News for 21 October 2020
All the news for Wednesday 21 October 2020
Netherlands set to host GB in FIH Hockey Pro League
Image copyright: FIH / Getty Images.
Next week, the national teams of the Netherlands and Great Britain will play their first FIH Hockey Pro League matches for over six months, with two of hockey’s powerhouse nations going head-to-head at the Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen (NED).
Taking place on Tuesday 27 and Thursday 29 October, these giants of European hockey will be eager to take to the field after a lengthy and entirely unavoidable lay-off due to the COVID-19 global health pandemic.
In the women’s matches, reigning world, European and FIH Hockey Pro League champions the Netherlands take on the nation that pipped them to Olympic gold at Rio 2016. The men’s matches could prove to be anything but predictable, with Great Britain having a marginally better record than the Dutch in recent head-to-heads.
Due to the health and safety requirements in relation to the COVID-19 global health pandemic, the famously vociferous Dutch spectators will be unable to attend the upcoming clashes, which will be played behind closed doors. Whilst it will be strange to see this iconic venue without any fans, the excitement, energy and desire from the competing teams should ensure that those tuning in to the global broadcast are in for a real treat.
More information about the matches can be found below.
Netherlands v Great Britain (Women & Men)
Where: Wagener Stadium, Amstelveen (NED)
Dates: 27 & 29 October 2020
WOMEN’S MATCHES
Times: 27 October – 1630 | 29 October – 1630 (local time)
Match pages: Match 1 | Match 2
Summary: A clash between the holders of the two biggest titles in world hockey is always a mouth-watering prospect. At number one in the FIH World Rankings and being the reigning World, European and FIH Hockey Pro League title holders, few would argue with the fact that the dazzling Dutch will go into this fixture as hot favourites against Rio 2016 gold medallists Great Britain. Dutch head coach Alyson Annan is renowned for her relentless pursuit of perfection and will be expecting her charges to deliver against a team that they have beaten in all three of their subsequent meetings since suffering the agonising shoot-out defeat in Rio, having scored seven times without conceding a single goal. In the 2019 FIH Hockey Pro League, the Netherlands were comfortable 2-0 winners when the teams met in Eindhoven, although GB were perhaps unfortunate to lose the re-match two weeks later in London, going down 1-0 thanks to a final minute strike from Kelly Jonker. GB head coach Mark Hager – who like counter-part Annan was a legendary striker for the Australia national team – will be relishing the chance to take on the world’s best, providing a perfect opportunity to properly assess the progress a talented group of players are making under his tutelage.
The essentials…
Current FIH World Ranking: Netherlands: 1 | Great Britain: 5
Current FIH Hockey Pro League position: Netherlands: 2 | Great Britain: 7
Final standings - FIH Hockey Pro League 2019: Netherlands: 1 | Great Britain: 8
Head-to-heads in all competitions (since 2013 – 7 matches)
Wins: Netherlands: 4 | Great Britain: 2 | Draws: 1
Goals scored: Netherlands: 14 | Great Britain: 6
Team pages (squads & statistics): Netherlands | Great Britain
MEN’S MATCHES
Times: 27 October – 1900 | 29 October – 1900 (local time)
Match pages: Match 1 | Match 2
Summary: Since the London 2012 Olympics – when the hosts were emphatically dismantled 9-2 by the Dutch in the semis – Great Britain have actually had the better of the recent meetings between the two teams, with two wins, one draw and one loss from their past four encounters. Three of those clashes came in the 2019 FIH Hockey Pro League, with two fixtures in the regular League before facing each other in the bronze medal game at the end-of-season Grand Final competition in Amstelveen. GB claimed an impressive 3-1 away victory over Max Caldas’s men in the first of those fixtures, with Will Calnan, Sam Ward and Chris Griffiths all on target for the Brits in Eindhoven. Two weeks later, a late penalty stroke from Alan Forsyth helped GB claim a 2-2 draw in London, although it was the Dutch who nicked the bonus point by winning the shoot-out thanks to goalkeeper Pirmin Blaak denying Forsyth and captain Adam Dixon, while Jorrit Croon, Mirco Pruijser, Jeroen Hertzberger and Seve van Ass all successfully converted their one-on-one opportunities. The third (and most recent) meeting between the two teams went the way of the Oranje, who at one point trailed 3-2 before a Mink van der Weerden penalty corner and a double from Pruijser sealed a third-place finish for the home favourites. While GB may currently be bottom of the FIH Hockey Pro League standings, the Netherlands will be acutely aware of the threat posed by this talented GB team. The results could be difficult to predict.
The essentials…
Current FIH World Ranking: Netherlands: 3 | Great Britain: 7
Current FIH Hockey Pro League position: Netherlands: 3 | Great Britain: 9
Final standings - FIH Hockey Pro League 2019: Netherlands: 3 | Great Britain: 4
Head-to-heads in all competitions (since 2013 – 4 matches)
Wins: Netherlands: 1 | Great Britain: 2 | Draws: 1
Goals scored: Netherlands: 8 | Great Britain: 11
Team pages (squads & statistics): Netherlands | Great Britain
Fourteen FIH Hockey Pro League matches are set to be played between October and November 2020, with the remaining 76 scheduled between January and May 2021.
The FIH is pleased to reveal that the four matches in the Netherlands will feature mixed gender umpiring appointments, with a female and male umpire taking charge of each of these ‘Equally Amazing’ fixtures. Additionally, in an effort to minimize travelling distances at a time of heightened COVID-19 precautions, the match officials for these games have been selected from the Netherlands and Belgium.
"In these extraordinary times, everyone has been working together to find sensible solutions to the many challenges that we face”, said FIH Sport and Development Director Jon Wyatt. “We believe that selecting officials from the Netherlands and Belgium for the upcoming games is, in these circumstances, the correct course of action and would like to place on record our thanks to the players, team staff, national associations and officials for both their support and collaboration."
Although the fans will not be allowed into the stadium itself, all four matches will be available to watch via television or digital streaming thanks to our broadcast partnerships, as well as on the new Watch.Hockey app in every country where a rights holding broadcaster is not showing the matches live.
You can also keep up to date with all the latest news on the FIH Hockey Pro League via the event website and through FIH social media channels - Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
#FIHProLeague
#HockeyInvites
#PlayHockeyStayHealthy
Official FIH Pro League Site
Farry Named Head Coach of U.S. Women’s National Team
COLORADO Springs, Colo. - USA Field Hockey is pleased to name Anthony Farry as the new U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach.
“We are delighted to have Anthony join Team USA,” said Simon Hoskins, USA Field Hockey’s Executive Director. “He has built a great track record of success and has a wealth of experience as a head coach that will serve him well as we all at USA Field Hockey work to achieve our mission of sustained international success.”
It is a great honor and privilege to be provided the opportunity to work in such a quality high performance program. The potential of the players is something that is very exciting, and I am really looking forward to this next chapter.
Anthony Farry
Farry is appointed after serving as the performance director and head coach of the Japan Women’s National Team, a role he held from May 2017 to mid-2020. He led the squad through many international events including the 2017 FIH Hockey World League Semifinals, 2018 Champions Trophy, 2018 World Cup and 2018 Asian Games, where the team captured their first-ever event title with a win over India.
Prior to serving at the helm of Japan’s Women’s National Team, Farry was the assistant coach of Australia Women’s National Team in 2010, where he helped lead the Hockeyroos to the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games gold. The following year he shifted to the assistant coach of the Canada Men’s National Team before becoming the performance director and head coach of the program from 2012 to 2017. He headed the team through the 2010 World Cup, 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, 2015 FIH Hockey World League Semifinals and Finals and 2015 Pan American Games, where the squad finished second. Through his leadership, he was able to lead Canada’s men back to the Olympic Games, after the team failed to qualify for the 2012 edition. That continued momentum on the international stage also propelled the squad in the FIH World Rankings, where in 2017, they were 11th.
The Australia born was also the NTC (National Training Centre) Head Coach (2008-2010), Hockey Australian Capital Territory (ACT) High Performance Coach and Programs Manager (2011) in his home country, where he helped increase success at the National Championships, while helping ACT and surrounding regions’ athletes achieve national identification by conducting high-class elite development hockey programs. He also has an extensive background in coach education, having ran Level 1, 2 and 3 Coaching Courses and achieving his Level 3 Advanced Coach certification. This also includes working with local coaches of provincial teams and running many skill development camps for more than 20 years.
Farry also has an extensive playing resume, having more than 100 international indoor caps as part of Australia’s Men’s National Indoor Team. He played in the first FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup in Leipzig, Germany, three Indoor World Classics, Scottish First Division (Champion), European Indoor (Champion) and National Hockey League as well as represented at the U-16, U-18 and U-21 levels.
Join USA Field Hockey in welcoming Farry to Team USA!
USFHA media release
No training extension for trainees, says Malaysian hockey coach Arul
By Jugjet Singh
National hockey coach Arul Selvaraj. NSTP FILE PIC
KUALA LUMPUR: There will be no extension for the 37 national trainees to prove themselves to hockey head coach Arul Selvaraj as he intends to trim his squad to 25 players by the end of the month or early next month.
The trainees, who have to abide by Covid-19 guidelines following the two-week Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO), reported for training on Oct 5.
"No, there will not be an extension to the one-month deadline announced earlier.
"The players, however, have put up a good fight in training.
The trainees are based at the National Sports Council hostel in Bukit Jalil," said Arul.
Arul had selected 38 players from the Razak Cup, but Harvinder Singh opted out due to work commitments.
"The newcomers in my squad were a little reserved initially and did not join the seasoned players. However, they opened up after a few days," Arul added.
Arul, together with assistant coach Amin Rahim and junior coach Wallace Tan, had to self-isolate for three days after coming in contact with a National Sports Institute dietician, whose housemate tested positive for Covid-19 recently.
There are six players in the senior squad eligible for junior tournaments.
Wallace's junior team are preparing for next year's Junior Asia Cup (JAC), a Junior World Cup qualifier.
The JAC is slated for Jan 21-30 in Dhaka. Wallace has 26 trainees in his squad, excluding the six in the senior team.
New Straits Times
Syarman hardened by death in the family
By Jugjet Singh
Syarman Mat Tee (centre).
Malaysian National trainee Syarman Mat Tee lost his father, also his No 1 fan, Mat Tee Mat Ali on Sunday.
And the heartbreak has made the 19-year-old even more determined to make it big in hockey.
He hopes to make national coach Arul Selvaraj's list of 25 players.
Syarman's father died on Sunday at the Kajang Hospital and was buried in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Syarman is one of the 37 national trainees in Arul's squad. The coach will trim the squad to 25 players by the end of this month or early next month.
"Syarman was released from camp (NSC hostel) when his father became very ill on Sunday.
"His father had encouraged the up-and-coming player to take up hockey.
"His father passed away and was buried today (yesterday) in KL," said national senior team manager Datuk Mirnawan Nawawi.
The national trainees are currently housed at the National Sports Council (NSC) hostel in Bukit Jalil. They have to observe strict Covid-19 guidelines until Oct 27.
"We have told Syarman to take his time and settle his family matters first, and not to worry about training.
"He is also eligible to play for the junior team.
"I explained to him that we will trim the squad from 37 to 25 players by the end of this month or the first week of next month. We will inform him accordingly.
"Trainees, who are below 21, will join Wallace Tan's junior squad if they are dropped from the senior team."
Wallace has 26 players under his wings, excluding another six who are with the senior team.
His team are preparing for the Junior Asia Cup, a Junior World Cup qualifier, on Jan 21-30 in Dhaka.
New Straits Times
Penn field hockey is the perfect blend of family and work for coach Colleen Fink
Fink has led the Red and Blue for the last decade
By Joyce Davis 
Under Fink's direction, Penn field hockey has won at least 11 games in three of the last seven seasons, a feat previously only accomplished twice in the past 40 years. Credit: Chase Sutton
No matter where coach Colleen Fink finds herself, her personal and field hockey family will always be the most important things in her life.
While growing up in the Bala Cynwyd area of West Philadelphia, Fink was no stranger to a life of athletics. Fink and her five siblings were raised by her father, the track and field coach for her alma mater, Saint Joseph’s University, where she matriculated in 1996.
Inspired by her father, Fink began her coaching career at Archbishop Carroll High School in Radnor, Pa., where she led the team for four seasons. She then made the move to work at St. Joe’s, and was hired as an assistant field hockey coach before being hired as the head coach at Haverford College.
Fink’s unforgettable experience at Haverford was the first of many obstacles that she would face as a head coach.
“At the time, [Haverford] was a struggling program and they were kind of in the bottom of their conference," Fink said. "They had some facility issues, so it wasn’t the most desirable job at the time, but my husband said Haverford is one of the best schools in the country. You can coach there and turn it around.”
Taking this advice, Fink stayed at Haverford for five seasons and had a meaningful experience. She is most proud that she was able to turn the facility around and even played a role in helping to get a new facility.
When a position eventually opened up at Penn, Fink jumped at the opportunity. She knew that Penn was the right fit for her because, to her, it had the best field hockey coaching job in the country. The value she placed on her family also played a role in her decision.
Because most of her family was based in the area, coach Fink knew that leaving Philadelphia wasn’t an option. Penn was the best local school both academically and athletically, and it was her dream to combine family and university.
Without her experience at Haverford, Fink may not have been prepared enough for the position at Penn. Luckily for the Quakers, one thing Haverford taught Fink was resilience in bleak situations, something that she has demonstrated during her decade of coaching the Red and Blue.
With resilience came success, as Fink noted the accomplishments she has achieved as a coach.
“We’ve been able to create a culture of support and sisterhood and love within our program at Penn while still being able to be successful," Fink said. "During times of crisis, we’ve seen how important this type of culture can be. Seeing our team and what they’re able to achieve despite all of the obstacles that they’re up against is something as a coach that I’ve found to be really rewarding.”
Credit: File Photo
However, in many cases, with accomplishments also come disappointment. For coach Fink, her field hockey family contains some of the most important people in her life. Her biggest disappointments center around not being her best self for her team.
These disappointments call for a time of self-reflection for Fink in order for her to evaluate her strengths and weaknesses as a coach. Fink noted that she does well with supporting her team and not just being a regular coach but a servant coach, someone who works for her team rather than just her team working for her. However, she’s also very direct and addresses that she could work on varying her communication skills.
Fink hasn’t allowed the pandemic to change her. On her mind is either her own family or her field hockey family. Juggling her two sons’ education and maintaining the team dynamic of her players has been a challenge. For Fink, there will always be good days and bad days, especially with not being able to wake up every morning and do what she loves.
However, Fink refuses to let quarantine rule her life, as she’s begun activities that get her back into the rhythm of things.
“I bought a Peloton bike, which has been a life saver, since I can’t go to gym," Fink said. "Professionally, [I'm] thinking about how can my team get better right now despite the current situation, and just challenging myself to come up with ways to keep them moving and change the narrative a little bit.”
Having coached field hockey at Penn for 10 years, it’ll be hard for Fink to ever leave. Remembering the many memories she has also makes it difficult to see an end to her coaching career.
“My favorite memory was when Alexa Hoover scored the goal for Penn’s scoring record a couple years ago," Fink said. "She was a prolific scorer. She had a monkey on her back and went a couple games without being able to get that last goal to put her over the edge. She finally got the last goal in the game, and she looked at me and I looked at her, and it was such a rewarding moment.”
Fink plans to coach at Penn for as long as she can. Throughout all her years of coaching, the thought of retiring never crossed her mind. Living in the moment is something that she constantly does because she wants to be a strong leader for her team on and off the field and watch her sons grow up and enjoy moments with them.
Since the beginning of her coaching career, coach Fink was never one to abandon her family, and she’s not looking to start now.
The Daily Pennsylavanian
Hockey Australia privileged to build on Indigenous connection
Hockey Australia will take part in an initiative to promote and encourage Indigenous businesses and enterprise when the first Indigenous Emerging Business Forum (IEBF) is held on Friday.
The highly anticipated forum, to be hosted by Telstra Business Technology Centre (TBTC) Perth North, will be a space for community, connection and collaboration as emerging Indigenous businesses and industry leaders come together.
Hockey Australia’s association and relevance to the forum comes from its ongoing work and commitment to a host of Indigenous projects and programs. These include the Pilbara Community Hockey Program, a program that has been running for over a decade in conjunction with Fortescue Metals Group, a pilot hockey program in Kalgoorlie, the unveiling of the Kookaburras and Hockeyroos Indigenous playing uniform and the planned establishment of a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
“This forum provides a fantastic opportunity to promote what we’re doing in our programs and connect with other like minded organisations and businesses in supporting Indigenous people,” said Hockey Australia Commercial Partnerships Manager, Tyler Lovell who is also a goalkeeper for the Kookaburras.
“As a sport that considers inclusion and equity to be among values that are important to the hockey community, coupled with a proud record of Indigenous players who have represented Australia, Hockey Australia identified the need and desire to develop a Reconciliation Action Plan.”
“This RAP is being developed to make our position clear – that we value, welcome and actively seek to create opportunities for Indigenous people to play and engage in hockey and that as a sport, we seek to play our part towards reconciliation.”
Hockey Australia is among 350-400 organisations and businesses participating in the event, which aims to showcase the strength, diversity and opportunity that Aboriginal businesses bring to industry.
“What they get is a network away from traditional Aboriginal chambers or forums or affiliates, in an open forum business environment,” said TBTC Enterprise Group Manager, John O’Driscoll.
“We’re trying to get Aboriginal businesses to be showcased back towards business leaders to drive Aboriginal procurement and put them on a level playing field with non-Aboriginal businesses.”
Lovell will speak at the luncheon on the day of the forum, which will also feature a host of keynote speakers.
Other Hockey Australia representatives to attend will include Kookaburras and Hockeyroos Head Coaches, Colin Batch and Paul Gaudoin, Kookaburras duo Eddie Ockenden and Aran Zalewski, and Indigenous Hockeyroos Brooke Peris and Mariah Williams.
On the day there will also be awards presented, with categories including:
Businesswoman of the year
Outstanding impact of the year
Emerging businesswoman of the year
Sports ambassador of the year
Community ambassador of the year.
Hockeyroo forward Williams is a finalist for the Sports ambassador of the year award for her work and dedication to promoting healthy and active living to young Indigenous people, both in Perth and when she was home in Newcastle.
Hockey Australia is also providing items for an auction on the day, with all money raised going towards funding indigenous community hockey programs.
The Indigenous Emerging Business Forum will take place at Crown Perth on Friday October 23. Click here to watch a LIVE stream on the day.
Hockey Australia media release