News 14 February 2014
All the news for Friday 14 February 2014
Wizards best Lancers in a close encounter
Uttar Pradesh Wizards scored three minutes from time to realise a 4-3 win over host Kalinga Lancers in a Hockey India League match at the Kalinga Stadium on Thursday.
Nithin Thimmaiah, M. Gunasekar, Nikkin Thimmaiah scored in succession before Tushar Khandker realised the win for Wizards. Lalit Upadhyay, Gagandeep Singh and Gonzalo Peillat netted for Lancers.
The Wizards, who beat Lancers 3-1 at home in Lucknow barely four days ago, continued to hold the edge.
The team showed better organisation initially and went into the lead following a defensive error from the Lancers captain Prabodh Tirkey.
Tirkey sent a misdirected pass across his own goalmouth in the eighth minute just to see Wizards forward Nithin Thimmaiah stealing into the D to score with a cracking shot.
Wizards doubled the lead in the 17th minute following a penalty corner.
M. Gunasekar availed the rebound after the Lancers goalkeeper Harjot Singh had saved a drag-flick taken by Wizards’ captain V.R. Raghunath.
Upadhyay’s brilliance
Lancers regrouped in the second quarter and worked more attacks to push the visitors into their own half. After a couple of attacks went waste, 19-year-old Lalit Upadhyay showed his class in the 25th minute.
The young forward collected a pass from Aron Zalweski, took a quick turn to steer clear of the Wizards defence, and finished with a sharp backhand hit.
The match came alive in the final quarter which saw four goals and a great return by the home side.
Wizards enhanced their lead to 3-1 in the 55th minute when Nikkin Thimmaiah sounded the board following another defensive error.
Instead of disintegrating, Lancers came alive after the goal and reduced the margin through Gagandeep Singh, who slotted home a pass from Upadhyay in the 57th minute.
Lancers made it 3-3 in the 60th minute when Argentine Gonzalo Peillat flicked home a penalty corner.
Just as a draw looked imminent, a defensive error cost Lancers dear.
Tushar Khandker found the goal in the 67h minute to realise five points for Wizards.
The result: UP Wizards 4 (Nithin Thimmaiah 8, M. Gunasekar 17, Nikkin Thimmaiah 55, Tushar Khandker 67) bt Kalinga Lancers 3 (Lalit Upadhyay 25, Gagandeep Singh 57, Gonzalo Peillat 60).
The Hindu
UP Wizards edge past Kalinga Lancers 4-3
BHUBANESWAR: Tushar Khandekar scored the match-winner two minutes from time as Uttar Pradesh Wizards edged past Kalinga Lancers 4-3 in a thrilling Hero Hockey India League match on Thursday.
Khandekar struck in the 68th minute to silence the vocal home crowd after the two teams were locked 3-3.
For UP Wizards, who led 2-1 at half time, the other scorers were Nithin Thimmaiah (8th minute), Malayalan Gunasekar (17th) and Nikkin CA Thimmaiah (55th).
Lalit Upadhyay (23rd), Gagandeep Singh (58th) and Gonzalo Peillat (62nd) scored for Kalinga Lancers coached by India coached Terry Walsh.
With the win on Thursday, UP Wizards are on second place in the league table with 26 points from eight matches. Kalinga Lancers are at fifth position in the six-team league table with 11 points from eight matches.
Kalinga Lancers next play against Ranchi Rhinos on Friday while UP Wizards play their next match against Jaypee Punjab Warriors at Mohali on Saturday.
The Times of India
Lancers out of semis race after loss
Sambuddha Chakraborty
BHUBANESHWAR: A hard-fought draw against the formidable Punjab Warriors in Mohali on Tuesday had lifted the team's morale ahead of their home encounter against the Uttar Pradesh Wizards. The confidence, however, bore little fruit as the Wizards managed to eke out a 4-3 win in a humdinger here on Thursday.
With Lancers' coach Terry Walsh deciding to operate Prabodh Tirkey from the left flank instead of his usual centre half position, the change seemed to pay dividends.
In a swift move in the first quarter, Tirkey's searing cross from the left found Lalit Upadhyay but the forward failed to take the chance. The move nevertheless set the tone for the evening.
With a semifinal spot up for grabs, the irrepressible Wizards were in no mood to throw in the towel and it wasn't long before the visitors took the lead, courtesy some sloppy defending from captain Prabodh.
The Times of India
Kalinga Lancers to play against Ranchi Rhinos
BHUBANESWAR: Ranchi Rhinos will be competing against Kalinga Lancers in the Hero Hockey India League on Friday.
Currently seated on the third position on the points table, Ranchi Rhinos will be aiming to win and move closer to secure their place for semifinals and give a tough fight to Kalinga Lancers.
On the other hand, Kalinga Lancers will look forward to give a great performance against Ranchi Rhinos and put their full effort to win tomorrow's game to continue being in the race for the semifinals.
Playing on their home ground with huge of support of the home crowd Kalinga Lancers will put their best effort to convert the chances and secure a win on Friday to upset Ranchi Rhinos.
Speaking on the eve of an important match, Gregg Clark, coach Ranchi Rhinos said, "It will be an important match especially after lost against Delhi Waveriders on Wednesday. We played well but could not win the match. We still need those vital points to secure a place in semifinals.
"Today, Kalinga Lancers have an important match against Uttar Pradesh Wizards. We will be keeping a close eye on the match as the results of the match will have bearing on the pool standing."
Speaking on their match against the Ranchi Rhinos, Kalinga Lancers' head coach Terry Walsh said" "Tomorrow is a very important match and lot depends on how we perform in Thursday's match.
"Tomorrow's match will be a very crucial match as both the team will contest to win and make their position in semi finals. Ranchi Rhinos is good team and hence we see a good game tomorrow as both will be desperate to secure position for semifinals."
The Times of India
Ireland 1-5 Germany (Men) U21 4 Nations
Ireland played Germany tonight in the last match of their 4 nations which has taken place at Mossley over the last three evenings. Ireland entered this match with a win (against Scotland) and draw (against England) under their belt knowing that playing the Junior World Champions was going to be their biggest test in this event.
Ireland secured the first real chance of the night with a set piece routine in the 5th minute after some creative play from Kirk Shimmins but a solid looking German defence kept the goal threat at bay. The match ensued at a high tempo both sides creating chances and defending well.
Germany were the first to capitalise opening the scoring against the run of play John Hillman converting for the visitors in the 14th minute. Nick Burns for Ireland almost equalised six minutes later but the Germans kept the effort out.
Ireland conceded a spat of turnovers for which they were eventually punished when Joshua Delarber made it two for the visitors on 24m. Germany made it three with a crash ball into the Irish Circle John Hillman scoring his brace to make it 3-0 in the 30th minute. Ireland pulled one back just a minute before the break, Johnny McKee turning over and finishing with style to bring his side into the game at 1-3 at the break.
Ireland had to content for a spell in the second half with just nine men when Nick Burns was shown green while Peter Brown was still sitting out for his yellow. But with one back on the field Ireland conceded their fourth leaving Mark Ingram in goals with no chance as Joshua Delarber showed just what a fine finisher he is crashing it home to make it 4-1. Germany hammered home exactly why they are Junior World Champions in the 55th minute with a smart finish from Leon Willemsen.
Ireland fought hard to find a second goal as the clock wound down including a penalty corner chance in the final minutes but the effort dragged wide and the match finished 5-1 in Germany’s favour.
Tomorrow’s match will decide on the tournament winner when Germany play England at 8am.
Ireland 1 (1) Johnny McKee 34m op
Germany 5 (3) John Hillman 14, 30m op x2; Joshua Delarber 24m op; 45m x 2; Leon Willemsen 55m op
IRELAND: Mark Ingram GK; Johnny McKee; Kirk Shimmins; Michael Robson; Jamie Wright; James Lorimer; Lee Cole; Matthew Bell; Sean Murray; Nick Burns (c); Ravin Nair; Ben McMillan; Peter McKibbin; Neal Glassey; Sam O’Connor; Peter Brown; Ben Cosgrove; Matthew Allister
ENGLAND 7 – 0 SCOTLAND
England 7(2) Samuel French x2; Brendan Creed; Joseph Sharp; Robert Farrington; Luke Taylor; Isaac O’Connor
Scotland (0)
Final Match: Friday 14th February 08.00 England v Germany
Irish Hockey Association media release
England too strong for junior Scots
Scotland U21 Men finished up their Four Nations tournament with a 7-0 defeat at the hands of England today.
Despite being only two goals down at half-time courtesy of Samuel French and Robert Farrington strikes, the young Scots endured an English onslaught in the second half, with French getting a second goal of the match and Brendan Creed, Joseph Sharp, Luke Taylor, Isaac O Connor finding their onto the scoresheet.
Summing up his side's performance, Scotland U21 Men Head Coach Graham Moodie said, "I thought we competed in short spells today but at this level, against teams of such quality, you'll be punished for ill discipline and lack of concentration. England were excellent in the second half.
"However, the entire tournament has been a real learning experience for the team, an experience we don't get often, and the opportunity to test the players against the likes of Germany has allowed us to identify areas to improve ahead of the summer's international matches. The average age of the side is only eighteen so these players have plenty time ahead of them to put what they have learnt this week into future practice."
Scottish Hockey Union media release
Malaysian Hockey team given top-3 target in Azlan Shah Cup
By Aftar Singh
Mohd Razie Abdul Rahim (right) in a file photo. He was named the best player at last year's Sultan Azlan Shah Cup. This year, he is down with a dislocated shoulder and is doubtful for the tournament.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) have set a top-three target for the national team in the 30th edition of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup which will be held in Ipoh from March 13-23.
The other teams taking part are world champions and world No. 1 Australia, South Korea (No. 7), Pakistan (No. 8), South Africa (No. 12), Canada (No. 16) and China (No. 25).
Four teams are ranked higher than 13th ranked Malaysia.
Malaysia have never won the tournament, which began in 1983.
The national team finished runners-up four times in 1985, 2007, 2009 and last year, when they lost 3-2 to Australia in the final.
MHC president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah said that he wants national chief coach K. Dharmaraj to name a strong team for the tournament.
“We have set a top-three target and we want them to achieve it. Dharmaraj can name a mixed team of juniors and seniors but the players must be able to give their best,” said Tengku Abdullah.
The Sultan Azlan Shah Cup will be the first tournament for the national team this year.
There are 31 players in the training squad and Dharmaraj will name a squad of 18 players for the tournament based on their performances in the upcoming playing tour and friendly matches.
Fifteen players will head to Perth on Feb 19 to play six matches – two against the Australian High Performance team and four against the Western Australian team.
They will also play four friendly matches – two against China and two against Canada – before the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.
Last year, three national players won the individual awards in the tournament.
Defender Mohd Razie Abdul Rahim was named the best player; S. Kumar the best goalkeeper; while forward Faizal Saari and India’s Rupinder Pal Singh were the joint top scorers with six goals.
But, it is doubtful that Razie will play in the tournament next month after he dislocated his shoulder while playing for Dabur Mumbai Magicians in the Hockey India League last week.
The Star of Malaysia
Thunderbolts ready to party
SSTMI Thunderbolts are poised to claim their fifth consecutive Junior Hockey League Division One title when they face Kuala Lumpur HC at the Taman Daya Stadium in Johor Baru today.
KLHC -- who have won only once -- will be cannon fodder for the unbeaten Thunderbolts, who have scored 30 and conceded just once in the league.
"I believe the match is purely academic, but we will need to claim victory in the first half itself, as allowing any team too much of time and space can spell trouble," said Thunderbolts coach Wan Roslan Wan Rahman.
Thunderbolts, Petaling Jaya City Council and UniKL Young Guns have all qualified for the knock-out Milo Cup.
Three teams -- Malacca High School, KLHC and Anderson -- are in the running for the fourth and final spot from Division One.
As for Division Two, the top-two teams from Groups A, B and C will qualify for the knockout stage, where only four will advance to the Milo Cup.
TODAY -- Division One: SSTMI Thunderbolts v KLHC (Taman Daya, 5pm).
Division Two A: 1Mas Penang v Bakat MSSK (USM, 5pm), MSSP-USM v STAR (USM, 7pm), PHKS v Matri (Alor Star, 5pm).
Division Two B: Larut Matang v Padang Midin (Kuala Kangsar, 5pm), Felda Temerloh v 1Mas Perak (Temerloh, 5pm).
Division Two C: SMK Datuk Bentara Luar v Tunku Besar SS (Batu Pahat, 5pm), BJSS v Sains Johor (Education Ministry, 5pm).
New Straits Times
Real battle is for second place
By S. Ramaguru
SSTMI-Thunderbolt's Mohd Najib Abu Hassan (right) and UniKL's Misniwan Gusni vying for the ball during their Division One match on Feb 8, 2014. UniKL need to work on their teamwork which has been sorely lacking. – IZZRAFIQ ALIAS / The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: SSTMI-Thunderbolt look set to retain their Division One MHC-Milo-NSC Malaysian Junior Hockey League title.
They play KLSS-KLHC in their final league match and even a draw will see them seal their fifth league title in a row. They already have four overall titles in their bag. They are not expected to falter at the last hurdle on Friday at the Taman Daya Hockey Stadium in Johor Baru.
Their consistency in winning is the result of strong support from the school and the financial clout of Tenaga Nasional, who also provide expertise in technical aspects.
The other Division One teams are still lagging. Even UniKL, with their panel of coaches which include A. Arulselvaraj, Mirnawan Nawawi, Mohamed Nasihin Nubli and M. Nadara cannot match the champions.
The SSTMI, formerly known as Bandar Penawar Sports School, found the right tonic to success when they won the support of sponsors Tenaga Nasional, and changed their name to Thunderbolt.
They have not looked back since, winning the league title in 2010, 2012, 2013 and three overall titles from 2011 to 2013.
This season, they are unbeaten after five matches with a whopping 30 goals in Division One, and are expected to have an easy time against KLSS who only have one win after four matches.
“We are fortunate that we have an ally in Tenaga Nasional. The collective effort with them has kept us at the top for the last five years,” said coach Wan Mohamed Roslan Wan Abdul Rahman.
“We still have to defeat KLSS to win the title and I am sure it will be a formality tomorrow. The players always knew that defeating UniKL was the key and I am glad they played well to win convincingly,” he said.
While the title will be decided Friday, the other feature this weekend is the fight for second place in the league.
Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) and Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) will be fighting for second place when they meet on Saturday. The winner will clinch the second place.
MBPJ, who were runners-up last year, play their last league match and know that nothing short of a win will suffice.
For UniKL it is back to the drawing board after their humiliating 1-4 defeat to Thunderbolt last Saturday.
Coach Mohd Rodhanizam Mat Radzi will have to try harder to get his team working as a unit. Their inability to perform as a team stood out like a sore thumb in the match with the champions. In addition, UniKL have been lamenting their weakness in the penalty corner department but have yet to do anything about it.
“Thunderbolt exploited our weakness (last week) and we paid the price for missing chances in the first half. We will now try to win the runners-up spot and focus on the knockout stages but we need the players to have confidence in their abilities,” said Rodhanizam.
“If we can keep the mistakes down and capitalise on the chances up front, then we stand a good chance at winning,” he said.
UniKL will wrap up their league match against Anderson on Sunday.
The Star of Malaysia
Feb 28 deadline to register for hockey leagues
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) have called for entries for both the MHL Division One League and the inaugural Women’s National Hockey League.
The closing date has been set for Feb 28.
MHC competitions committee executive Hashim Mohamed Yusof said on Thursday that the entry forms and a set of the rules have been handed to clubs who took part in Division One last year.
“Clubs can also contact us for the entry forms. Both competitions will begin on March 16. The dates of the various meetings will be decided later,” he said.
Last year, only seven teams played in Division One – UiTM, Thunderbolt, Uniten-KPT, Sunday 2030, Ipoh City Council, SSTMI and BJSS.
The Premier League, which is for the elite clubs, will be played from October. Teams who took part last year are KLHC, Maybank, Sapura, Tenaga Nasional, Terengganu, UniKL and Nur Insafi.
Hashim said that the Division One matches will be played on a home and away format.
“The details will be worked out once we have confirmation on the number of teams. For the women’s league, we are expecting about eight to 10 teams. Since this is a new event we have decided to play all matches at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil,” he added.
Hashim also confirmed that national players are barred from playing in the Division One matches.
The Star of Malaysia
Ramdeen doubles up for Notre Dames veterans
Courts Malvern’s Cecile Wren, left, tackles’ Dana-Lee De Gannes of Notre Dame during their T&T Hockey Board Women’s Championship Division match at the National Hockey Centre, Tacarigua on Saturday night. Notre Dame won 4-2. Photo: Anthony Harris
Leon Ramdeen scored a pair of goals to lead Notre Dame to a comfortable 4-1 whipping of Fatima in the Mixed Veterans Division of the T&T Hockey League at the National Hockey Centre, Tacarigua on Wednesday night.
Ramdeen got both his goals in a seven-minutes first-half span, in the 27th and 34th to extend his team’s lead to 3-0 at the break.
This after Scott Dopson fired in a 19th minute opener while Nigel Providence made it 4-0 in the 54th before Allan Young netted a last minute consolation for Fatima.
On Monday, in the Trinity Men’s Division, Malvern blanked Carib 2-0 with Jason Clarke and Jabari Wyke the players on target for the winners.
Tonight, one match is on schedule in the Trinity Men’s Division with Paragon tackling the Dames from 7pm while tomorrow (Saturday), Petrotrin, the four-time reigning Men’s Championship Division title holder start its title defence versus Malvern , from 4 pm.
T&THB results:
Monday:
Trinity Men:
Malvern 2 (Jason Clarke, Jabari Wyke) vs Carib 0
Wednesday:
Mixed Veterans:
Notre Dame 4 (Leon Ramdeen 27th, 34th, Scott Dopson 19th, Nigel Providence 54th) vs Fatima 1 (Alan Young 70th)
Upcoming matches:
Today:
Trinity Men: Paragon vs Notre Dame, 7pm.
Mixed Veterans: Carib vs Shape, 8.45 pm
Tomorrow:
Under-19 Girls: SC Magnolias vs Ventures, 11am
Under-19 Boys: Malvern vs Raiders, 12.30 pm
Trinity Men: QPCC vs Shape, 2pm
Men’s Championship: Petrotrin vs Malvern, 4pm; Paragon vs Fatima, 7pm.
Women’s Championship: Magnolias vs Ventures, 5.30pm
Monday:
Mixed Veterans: Malvern vs Notre Dame, 8pm
The Trinidad Guardian
Black Sticks Women set for Taupo tests
The big year of hockey is underway for the Black Sticks Women with Hockey New Zealand announcing Taupo will host two tests against seventh ranked China at the end of March.
The Black Sticks Women are currently in San Diego playing tests against Great Britain and the United States, and head coach Mark Hager says the tests against China will help continue their build-up to the Hawke’s Bay Festival in April and their pinnacle event of the year, the 2014 World Cup in Holland in May.
"We really enjoy playing tests in the smaller communities as the support we get is always fantastic. China is a quality side and we expect the games to be really competitive,” says Hager.
The Black Sticks Women have never played a game in Taupo and the Black Sticks Men have only played their once, winning 2-1 against Malaysia in 2009.
Taupo District Mayor David Trewavas said securing the two test matches was a real coup for the district.
“We have great facilities for hockey in Taupo and the investment in the turf, which the community contributed to both through rates and fundraising, is now paying dividends,” he said.
“These games will be a fantastic opportunity to get up close and personal with the Black Sticks and I encourage everyone to support the event and enjoy international hockey at its best.”
Hockey New Zealand’s event manager Richard Palmer says this will be a fantastic event to bring the whole family to.
“We are deliberately keeping the tickets affordable and there will be family passes available. We encourage families to come along, buy some dinner there and make a night of it. It’s a chance for the Taupo community to experience live international hockey in their own backyard,” said Palmer.
The games will be played at the Great Lake Taupo Hockey Club at Hickling Park and are scheduled for 6pm on 31 March and 1 April. Gate sales only. Tickets are $5 for kids and $10 for adults, with discounted family and double test passes available.
Hockey New Zealand Media release
Youth Olympic Qualifer
Nine man U18 squad selected to represent Australia in Hockey5s
Nine talented young athletes will become the first to represent Australia in an official international Hockey5s competition after being selected for the Australian under 18 men’s squad to compete at the Youth Olympic Games Qualifying Tournament in Vanuatu next month.
The nine man squad features Perth-born twins the Benetti brothers – James and Simon, Isaac Farmillo (Tamworth, NSW), Danny Fletcher (Brisbane, QLD), Sean Gibbs (Mackay, QLD), Tim Howard (Wakerley, QLD), Kurt Lovett (Parkes, NSW), Andrew Scanlon (Werribee, VIC) and Hayden Walker (Perth, WA). Final selection was made following the Hockey Australia Futures Camp held in Brisbane last week.
Endorsed by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), Hockey5s is the officially sanctioned complementary version of the sport featuring fewer players and simpler rules than hockey’s traditional 11-a-side version.
Led by former Kookaburra and current New South Wales Institute of Sport Head Coach David Guest, the Australian team will be looking to qualify for the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China, which take place 16-28 August. To do so they must finish in the top two of the four team qualifying tournament taking place in Port Vila from 8-11 March. If successful, they will join talented young athletes from other sports as part of the Australian Olympic Committee’s 90-strong delegation to the Youth Olympic Games.
Speaking about the tournament, Head Coach David Guest said, “It’s fantastic that at under 18 level our athletes have the opportunity to go through an Olympic qualifying process, similar to that we would for a Junior World Cup or senior Olympic Games.”
While Australia’s exposure to the new high energy format has been limited, Guest believes lots can be taken from similarities to indoor hockey and from the recent Futures Camp held in Brisbane.
“We haven’t seen a lot of the Hockey5s format but there’s plenty we can take from indoors. The boards along the sides and back lines open up the field and if we use them well can effectively create an extra couple of players. I’ve been calling it ‘box hockey’; it’s a game of angles and high intensity running, it changes the dynamics of how you pass and interact with teammates.
“I’ll be placing a heavy emphasis on the fact it’s a qualifying event and we won’t be getting ahead of ourselves. But, if we do qualify for the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing then the lead up to that will also provide good insight into what it takes to prepare for an Olympics.”
The round-robin format will see Australia meet Fiji, New Zealand and Vanuatu. The top two sides – which will both be guaranteed a place at the Youth Olympic Games - will play off in the final with third and fourth also playing off against one another.
Should Australia qualify for the Youth Olympic Games a further selection process will be undertaken for that squad at the U18 National Championships in Canberra in April.
Australian U18 men’s squad
Youth Olympic Games Qualifying Tournament, Port Vila, Vanuatu, 8-11 March 2014
Athlete (Hometown) Position Age (at 12.2.14)
James Benetti (Perth, WA) Defender 17
Simon Benetti (Perth, WA) Defender 17
Isaac Framilo (Tamworth, NSW) Forward 16
Danny Fletcher (Brisbane, QLD) Midfielder 16
Sean Gibbs (Mackay, QLD) Midfielder 18
Tim Howard (Wakerley, QLD) Midfielder 17
Kurt Lovett (Parkes, NSW) Forward 17
Andrew Scanlon (Werribee, VIC) Defender 17
Hayden Walker (Perth, WA) Goalkeeper 17
Key features of Hockey5s and significant differences to 11-a-side format
• Five players on each side as opposed to traditional 11-a-side. Up to four rolling substitutes.
• Smaller pitch (55m long x 41.7m wide) played across a half of a full-sized pitch. Boundary boards keep the ball in play along the sidelines and backline.
• Matches last 45 minutes comprising three periods of 15 minutes with two minute breaks between periods – as opposed to 70 minutes comprising two 35 minute halves in 11-a-side.
• No shooting circle / ‘D’. Goals may be scored from anywhere on the pitch and by any team member, including goalkeepers who may score with their stick.
• Penalty corners replaced by a ‘challenge’, a one-on-one contest between an attacker and the defending goalkeeper within the new ‘11 metre’ area.
• There must always be a winner. In the event of a tie after 45 minutes a two minute period of ‘golden goal’ extra time is played with each side removing a player for that period. In the event that a golden goal is not scored after two minutes’ play, another two minutes are played and another player removed by each team. This continues until a goal is scored.
Hockey Australia media release
USA Indoor Hockey Announces Domestic Competition
U.S. Men and Women to compete in Big Apple Indoor Tournament
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – U.S. Indoor Manager Nigel Traverso has announced that the U.S. Indoor Men and Women athletes and the Under-19 women will compete in the Big Apple International Indoor Tournament, featuring some of the top clubs teams from the U.S. and Canada, February 15-16. Both teams will travel to the Sportsplex in Feasterville, Pa. to continue preparations for 2014 Pan American Indoor Cup.
“The Big Apple is the strongest tournament we have stateside for our women’s program,” said U.S. Women’s Indoor Head Coach Denise Zelenak. “Having this opportunity prior to both the CanAm Series and the Pan American Indoor Cup gives us a much needed opportunity to practice and implement our Hockey 5’s strategies, in addition to building a stronger cohesive touring unit.”
The event will also offer both squads an opportunity to compete under the watch of high level U.S. and international umpires and technical staff. Both senior squads competed in Leipzig Germany in January, which allowed the athletes to gain invaluable international experience. The Under-19 women will compete in the Collegiate Division against Division I teams from the East Coast.
"I am excited to see our team compete this weekend,” said squad veteran Kim Tunell. “We had some competitive training sessions leading up to this weekend and this tournament will give us a chance to test our strategies against other squads. This is an important building block for the team in our ultimate progression towards the Pan Am Cup.”
At the conclusion of the Championship, both coaches will be one step closer to selecting the teams that will compete in the Pan American Indoor Cup in Uruguay, April 2014, which is the qualifier for the next Indoor World Cup. Both squads will also travel to Canada in March to prepare for the Pan American event.
“The Big Apple International Indoor Championship gives us another opportunity to expose our Indoor players to the new Hockey 5's format as we continue our build-up to the Pan American Indoor Cup,” said Men’s Coach Andrew Thornton. “Several Canadian teams, consisting of a number international players, will be participating, thus providing us with top level competition on home soil.”
The Under-19 Junior women will compete in the collegiate division against several Division I teams.
“The Under-19s are excited to be competing for the first time as a squad this year,” said Junior Women’s Coach Rennie Milne. “Training together through the year allows us to peak for these types of high-level competition events. I am looking forward to implementing our training in a competitive competition scenario.”
Admission for all matches is free. For more information and to view a full match schedule visit http://www.bigapplehockey.com.
U.S. Men’s Indoor Big Apple Squad
Ajai Dhadwal (Agoura Hills, CA), William Holt (Camarilo, CA), JaJa Kentwell (Spring City, PA), Jesse Larson (College Park, MD), Chris Pothier (Marlborough, MA), Nicholas Richardson (Kents Hill, MA), Sebastian Scheurer (Greenwich, CT), Trevor Shattuck (Lutherville, MD)
U.S. Women’s Indoor Big Apple Squad
Susan Ciufo (Bangor, PA), Ashley Dalisera (Millersville, MD), Amy Daniel (Mountain Top, PA), Lauren Hibshman (Allentown, PA), Amanda Fleischut (Doylestown, Pa.), Maria Keesling (Downingtown, Pa.), Erin Matson (Chadds Ford, PA), Rachael Milne (Hatfield, PA), Maddy Sposito (Ridgefield, CT), Kimberly Tunell (Wilmington, DE), Mallory Weisen (Lock Haven, PA)
U.S. U19 Women’s Indoor Big Apple Squad
Emily Braunewell (Ambler, PA), Maeve Doherty (Millersville, MD), Megan DuVernois (Collegeville, PA), Selena Garzio (McAdoo, PA), Caroline Hanks (Niskayuna, NY), Alexa Hoover (Collegeville, PA), Elizabeth Mata (Severna Park, MD), Lauren Moyer (York, PA), Meredith Sholder (Fleetwood, PA), Cassie Sumfest (Lewisburg, PA), Angela Virtu (Blue Bell, PA), Rebecca Zamojcin (Phoenixville, PA)
USFHA media release
US Under 12 and Under 14 National Indoor Tournament Information
With the 2014 National Indoor Tournament rapidly approaching, there are a few reminders for the first ever Under-12 and Under-14 tournament, held at the new Home of Hockey at Spooky Nook Sports in Lancaster, Pa. The event will be held in Spooky Nook Sports’ pristine hockey hall featuring 10 indoor hockey courts.
As with all of USA Field Hockey’s national events, the tournament is a Stay To Play event. Spooky Nook Sports Housing is the Stay To Play partner for the event and will be handling all housing requests and reservations. All housing requests must be made with Valerie Stewart at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Room blocks have been made at a variety of hotels in the surrounding community ensuring availability for all teams across a range of hotels.
Being locally housed ensures teams can avoid lengthy commutes, particularly in the winter months when adverse weather conditions are more prevalent. As always and in concert with the Stay To Play policy at other USA Field Hockey national events, a housing waiver is an option for families who live locally and choose to commute.
“Within the facility, we do not permit outside food to be brought into the venue, but dining options at the facility include many nutritious and healthy selections that are affordably priced and appropriate for athletes,” said Lyndsay Warner of Spooky Nook Sports. “We do encourage athletes to bring drinks containers up to 32oz which can be refilled from water fountains inside the building.”
Over tournament weekends, there will be a daily parking fee of $5 per vehicle at Spooky Nook Sports. Parking in the Spooky Nook lot will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. All payment for parking will be processed at the Guest Services Oval, which is located just inside the entrance to the Spooky Nook Sports facility.
Satellite parking will also be available in lots located a few miles from the facility. Shuttles will run throughout the day and will be available to return participants to the satellite lot. There will be no fee for parking at the satellite lots.
One of the satellite lots is Root’s Country Market located at 705 Graystone Rd, Manheim Pa. 17545. Additional lots may be provided if necessary. Spooky Nook Sports will communicate this information as soon as available.
For the most up-to-date information on all things concerning the 2014 National Indoor Tournament, regularly check usafieldhockey.com.
USFHA media release
Masters panel takes control
It is not just the current international players who are chasing World Cup honours
While the younger members of the hockey community will be battling it out at the Kyocera Hockey Stadium for the title of Rabobank Hockey World Champions, stadiums across the Netherlands will become the settings for the Masters Hockey World Cups, where a raft of other titles will be up for grabs. More than 2,000 competitors, male and female, will represent 110 teams from 21 different National Associations. Masters World Cups will be battled out in every age group from 40+ including, for the first time, 60+ women and 75+ men. The events will take place to coincide with the Rabobank Hockey World Cup, enabling age group competitors to both spectate and play hockey at the highest level.
And if anyone thought that hockey players became less competitive as they got older, they would be wise to take a trip to the Masters Hockey and see some of the game's greats continue to demonstrate their skills and maintain rivalries that have, in some cases, lasted decades.
The Masters Hockey scene has grown and developed over the past few years as more players of all ages are keen to extend their playing career. To support that growth, the International Hockey Federation (FIH), along with the World Grand Masters Association (WGMA) and International Masters Hockey Association (IMHA) has created the newly constituted FIH Masters Hockey Panel.
Chaired by FIH Executive Board member and former England Women’s Masters player, Sue Catton, the panel has been set up to lead the worldwide development of international Masters Hockey while driving participation via FIH’s Continental Federations and National Associations.
FIH President Leandro Negre welcomed the initiative, saying: “Inclusivity is one of FIH’s core values. The ability to play our sport at any age or ability is central to hockey’s appeal. Working in partnership with the WGMA and IMHA, we will encourage and support more National Associations to get involved. The scale of the events that have been organised to date are incredible and we really are excited to be able to support these better.”
The second FIH Masters Hockey World Cup will take place at the Hockey Club Rotterdam, from June 5 – 13.
For more information click here.
FIH site
Indian Sports ministry recommended Dhyan Chand for Bharat Ratna
Neha Shukla
LUCKNOW: The Union sports ministry suggested conferment of Bharat Ratna on late Major Dhyan Chand but PMO conferred the award on Sachin Tendulkar.
The file notings of the PMO and letters of the sports ministry, provided in response to an RTI query by Subhash Agrawal, show that hockey wizard was a popular choice but PMO, which also received letters from people opposing Bharat Ratna to Sachin, went ahead with its decision to confer the award on cricket maestro.
Minister of state (IC) for youth affairs and sports and MoS for defence, Jitendra Singh had recommended hockey wizard for the award through his letter dated July 16, 2013 to the PMO.
The extant rules and regulations provide that 'Bharat Ratna is awarded in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order in any field of human endeavor'. They further provide that recommendations for Bharat Ratna are made by the Prime Minister to the President.'
PM had recommended the award of Bharat Ratna on Sachin and Dr CNR Rao in 2013. The President has since conveyed his approval to the conferment of the award on them.
The ministry's choice had been late hockey legend Dhyan Chand, but his case was not followed up much by the PMO.
"Late Major Dhyan Chand is the most deserving sportsperson for being conferred with Bharat Ratna posthumously, as he fulfils the criteria of exceptional service/performance of highest order in the field of sports which made the country proud. It was for his amazing performance that he was nicknamed 'hockey wizard'", said the minister's letter.
The Times of India