preparing for these Olympics for some time. I think they will be a good force as well, another team that people wouldn’t have traditionally picked up. It’s going to be a very interesting Olympics, and it will be every team for themselves. On any given day, anyone can beat anyone, so it’s really exciting.”

The hockey competitions at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will take place from Saturday 24 July to Friday 6 August 2021. Both the men’s and women’s competitions feature 12 teams, split into two pools of six ahead of quarter-finals, semi-finals and medal matches. For more information about the hockey competitions at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, visit https://tokyo2020.org/en/sports/hockey/.

Visit the Watch.Hockey App to view the full interview.

#Tokyo2020
#StrongerTogether
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FIH site

Triple Olympian Mukesh backs Sreejesh to lead charge in Tokyo

N. Mukesh, who holds the Games record of scoring the fastest goal in hockey, chose Sreejesh as the star to watch out for his experience, class and confidence.

V.V. Subrahmanyam


India goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh in action.   -  Getty Images

India needs to play fearless hockey even while displaying the typical Asian skills, especially outside the 25-yard circle to be in with a chance to return with a medal in the next month’s Tokyo Olympics, said triple Olympian N. Mukesh Kumar, who holds the Games record of scoring the fastest goal – in 32 seconds against Australia – in the Sydney edition in 2000.

“India is in a  tough group in Tokyo. And, the major objective is to avoid early setbacks in the Olympics campaign or else they would have a demoralising effect,” he said in a chat with Sportstar on Monday.

Mukesh chose goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh as the star to watch out for because of his experience, class and confidence. “Moreover, he is such an inspirational figure in the team,” he added.

“It is obvious that most of the contenders are short of match-practice. And whatever fitness levels are maintained especially by the Indians are based only on ‘home drills’. So, it will be interesting to see how the players come up with the required match endurance and fitness levels,” he said.

“I feel with the pandemic throwing out of gear all the preparations, which otherwise generally include playing in three-nation events or even Test matches, the onus will be on the seniors to raise the bar,” said Mukesh, who featured in the 1992, 1998 and 2000 Games.

“Olympics is a different proposition altogether in terms of pressure of expectations,” he said.

“Well, the coaches too have a demanding task of relying a lot on the video analysis and their success in translating all those strategies into on-field execution will play a big role in any team’s chances,” he said.

Mukesh hoped that the tradition of Olympics throwing up expected heroes will continue. “Fortunately, there is drastic improvement in short-corner conversion. But again, like in any major event, team effort is the key and we should prefer the traditional wrong-foot play outside the circle as this is where the foreigners struggle,” he said.

“From what I have noticed with the current Indian team, the emphasis seems to be to send players with the specific direction of going flat out in 10 minutes in any position, similar to the total hockey concept. Well, if we are good at this and show mastery in skills too, India should be a formidable force to reckon with,” Mukesh said.

“Definitely, hockey is more of a power-game now but it doesn’t mean skills can be ignored. To be successful at any level, the basics have to be right,” he said.


N. Mukesh Kumar   -  FILE PHOTO/V.V. SUBRAHMANYAM

Reflecting on his own journey in the Olympics,  Mukesh, who is also the Secretary of Telangana Hockey now, said that his maiden one in Barcelona was a disaster – both personally and for the team.

“Honestly, I was overawed by the atmosphere. I felt like a kid when I saw all those famous names from different disciplines,” he said referring to the way he even fumbled with the push-ins in 1992 Games.

“But, I always felt that the Sydney edition was the best chance for India to win a medal after winning gold in 1980 Moscow Games. We had the team to do that. Somehow, it was a disappointment again though personally I can look back with a sense of pride at scoring that goal against Australia in 34th second which is still an Olympics record for the fastest goal,” he explained.

Sportstar

Goalkeepers should embrace the 'hero status' of penalties - Team GB Olympic hockey star Maddie Hinch on shoot-outs

As England prepare to take on Germany in the last-16 of Football's Euro 2020, the narrative of penalty shoot-outs between the two nations has dominated much of the build up. Maddie Hinch saved all four penalties as Team GB beat the Netherlands to Olympic hockey gold at Rio 2016 - she tells Eurosport what goalkeepers need to do to get the mental edge over their opponents.


Maddie Hinch Image credit: Getty Images

Team GB hockey goalkeeper Maddie Hinch says England number one Jordan Pickford should view a penalty shoot-out as a “moment to shine” if penalties are needed to settle their Euro 2020 last-16 game with Germany.

Hinch was the star as Great Britain beat the Netherlands to Olympic gold at Rio 2016, saving all four penalties, making her a national hero as the match took place at prime-time on a Friday night in the UK.

Although England got over their hoodoo at major football tournaments by beating Colombia at the 2018 World Cup, they have never beaten Germany in a shoot-out, losing at the 1990 World Cup and Euro 96 - both in the semi-finals.

Eurosport caught up with Hinch, who gave us a rundown on what goalkeepers need to do to get the mental edge.

Number one, you need a bouncebackability like no other athlete - a goalkeeper lives life on the edge consistently, you can change the direction of the game. You have to be comfortable with that pressure, enjoy it and seek the opportunity rather than fear failure. You have to enjoy making the saves.

I’ve had moments where I’ve thought “please don’t shoot at me”. In Rio, I can honestly hand on heart say I wanted them to shoot - I felt six foot tall and six foot wide. That’s what sets the top goalkeepers apart - real self-belief - and if it does go in, you move on. What’s going on in your mind, that’s the difference between good and great goalkeepers.

I definitely expect myself to make a certain amount of saves - a shoot-out is the goalkeeper’s chance to shine. We spend most of the game standing around, during a game, you may not have touched the ball and lost 3-0. We go through the serious lows and that’s the extremes of the position.

But when a shoot-out happens, I think great, this is your moment to shine. The hero status you can have, it’s a cool situation to be in and you should embrace it. If you’ve done your homework and you back yourself to make the saves, you’ll be fine.

Mentality outweighs the technique, though. When we played the Dutch in the final, they had incredible hockey players, they have the ability to run around me and put the ball in the net, and they should have, but they didn’t because of the mental side of it.

For sure, they had it in their head that they hadn’t done it before against us. We’d been in a lot of shoot-outs and it was a very comfortable experience for, and I knew I had the psychological edge. After that, it just comes down to routines, resetting after the game finishes and restarting with your processes.

We could not have practiced that anymore, and I wonder whether the Dutch did the same. That’s why I get the notebook out, I tap both posts, because I’m trying to get in their heads. After that, it’s whether your opponent can handle the occasion.

EuroSport

Junior Green Army win GB Series ahead of Five Nations in Spain



Sophia Cole’s late equaliser saw Ireland’s development squad land an impressive series win over their Great Britain counterparts at Jordanstown, ending the four-game run with two wins, a draw and one loss on the ledger.

The UCD midfielder struck with two minutes left on the clock with a peach of a backhand shot from a penalty corner to earn a 2-2 draw in the last game of the series.

Earlier in the tie, Limerick native Laura Foley cracked home to make it 1-1 from another set play before GB edged back in front in the third quarter.

The draw backed up a pair of 1-0 wins for Ireland, the first coming last Tuesday with Niamh Carey stealing in at the back post for the only goal and then, a day later, captain Foley scoring again following a brilliant counter-attack move instigated by Jessica McMaster.

Game three belonged to the visitors with Britain running up a 3-0 win but game four was much more even and the Junior Green Army got a deserved draw to shade the series.

Overall, coach Dave Passmore was able to deploy 27 players over the course of the week for the squad which plays a key role in developing players for the senior setup.


Ireland celebrate Sophia Cole’s late equaliser. Picture: Keith Wilson (https://www.keithwilsonphotography.com/hockeyireland)

Indeed, it has been a fertile production line of late with Olympic call-ups Sarah McAuley, Sarah Hawkshaw, Sarah Torrans, Lizzie Murphy and Michelle Carey all featuring in recent times.

From this, he has since named a reduced panel of 20 to travel to Club Egara in Spain for a Five Nations between equivalent teams from the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and Germany. The tournament rules stipulate teams can field up to eight sides from an Under-23 category with the remainder having to be Under-21.

“There is a nice mix of experienced players with senior caps and younger players such as Charlotte Beggs who impressed in our recent trip to Spain,” Passmore said of this latest selection.

“There are no easy games in this tournament and we obviously have a hard start with the first match against The Netherlands but the GB series has demonstrated that we can compete and this should be a great leaning experience to see exactly where we are at.”

The series also saw the return of senior cap Erin Getty to the line-up after a break from the program and she slotted back in to great effect.

“I am delighted the Erin Getty has rejoined the squad after a concerted effort on improving her fitness and she was a stand-out player in the series against GB. She combines excellent technique with a really mature reading of the game and so fitted straight back in and the girls are delighted she is back playing.

“We are very thankful to Spanish Hockey for hosting this tournament alongside a boys event given the tournament we had planned in Dublin could not go ahead due to Covid Protocols.”

The following week, the panel will see a number of changes for a three-game series against the Wales senior team with games at Jordanstown on Friday, July 16, Saturday, July 17 and Sunday, July 18. Their summer series will conclude three more games against a Wales Under-23 side from July 21 to 23.

Under-21 5 Nations, Club Egara (Saturday, July 3 to Saturday, July 10, 2021): Charlotte Beggs (Pegasus/Ulster), Niamh Carey (UCD/Leinster), Ellen Curran (UCD/Leinster), Sophia Cole (UCD/Leinster), Amy Elliott (UCD/Leinster), Katie Fearon (Railway Union/Leinster), Laura Foley (Catholic Institute/Munster), Gemma Ferguson (GK, Ulster Elks/Ulster), Erin Getty (Queens/Ulster), Christina Hamill (Loreto/Leinster), Jane Kilpatrick (Loughborough Students/Ulster), Ellie McLoughlin (GK, Muckross/Leinster), Jess McMaster (Queens/Ulster), Lisa Mulcahy (Loreto/Leinster), Siofra Murdoch (Monkstown/Leinster), Siofra O’Brien (Loreto/Leinster), Caoimhe Perdue (UCC/Munster), Ellen Reid (Banbridge/Ulster), Yasmin Pratt (Loreto/Leinster), Abbie Russell (Old Alex/Leinster)

Non-Travelling Reserves: KJ Marshall (UCD/Leinster), Roisin Begley (Catholic Institute/Munster)

Management:
Head coach: David Passmore
Manager: Lorraine McGowan
Coach: Steven Arbuthnot
Coach: Una McCarthy
Physio: Amy Phelan
Physiology support: Lauren Daey
Analyst: Aaron Passmore

Fixture schedule (all at Club Egara, Spain; times local)
Monday, July 5: Ireland v Netherlands, 8pm
Tuesday, July 6: Ireland v Spain, 8pm
Thursday, July 8: Ireland v Germany, 6pm
Friday, July 9: Ireland v Belgium, 6pm

Irish Hockey Association media release

CEO Matt Favier calls time at Hockey Australia

After four years at the helm of Hockey Australia (HA) Chief Executive Officer, Matt Favier today announced his intention to resign following the Tokyo Olympic games.

“It’s been my absolute privilege and pleasure to have served the sport of Hockey in Australia and while it hasn’t been without its challenges, I leave knowing the Sport is well placed to continue a bright and successful future,” said Matt Favier.

The Hockey Australia Board has accepted Matt’s resignation and acknowledges his contribution over many years as well as appreciates his determination to see out this Olympic cycle before considering other opportunities.
 
Hockey Australia President, Melanie Woosnam said that “during his tenure, Matt has always focused on getting the best outcome for the sport and has successfully expanded its footprint.

“He has been instrumental in leading Hockey Australia’s bid to be a foundation partner in the FIH Pro League and in conjunction with the Member Associations developed and implemented the inaugural Hockey One League.

Other key achievements:
•  Established the Safe Hockey and National Integrity Frameworks
•  The Participation and Engagement Plan
•  Launch of the Hockey Co-op project to improve efficiencies across the sport.
•  Established the inaugural official Kookaburras and Hockeyroos Alumni - which has been warmly received by the hockey community.

With the support of the Board and Member Associations, Matt successfully navigated the organisation through Covid-19 and an extremely challenging period with integrity and a steady hand.

At International level, Matt has been successful in lobbying for greater Australian representation on the Boards of the Oceania Hockey Federation and the Federation of International Hockey to increase our influence as a leading Nation in world hockey.

“We thank Matt for his efforts over the last four years and the dedication, commitment and passion he has displayed throughout his time in the role. We wish Matt and his family all the very best for the future”.

Matt was appointed to the position of Chief Executive in July 2017, coming from a strong sports administrative background.

Matt’s resignation takes effect from August 6, 2021.

Hockey Australia media release