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News for 04 March 2021

All the news for Thursday 4 March 2021


Cold snap lights fire in Dutch camp



Set backs in training including an unexpected severe snow fall, led to three weeks away from the training ground, but this has not dampened Dutch goalkeeper Josine Koning’s enthusiasm for the Netherland’s forthcoming encounter with Germany in the resumed FIH Hockey Pro League.

In an interview with FIH ahead of her team’s matches against their European neighbours, Koning, who has 70 international caps for the Netherlands, promised an exciting performance from a team that has been desperate to get back to international hockey.

“It’s been a long preparation with some very strange things happening but now the weather is good and we are looking forward to our games against Germany,” she said.

With the Netherlands topping the table at this point in the second season of the FIH Hockey Pro League, Koning and her team mates have been itching to get back to international action, but the global pandemic has meant the season has been very stretched out. The result is avery busy 2021 for the international athletes.

“With the Pro League and then the Olympics at the end, this is an extremely busy year and we are working hard to make sure we are fit and peak for the most important games. Our staff are considering that in making schedules so we are making sure we take some time off and take care of our bodies.”

And in a statement that contours up the prospect of an exciting, action-packed and fast-moving game, the goalkeeper added: “Our team will have a lot of fun on the pitch because we are just so glad to be back playing again. I can’t really tell you anything about our tactics or approach to this game, but I think you’ll like it.”

The Netherlands host Germany on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 March.

Although the fans will not be allowed into the stadium itself, the 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.

Official FIH Pro League Site



Taking chances when they arise



Ahead of Germany’s forthcoming FIH Hockey Pro League match against Netherlands women, we caught up with Charlotte Stapenhorst, who is relishing the thought of a return to action and the chance to pit her wits against one of the best defensive units in the world.

Germany will face Netherlands in the resumption of the FIH Hockey Pro League on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 March. Currently, the Netherlands top the table, with 23 points from eight games. Germany, by contrast, are in seventh position on six points, but Die Danas has only played two matches to this point - both victories over Belgium.

“Playing the Netherlands is always a tough, tough challenge,” says Germany’s goalscoring superstar Charlotte Stapenhorst.

“The Netherlands are a team that defends really well and then counters quickly, so our chief aim will be to make sure we are marking their attacking players really well.”

As Stapenhorst says, creating goal scoring chances against team of the calibre of the Netherlands is a rare feat and so she and her fellow attackers will need to be ready to pounce on the slightest scoring opportunity. “We may only get two or three chances,” she says.

“It will be so good to get into the tempo and play the high level again.”

Following the match against the Netherlands, Germany – pandemic restrictions permitting – will face their Pan American opponents, first Argentina and then USA. It is something that Stapenhorst is looking forwards to, although she is also aware that Germany has a very full fixture list this year.

“We have a big squad who can play Pro League and it is important that we don’t overplay ourselves in an Olympic year, so the coach and ourselves will be mindful of that. The Olympics is our priority.”

Although the fans will not be allowed into the stadium itself, the 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.

Official FIH Pro League Site



Mustapha Cassiem, SA’s young hockey prodigy

The teenage sensation has huge expectations, billed as the next great hockey star and coming from a family that breathes the sport. He explains how he is handling this pressure and his ambitions.

By: Adrian Ephraim
Photographer: Chris de Beer-Procter


Mustapha Cassiem in action at Woodlands Hockey Turf. The Cassiem family come from the working-class area of Mitchell’s Plain, a world away from Bishops in Rondebosch where he attended school.

Mustapha Cassiem has a sweet tooth. One of the country’s youngest ever national hockey players admits this sheepishly when quizzed about his favourite things in the world, though it’s hardly surprising for a young man who’s only just 18 years old and who up until a few months ago was still a schoolboy. He has a weakness for sweets, but that’s the extent of his weaknesses it seems.

Cassiem has had to grow up faster than other children his age. Most teenagers don’t have the label of “future legend” hanging over their heads, or the world at their feet, with an Olympic dream waiting patiently to be realised.

Cassiem’s precocious abilities on the hockey field thrust him into the limelight at an early age. It’s a talent that has been nurtured from the moment he picked up a hockey stick on the sidelines, while watching his father Abdullah “Casa” Cassiem dominate opponents at Vygekraal Stadium in Athlone, playing for Central Hockey Club.

“I started playing when I was five. I come from a sporting background. My dad played all codes. Hockey, rugby, soccer. I would go with my brother and my dad to hockey training, and matches. It all started for me when I was just messing around on the side,” Cassiem says.

There’s one more thing the Cassiem brothers have in common with their father. They also made their national team call up by the age of 18. Mustapha’s older brother Dayaan is already an established national team player who lit a path for his sibling to follow in his footsteps, although in truth it was a fait accompli. Now, the younger brother is touted as a legend in the making. Observers say the teenager could play up to 300 games for the national team and write his name in the record books as one of the greatest ever to play for South Africa. It’s a heavy yoke of expectation to carry on his young shoulders, but he seems to have the pedigree for it.


From left, brothers Mustapha and Dayaan Cassiem. Dayaan is an established South African hockey player who lit the path to the national team for his younger sibling.

“Growing up, everyone thought that soccer was the thing and I really loved playing. I used to learn hockey and mess around and play on the side, just watch my dad and my brother play. I thought the game of hockey was really cool. I thought it was similar to soccer,” Cassiem says. “The skill that I saw back then from the older guys and older players was just really amazing, and that’s what got me stuck into hockey.”

In 2014, Dayaan and Mustapha Cassiem were awarded full scholarships to attend Bishops Diocesan College in Cape Town. Dayaan joined the college in grade 10, while Mustapha joined the prep school. It was an opportunity of a lifetime that would change the fortunes of the Cassiem family who come from the working-class area of Mitchell’s Plain, a world away from Bishops in Rondebosch.

“My dad grew up in District Six in Cape Town. I grew up in Mitchell’s Plain, in Colorado Park. And yeah, that’s where I’ve been living my life for the past 18 years,” Cassiem explains.

The brothers now stand on the cusp of successful professional hockey careers, probably abroad, and if the Covid-19 pandemic allows, an Olympic Games later this year is a distinct possibility.

For now, Mustapha Cassiem, having completed his matric year during a pandemic, is focused solely on realising his hockey dreams. He’s done some of the legwork already, captaining the Bishops first XI in 2020 and earning 100 first-team caps for the school by the end of grade 11. He has represented the men’s senior indoor and outdoor national sides, and his Barracudas team won gold at the Pro Series Indoor Nationals in the Under-19 Coastal section in December.

Never short of role models

The young star’s hockey path is set, well lit and in capable hands. He’s a product of the Central Hockey Club’s setup, which boasts dynamic players like Ryan Julius, Keenan Horne, Jody Erasmus and his father among its ranks. A keen footballer in his youth, Cassiem Sr now coaches at Bishops and the University of Cape Town.

“My father has been involved in the game for a very long time. I look up to him. He is still playing for Central Hockey Club’s second side. But I think he’s getting old now,” Cassiem laughs. “He’s enjoying himself. From what I’ve heard, when he was young, he was a really good hockey player. I could see that when I had the opportunity to watch him, and I’m still watching him today.”

It’s clear the young Cassiem is never short of inspirational role models, in his own house and abroad. His idols include former South African national captain and coach at Central Hockey Club Bruce Jacobs. “I looked up to him and overseas players like Art van Doren, the Belgium international, Joep de Mol from the Netherlands, and then Aran Zalewski from Australia. Those three are world-class role models to me, but my brother and my dad are definitely my biggest role models, for sure,” Cassiem says with a sincerity in his voice that adds depth to his words.


Hockey sensation Dayaan Cassiem takes a swing at the Woodlands Astroturf facility at Bishops Diocesan College, where he attended school.

He is a young man grounded in strong family values along with hard work, and a vision for what his future holds in a sport that is often underappreciated.

Hockey in South Africa has held its own among community sports, but it sits in the shadow of big sports like football, rugby and cricket, which attract large sponsorships and audience support. The game has struggled to reach a level of professionalism that would allow players like the Cassiem brothers to devote a future to it – unless they seek their fortunes overseas.

Hockey, not many people know, is the third most popular sport in the world, after football and badminton (which is equally surprising). An estimated two billion fans follow hockey religiously, and while most of those fans are based in India and Pakistan, the strongest and most professional leagues are in Europe.

“Unfortunately, hockey in South Africa is not professional. People are trying to expose hockey in South Africa, but my personal goal is to go overseas so I can be in a professional environment and experience what hockey is like overseas. And to play in the top leagues in the Netherlands and the Bundesliga in Germany, or anywhere in the world where you can get paid for what you do and what you love doing,” Cassiem says.

Brother and teammate

On the field, Dayaan Cassiem is lightning quick on his feet, impossible to contain and runs rings around defenders every time he’s in the danger area. He’s earned himself a reputation as a goal machine for school, club and country.

Mustapha, on the other hand, has a stronger physique; he’s tall and muscular with floppy brown hair, unlike his brother Dayaan who is more slightly built and lean. The younger Cassiem is a force to contend with in any position he plays, owing to his strength and skill with a stick.

“For school I’m a midfielder, but I also play a bit at the back and then attacking midfielder. I’m a utility player. And they use me in the spine of the field. But for the SA team at the moment, I’m playing up front as a forward,” Mustapha says. “I think being new is always nice. Obviously, as a youngster you’re a bit scared to say something, or say something wrong, but I’ve tried to be myself and the transition has been amazing.”

Of course, playing alongside one’s older brother does tend to alleviate some of the pressure a young star can feel at any moment. The duo are becoming a force to reckon with in the next few years. The interplay between the two on the field is intuitive and their awareness of each other’s positioning is almost telepathic. These are crucial advantages to have in a sport that’s played at breakneck speed.

“There’s this connection that we’ve built outside of hockey. It’s a connection that we have as just being brothers, being there for each other, standing up for each other. Moments that we have together. We’ve been playing together for a very long time, since I was eight or nine years old, maybe younger. He was always the guy that I really looked up to. We have a really good understanding,” Mustapha says.

“Sometimes it’s tough to play with your brother in a team. You’re going to be hard on him, and he’s going to be hard on you, and sometimes it gets hectic. But other than that, it’s special.”


Successful professional hockey careers abroad are likely next for the brothers, as well as the Olympic Games later this year if the Covid-19 pandemic allows.

When asked, Dayaan Cassiem feels precisely the same way about playing with his younger brother. He feels a connection that is difficult to explain, but he knows how it feels. “It feels amazing actually,” Dayaan says. “When I got accepted at Bishops in grade 10, and he was in Habibia Primary School in Rylands, we kept working hard to make sure he also gets a scholarship to Bishops. I remember him being in grade 9 and me being in grade 11 and we played the first time in the first team for Bishops, and we just connect so well. We understand each other, and because we train with each other we really have that connection. I already know where he’s going to run when I pass. He already knows where I’m going to be when he has the ball so the connection is there.”

Much is expected of young Mustapha Cassiem already in his short hockey life after achieving so much before he turned 18. He is in many ways the face of hockey’s future as the sport continues to churn out young prospects, but it’s in need of a global superstar who can stand shoulder to shoulder among the world’s best.

“I remember getting the call-up to be part of the national Olympic squad. It was late in 2019. It’s something that I’ve been dreaming of for a long time. I think that making my indoor hockey debut in 2019 with my brother was a highlight. In 2018, we went to Algeria and we played in the African Youth Games. We won the gold medal, which meant we qualified for the Youth Olympics Games. But unfortunately, we couldn’t go,” he says.

Tough times for second-tier sports

Hockey has learnt to live with certain disappointments in recent years. The sport has had contrasting fortunes at a continental and international level. The men’s hockey team has dominated the African continent since 1993, winning seven Africa Cup of Nations titles. But internationally, they’ve struggled to earn a better placing than 10th at a World Cup or Olympic Games. The women’s national team has had similar, if not better success on the continent but also struggles to compete against the stronger, better financed teams from Europe.

The South African men’s team is ranked 14th outdoor and 11th indoor, while the women are 16th and 14th respectively. The pandemic has done little to improve the prospects of the sport with the Olympics in jeopardy.

These are stressful times for so-called second and third-tier sports in South Africa. The sport’s growth depends largely on participation and competition, neither of which are allowed under the country’s Covid-19 lockdown regulations, with the exception of professional competitions.

“Going to the Olympics would be a dream come true, and it’s something that I will hold in my heart forever. It’s something that I would never forget. Being able to represent your country and being an Olympian would be amazing, to represent my family and my friends,” he says.

Cassiem is aware of the expectations around him and appears to have set a high bar for himself, too. “It was one of my goals to really make my mark and make the national team at 18 years old. But luckily, I was able to make it at 17,” he says with a smile spread across his face.

“Pressure for me is a big thing, but I also like pressure. It’s something I enjoy, and a lot of sportspeople don’t like the word pressure or the pressure moments. I think I’ve learnt in my hockey career or my sporting career that the pressure moments are what you must live for, because once you get out of those moments, the rest comes easy.”

But how easy was it for a schoolboy to settle into a national team of grown men in a grown-up world? Does he have the mental fortitude to handle it all?

“I’m not gonna lie to you. I’ve had those moments before in my hockey career. I think sport helps you a lot, but there’s moments or times in your life that makes it very difficult. In my school hockey career there were times where I found it really tough, and wanted to quit because of some actions. Mentally, I wasn’t the greatest at the time. But I’ve developed and I’ve really learned to be mentally strong.”

New Frame



Mwangi leads from the front



In our third interview celebrating International Women's Day, we catch up Kenyan hockey legend Jacqueline (Jackie) Mwangi. Now Head Coach to the national women's team, Mwangi enjoyed a long career with the national team as an athlete and continues to inspire girls and young women through both her hockey career and as an inspirational sports teacher.

From a young age, Jaqueline Mwangi’s mother impressed upon her daughter that “there are no short cuts in life, you have to work hard for every single thing.” Her mother’s recipe for success in life is something that Mwangi has followed to the letter.

Jackie Mwangi represented the Kenyan national hockey team until 2015, and she still continues to torment opposition defences with her innate goal-scoring ability for top Kenyan club Blazers.

The sports teacher is also one of the athletes on the FIH Athletes Committee and chairs the African Hockey Federation Athletes Committee. In December 2020, Mwangi was selected by the Kenyan Hockey Union to become Head Coach to the national women’s team, leading an all-female coaching staff.

Talking about the women who have been behind her journey through hockey, Mwangi says: “My family, my friends and my team mates - including the three musketeers, who know who they are – it’s been a good journey, not only as an athlete but as someone who has been able to empower others in the sport.

“My mother always told me to keep pressing on and to stand on my own two feet, especially when the going gets tough.” Mrs Mwangi also impressed on her daughter the importance of recognising what you can control and what is beyond your control and applying that to how you react in situations.

When Mwangi looks back on her career so far, there are some women whose own life journeys have proven inspiring to the Kenyan. One of the biggest role models for Mwangi is South Africa’s Marsha Cox.

“She has been an amazing player and an amazing mentor to me, especially on the FIH Athletes’ Committee. That has been a real pleasure for me [to work alongside her].

“Other people who are paving the way for young women are those other members of the Athletes’ Committee, Kate Richardson-Walsh, Janne Müller-Wieland, Camila Caram, Carla Rebecchi. It has been a pleasure to work with those guys.”

Mwangi added that the Kenyan national squad and her own teammates are all playing huge roles in showing young girls in Africa just what can be achieved by taking opportunities – in sport and in other aspects of life.

Mwangi shares these words of wisdom: “Find a mentor who can guide you and walk with you, especially someone who has walked the path as they can advise you on how to become the best you can be. If you fail, just remember it is a learning curve, so stay on the path and believe in yourself.”

#ChooseToChallenge
#IWD2021
#StrongerTogether

FIH site



It's the Pullman bubble for MHL teams

By Jugjet Singh


MHC president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal (2nd-right) with Pullman Hotel Kuala Lumpur, general manager T K Lee (2nd-left) gesture during the ceremony at the hotel. - BERNAMA pic

THE Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) inspected a few hotels before deciding on Hotel Pullman in Bangsar as the sports-bubble venue for the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL).

All 14 teams, eight men and six women, will be housed at the hotel, including the bus drivers and ball-boys, to protect them from Covid-19.

The men's MHL starts on March 11, followed by the women's event four days later, with both tournaments set to end on April 3.

Technical officials and umpires will also stay in the same bubble.

"Pullman Bangsar was selected because they gave the best price for comfortable accommodation.

"The hotel also has gym facilities. It has a sound arrangement to keep away those in the bubble from other guests," said MHC president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal yesterday.

Those involved in the MHL will share the same lifts and floors at Pullman.

"Once the players check-in on March 10, they will stay in for the duration of the MHL.

"The three Covid-19 positive Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) players will also stay in the bubble once they have recovered with a confirmation letter from the Health Ministry."

Shello Silverius, Faizal Saari and Khalid Hamirin are THT's backbone, and their management will surely want them inside the bubble as soon as possible.

Universiti Kuala Lumpur, THT, Tenaga Nasional, TNB Thunderbolts, Maybank, Universiti Teknologi Mara, Sabah and Nurinsafi are the teams in the men's MHL.

The women's league comprises PKS UniTen, Police Blue Warriors, Mutiara Impian, Sabah, Young Tigress and UniKL Ladies.

New Straits Times



Garrleigh Trophy Centre on board for HC Melbourne 2021 Season



Victoria’s number one Hockey team, Hockey Club Melbourne has announced its partnership with Garrleigh Trophy Centre ahead the Sultana Bran Hockey One League’s second season due to start in October 2021.

After a successful season in 2019 with both Men’s & Women’s teams making the final series, Hockey Club Melbourne is pleased to welcome back Garrleigh Trophy Centre as a partner for Season Two.

Ryan Goldberg, CEO of Garrleigh Trophy Centre, said “We are very excited to continue our partnership and wish Hockey Club Melbourne success both on and off the playing field” .

Garrleigh Trophy Centre is a leading retailer of Trophies & Awards. Visit them online at www.garrleightrophycentre.com.au or pop into the showroom in Hallam with 1000’s of trophies on display.

Garrleigh’s support in Season One was a key driver to Hockey Club Melbourne’s on and off-field success in the Sultana Bran Hockey One League. Garrleigh will feature on all the playing gear, pitch signage and throughout HC Melbourne’s media profile. It also means the return of the Fan-Favourite social media competition, Garrleigh Player of the Day, where supporters get to choose the best player on the pitch.

Hockey Victoria’s CEO, Andrew Skillern said,” I am proud to announce our partnership of Garrleigh Trophy Centre. As a company, Garrleigh aligns perfectly with the values of HC Melbourne and is a great service & product provider for our Victorian Hockey Community.”

Sultana Bran Hockey One League Media release



Maryland field hockey looks to improve its efficiency on penalty corners

Shane Connuck


Midfielder Emma Deberdine passes the ball in Maryland Field Hockey’s 5-1 win over Michigan State on Oct. 25, 2019. (Gabby Baniqued/The Diamondback)

Just over seven minutes into Maryland field hockey’s loss to Northwestern, Bibi Donraadt headed to the backline to insert a penalty corner. She triggered the ball in for a Riley Donnelly shot, which came up empty. This was the seventh corner the Terps earned in that opening period.

And they only had one goal to show for it.

“We’ve had plenty of opportunities,” coach Missy Meharg said. “We have work to do on our penalty corners and then our finishing.”

Despite a particularly strong offensive attack in the first half, Maryland couldn’t find the back of the cage after Donnelly’s early mark. So, once the Wildcats knocked in two third-quarter goals, the Terps faced their first defeat of the young season.

Over the course of its first two matches, Maryland has drawn 18 penalty corners — the most in the Big Ten.

And penalty corners usually lead to scores. The Terps’ three goals this season are the third-most of any school in the conference.

“I’m very happy with the number of penalty corners we drew,” Meharg said. “We put ourselves in position to get on the board with more goals.”

In 2019, Maryland — which finished the season No. 3 in the nation — earned 149 penalty corners, 10 more than Michigan, to lead the Big Ten. And corners lead to shots, which then lead to goals.

The Terps’ conference-topping 364 shots — 17.33 per match — also topped the conference. Maryland averaged 2.95 goals per match, tying both for second-best in the Big Ten and ninth nationally.

They kept getting those chances on a cloudy Sunday afternoon in Virginia Beach, Virginia. They had 10 total penalty corners over the course of the match. But it’s hard to win a game with just one goal.

“Yeah, we scored on Riley’s drag. So that would be nine others that we, in some way, did not finish,” Meharg said.

But these penalty corner opportunities don’t come out of nowhere. And in that first quarter, Maryland was dominating the match so much so that Northwestern couldn’t get a shot off for over 13 minutes.

“We had a really good brand of hockey in the beginning with passing,” midfielder Brooke DeBerdine said. “And that’s definitely something that we’re gonna just keep working on.”

For the last three years, defender Bodil Keus was Maryland’s “prominent penalty corner execution drag clicker,” Meharg said. The Amsterdam native fired 199 shots, 120 of which were on goal, and netted 28 of them over those three seasons.

With Keus playing in Europe this spring, Taylor Mason, Mayv Clune and Donnelly began stepping up in her place. Emma DeBerdine and Donraadt are continuing to handle most of the insertions.

But it takes time for everyone to get adjusted to these new roles. And when they click, those penalty corners may start to find twine.

“We have so many different people that can play different positions,” Emma DeBerdine said. “And we’re just working every day to think of all the different possibilities that could happen within a game and a corner situation.”

The Diamondback



Reliving The First Wembley Magic 70 Years On



An iconic venue with so many great memories, this year marks the 70th anniversary of the first women's hockey game to take place at the iconic Wembley stadium.

On 3 March 1951, England's women began an annual tradition of hosting fixtures at the venue by beating Ireland 6-1 in front of 30,000 fans. Furthermore, it also marked almost exactly 55 years since the two contested the first ever women's international game back in 1896.

The women would go on to contest an annual match against international opponents every year up to 1991, winning 25 of their 41 matches and attracting a record crowd of 68,000 in 1976. Five years later, the Queen was a guest of honour at the event and toured the stadium in an open-topped Land Rover.

To mark the occasion, The Hockey Museum have partnered with Talk Hockey Radio and The Hockey Family to produce a podcast promoting the anniversary. It is co-hosted by Kate Richardson-Walsh and also includes former England captain Anite White and Maggie Souyave as well as Christabel Russell Vick (daughter of former captain Mary Russell Vick).

England Hockey Board Media release

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