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News 19 August 2014

All the news for Tuesday 19 August 2014


Hockey5s competition powers through Day 2

Argentina and the Netherlands dominate women’s tournament


Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games mascot Lele (Photo: Xinhua)

The big result of Day 2 came from Zambia’s men who insouciantly danced to an 8-1 win against European hockey giants Germany, with Alfred Chola Mbande contributing a total of four goals. After the final whistle, the Zambian men cheered their women’s team to a strong middle third against New Zealand but it wasn't enough to deny the Blacksticks victory.

Meanwhile, the world’s top two women’s hockey nations put their stamp on the Hockey5s competition as the Netherlands opened their campaign with double digits against Fiji, while Argentina secured their second shutout in as many matches.

The final women’s match was the closest match in the competition yet, as China wrestled down Uruguay with a pair of goals from Zhang Jinrong.

On the men’s side, four goals from Mackenzie Warne guided Australia to victory over Bangladesh, while Spain showed excellent tactical discipline in a lively encounter to take victory against Canada. With this, Spain also took the top of the table in the men’s Pool A.

New Zealand and Mexico concluded today’s action at the hockey venue, with the Kiwis storming to an 8-1 win that sees them sit atop Pool B at the end of today.

Results

Women

Netherlands – Fiji 17:0 (5:0; 10:0)
New Zealand – Zambia 10:5 (3:0; 7:4)
Argentina – South Africa 9:0 (3:0; 7:0)
China – Uruguay 2:0 (1:0; 2:0)

Men

Australia – Bangladesh 5:2 (1:0; 3:1)
Germany – Zambia 1:8 (0:2; 0:3)
Spain – Canada 6:3 (2:1; 2:1)
New Zealand – Mexico 8:1 (4:0; 7:0)

FIH site



Australia defeat Bangladesh

Australian Youth Olympic hockey team win 5-2 in Hockey5s format



It was a hard fought win by the hockey5s boys this afternoon out at the Youth Olympic Sports Park defeating Bangladesh 5-2.

The green and gold were under pressure for majority of the match but ran away with the win after Mackenzie Warne scored two late goals.

“We expected it to be a hard contest. They were good, physical and really quick and a few of their players were very skilful,” Warne said.

“We stayed composed and fought through the pressure.”

Bangladesh were on top for most of the opening period but the Aussies didn’t crack, Warne on the counter-attack securing the team’s first goal just before the break.

Warne extended the lead once more, striking the ball from just inside the opposition half to hit the back of the net.

Alec Rasmussen showed his skill, tomahawking the ball from around 15 metres out to fly past the goal keeper and make it 3 – 0 mid way through the second period.

Infringements by the Aussies took them down to four men late in the second and Bangladesh made the most of the extra player scoring a goal either side of the break.

“It was hard with the yellow three cards against us to produce some attack but we made good work of the opportunities we had,” Warne explained.

A solid performance from goalkeeper Max Hughes frustrated the opposition fending off multiple shots to hold the lead for Australia.

Warne took his tally to four goals in the match securing two late goals to give the green and gold their first tournament win.

“A few of the goals were pretty scrappy but all-in-all I’m happy with how the game went. All the boys helped set up my goals,” the goal scoring machine said.

“We came into this game knowing what they (Bangladesh) can produce and they came out and gave it their all, but we held together as a team and got through it,” Hughes said. 

Next game is against South Africa tomorrow at 16:00 CST / 18:00 AEST. It will be tough as the South Africans were in attendance this afternoon keeping a close eye on the tactics of the Australian Team.

Youth Olympic Games
Nanjing, China

AUSTRALIA: 5
Mackenzie Warne 10, 17, 29, 30
Alec Rasmussen 20

BANGLADESH: 2
Islam Deen Muhammad Emon 20
Naim Muhammad Uddin 25

Australia v Bangladesh
Athlete (Hometown, State)
Matthew Bird, WA
Jonathan Bretherton, VIC
Max Hendry,  VIC
Tim Howard, QLD
Max Hughes, NSW
Alec Rasmussen, WA
Nathanael Stewart, NSW
Mackenzie Warne, QLD
Corey Weyer, QLD

Australia Fixtures, Youth Olympic Games
Tuesday 19 August - Australia v South Africa 6pm AEST / 4pm AWST
Wednesday 20 August - Australia v Spain 7.30pm AEST / 5.30pm AWST
Thursday 21 August - Australia v Canada 6.30pm AEST / 4.30pm AWST

Media release content
Please note the above content has been supplied by the Australian Olympic Committee.

Hockey Australia media release



More wins for NZ Hockey5 teams in Nanjing



The New Zealand Youth Olympic Women’s hockey team have won 10-5 in their opening game against Zambia and the Men’s team have won their second pool game 8-1 against Mexico at the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing.

In the women’s game against Zambia, the Kiwis got off to a great starting leading 3-0 after Catherine Tinning, Su Arn Kwek and Ella Hyatt-Brown scored. But their lead was short lived, Zambia knocking home four goals in the second spell with Tinning the only player to add to the Kiwi score line.

All tied up at 4-4, the Kiwis needed a strong final third to pull away and take the win and they achieved it, conceding only one goal and piling on another six thanks to Casey-Mae Waddell, Tayla White, Kwek, Frances Davies, Hyatt-Brown and Bridget Kiddle. Zambia’s Catherine Kalomo was in top form for her side scoring a hat-trick.

The men romped passed Mexico winning 8-1 and taking their second win of the tournament ahead of two tougher games to come against Germany and Pakistan.

Leading 4-0 after the first third, 7-0 after the second third  and scoring once in the final spell, the game was never in doubt for New Zealand.

The goal scoring was shared between the team – Dominic Newman, Hayden Phillips got a goal each and David Brydon, Richmond Lum and  Mac Wilcox scored a double.

The new Hockey5 format has been introduced by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and is being played at the Youth Olympics (16-28 August 2014).

There are nine in a team with only five players on the field, there are side boards around a reduced field size, no penalty corners, and the game is split into three periods of 15 minutes with an interval of two minutes between each period.

The NZ Men will face Germany next at 8.30pm on Wednesday and Pakistan at 11pm on Thursday.

The NZ Women now take on Germany at 9.30pm tonight, China at 11pm on Wednesday and Uruguay at 9.30pm on Thursday. There are ten nations competing, with two pools of five nations in each. (NZT)

The men’s team is David Brydon, Canterbury (17); Robbie Capizzi, North Harbour (17); Fynn Edwards, (GK) North Harbour (18); Richmond Lum, Auckland (18); Dominic Newman, Canterbury (17); Hayden Phillips, Central (16); Aidan Sarikaya, Midlands (17); Dylan Thomas, Central (18); Mackenzie Wilcox, Central (17). The team is coached by Dave Kosoof.

The women’s team is Isla Bint, Auckland (16); Frances Davies, Midlands (17); Su Arn Kwek, Auckland (18); Bridget Kiddle, Capital (17); Tayla White, Auckland (17); Ella Brown-Hyatt, North Harbour (16); Catherine Tinning, Canterbury (18); Casey-Mae Waddell, Central (17); Amy Robinson, Midlands (18). The team is coached by Caryn Paewai.

Hockey New Zealand Media release



Spain defeats Canada in second game at Youth Olympics

Shaheed Devji

After a big 5-1 win over South Africa in its first match of the Youth Olympics, the Canadian Men's Under-18 hockey fives team dropped a close tilt to Spain 6-3 Monday morning in China.

Heading into the match, the Canadians knew they would need to be at their best, facing a Spanish team with good speed and skill.

The match was tightly contested, with Spain holding a small lead for most of the game.

The first goal of play came in the fifth minute as Joan Fortuny Tarres beat Canadian keeper Liam Manning. Five minutes later, the Spanish added to their lead on a goal from Castej de Gonzalez.

Canada responded in the twelfth minute as Vikram Sandhu scored the first of his two goals of the game.

After Spain regained a two goal lead, Sandhu added his second tally in the thirteith minute to bring the scoreline to 3-2 in favour of the Spaniards.

Any momentum the Canadians had at that point was quickly halted as tt didn't take long for Spain to respond.

Two goals in three minutes established the first three-goal lead of the match and despite pushback from Canada on a goal from Balraj Panesar in the thirty-sixth minute, the deficit was too large to overcome.

Canada will take the lessons learned from this high-scoring match versus Spain into their third game of the tournament against Bangladesh on Tuesday.

Field Hockey Canada media release



Ireland lose out a narrow 1-2 to Spain



Ireland lost a narrow 2-1 to the higher ranked Spain tonight as the Electric Ireland 3 Nations series continues at the National Hockey Stadium in UCD.

Ireland took on Spain tonight for the second time in five days losing out 2-1 in a tightly contested match. Ireland took the lead in the 20th minute when Emma Smyth swept to the corner from the top of the circle to meet an oncoming Naomi Carroll who slotted home the set piece.

Both sides had chances in the remaining minutes of the first half but it was Spain who converted with just eight seconds left on the clock after Georgina Olivia sent through a strong shot picked off and deflected in by Maria Contardi to level 1-1 just before the break.

Ireland came out goal hunting applying immediate pressure from the start of the second half but the Spanish defence remained calm dealing ably with the Green Army threat. Spain secured their first penalty corner of the match in the 45th minute but Perez’s dragflick didn’t find air and Ireland regained possession. Spain made no such mistake when they lined up for their next penalty corner in the 55th minute this time Lola Riera dragged home to give her side the lead for the first time in this match.

Ireland responded immediately with an attack and penalty corner of their own but Chloe Brown’s drag flick missed the mark. Ireland really stepped up in the final few minutes looking for an equaliser but good interchanges never found the final pass and no meaningful shot tested the Spanish keeper.

Ireland will enjoy a rest day tomorrow before taking back to the pitch on Wednesday night at 7pm against France before they face Spain once again on Thursday evening.

IRELAND 1 (1)  Naomi Carroll 20m pc
SPAIN 2 (1) Maria Contardi 35m fg; Lola Riera 55m pc

Starting XI: Emma Gray GK; Emma Smyth; Chloe Brown; Shirley McCay; Megan Frazer; Naomi Carroll; Aine Connery; Chloe Watkins; Hannah Matthews; Gillian Pinder; Yvonne O’Byrne

Reserves: Nikki Evans; Audrey O’Flynn; Ayeisha McFerran; Katie Mullan; Anna O’Flanagan; Kate Dillon; Emily Beatty

Irish Hockey Association media release



Women’s development win again

Slattery scores twice in 4-0 over China in Dalian

Australia's women's development squad re-took the lead in the five match series against China with a comprehensive 4-0 win over the hosts in Dalian in match three. Australia bounced back from the 3-1 defeat in game two to record the 4-0 victory courtesy of a double from WA's Kathryn Slattery and one goal each from fellow WA product Katy Symons and Queensland's Murphy Allendorf.

The Aussie women continued to show signs of improvement, specifically with their forward structure, which paid dividends in the circle. The developing team applied consistent pressure to the Chinese defence, which generated quality goal scoring opportunities.

With two games remaining - on Monday and Tuesday - before they move on to Japan, Australia's women will be looking to build their momentum as they continue to improve tactically and technically.

Australian Women's Development Squad - Tour to China and Japan

Match 3 v China
Dalian, CHN

Australia 4 (2)
Kathryn Slattery 20, 33 (FG, FG)
Murphy Allendorf 37 (PC)
Katy Symons 38 (FG)

China 0 (0)
-

Started: Kate Denning (South Perth, WA), Elizabeth Duguid (Darwin, NT), Kirstin Dwyer (Mackay, QLD), Ashlea Fey (Sunshine Coast, QLD), Stephanie Kershaw (Townsville, QLD), Kazzia Lammon (Brisbane, QLD), Georgina Morgan (Armidale, NSW), Gabrielle Nance (Adelaide, SA), Kathryn Slattery (Como, WA), Penny Squibb (Tambellup, WA), Katy Symons (Attadale, WA),

Used Sub: Murphy Allendorf (Mount Gravatt, QLD), Tamsin Bunt (Aylmerton, NSW), Jacqui Day (Mountain Creek, QLD), Kyra Flynn (Hillarys, WA), Samantha Snow (Blackburn, VIC)

Did Not Play: Madison Fitzpatrick (Cabarita Beach, QLD), Jordyn Holzberger (Ipswich, QLD), Audrey Smith (Wynnum, QLD), Mariah Williams (Teralba, NSW)

Hockey Australia media release



U.S. Men Assisted by World Class Players for Argentina Series



CHULA VISTA, Calif. – After several weeks of intense training and 12 test matches against Mexico and Chile, the U.S. Men’s National Team heads into their final five-match summer series against Argentina. The series will be held at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif. from August 23-29. The squad will be led by Head Coach Chris Clements and two standouts in the hockey world, Jamie Dwyer and Taeke Taekema.

“Having these World Class players a part of our program is a fantastic addition to our staff,” said Head Coach Chris Clements. “What both Jamie and Taeke can bring to the group is priceless. We have identified two areas of our game, efficiency in our attacking 25 and goal scoring on attack corners, as critical performance factors that will help continue our positive progress as a program. Jamie will be working with the players in trainings prior to our Argentina series and Taeke will be the Assistant Coach for the series.”

Dwyer, arguably one of the most decorated male field hockey players in the world and former Australian National Team striker, is an unheard of five-time FIH Player of the Year. Among many impressive accomplishments, he is an Olympic gold medalist, a two-time World Cup gold medalist and a six-time Champions Trophy medalist. Dwyer amassed a total of 300 international appearances and 191 goals while playing for the Kookaburras.

“With regards to our current development focus areas, the ability for us to improve in our efficiencies in the attacking 25 is right in the wheel house of Jamie, as one of the most dangerous attacking players in the history of the game,” said Clements. “His experience and knowledge will be of great benefit to our high possession rate through the midfield.”

Former Dutch National Team defender Taekema recorded 239 caps and an astounding 221 goals while wearing the bright orange jersey. His trophy case features an Olympic silver medal, two World Cup bronze medals and four Champions Trophy gold medals, among others. Taekema’s reputation as one of the world’s most lethal corner specialists is deserved as he is the top all-time goal scorer in Champions Trophy history, second in career goals for the Dutch National Team, top goal scorer at the 2008 Olympic Games and top goal scorer at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups.

“With Taeke, we will be utilizing his goal scoring abilities from set pieces within attack penalty corners,” said Clements. “We already have made pleasing improvements in our efficiencies with attack penalty corners through our work with the USOC Performance Science staff’s biomechanics analysis resulting in new developments in the technical elements of the skill. We have great depth in players who are competent at executing this skill and we are looking to make these players world-class with Taeke's help.”

Throughout the summer, Team USA has posted an impressive undefeated record of 9-0-3. Striker Will Holt (Camarillo, Calif.) is the leading scorer with 14 goals. All Argentina matches are set to begin at 10:45 a.m. PST. The squads will face off August 23, 24, 26, 27 and 29.

Follow USA Field Hockey on Twitter @USAFieldHockey and check usafieldhockey.com for more of the men’s summer series updates.

USFHA media release



KZN Inland and Free State win again but now it's time for the big guns

JONATHAN COOK at Greenfields Turf


Zimbabwe vice-captain Nicky Watson (left) and Chiree Coetzee tussle for possession during KZN Inland's 2-1 victory in the B Section of the SA Women's Interprovincial Tournament at Greenfields Turf in Pietermaritzburg Monday. Photo: GAVIN NEL

PROMOTION aspirants KZN Inland and Free State notched up their second successive wins in the B Section on day two of the SA Women’s Interprovincial Hockey Tournament (IPT) at Greenfields Turf in Pietermaritzburg Monday.

KZN Inland had to work hard for their 2-1 victory over a motivated Zimbabwe in the midday heat while Free State’s potent combination of structure and flair cracked a stubborn nut in underdogs Eastern Gauteng in the early match.

It was touch and go at times for the host province and their supporters as Zimbabwe never stopped believing, first-half strikes from Vicky Jonker (penalty corner in the 14th minute) and Rachel Barnard (33rd minute field goal) doing the trick, while the Zimbabweans reduced the deficit through Audrey Mangwende (field goal) on the stroke of half-time.

Earlier, Eastern Gauteng goalkeeper Darné van Ballagooyen was again in brilliant form while her determined fellow defenders never gave an inch, which combined to keep the score down to 5-0 after Free State had led 2-0 at half-time.

Investec South Africa-capped striker Tanya Britz continued her good form with the first three goals; two from penalty corners, while another well-worked PC saw skipper Liné Malan get on the scoresheet before Lisa Hawker added the final touch in the 5-0 end result.

Log leaders Free State (Pool A) and KZN Inland (Pool B) both have a rest on day three and while the two days’ B Section action has been entertaining, the big guns come out to play Tuesday in the opening round of the elite A Section.

Much interest will focus on defending champions Southern Gauteng’s clash with last year’s fifth-place finishers Eastern Province at 12 noon.

The Johannesburg-based Southerns have 11 SA-capped players in their midst who have amassed an incredible 1 266 Test matches’ worth of experience between them that includes participation in Olympic Games, World Cups, Commonwealth Games and other world-level events. Southerns’ opponents, Eastern Province, have one Test cap between them.

Last year’s finalists Western Province, shaded 2-1 by Southern Gauteng in Port Elizabeth last year thanks primarily to a wonder goal by current Southerns assistant coach Tsoanelo Pholo, also have an experienced side and they face last year’s sixth-place finishers Border at 10am.

In the rest of Tuesday’s A Section action, North West, fourth in 2013, meet newly promoted Southern Gauteng Witsies at 2pm while Northern Blues, bronze medallists in PE, tackle KZN Coastal Raiders, who were seventh last year, at 6pm.

Monday’s other results - B Section: WP Peninsula (1) 2 (Tarryn Horner, penalty corner 26th minute, Margaux Reynecke field goal 44th minute) Mpumalanga 0; SA Country Districts A (3) 4 (Leanie van der Westhuizen FG 7th, 33rd, 46th, Candice Stanton FG 32nd) EP Settlers 0.

Tuesday’s other fixtures – B Section: Mpumalanga vs KZN Mynahs (8am); EP Settlers vs SACD B (Pape’s Astro, Maritzburg College 10am); SACD A vs Zimbabwe (Pape’s, 12 noon); WP Pens vs East Gauteng (4pm).

SA Hockey Association media release



SA stars set for hockey IPT

Wesley Botton


Nicolene Terblance of SA's women's hockey team. Picture: Wessel Oosthuizen / SASPA.

The standard of play at this week’s SA Women’s Interprovincial hockey tournament is expected to be boosted by the presence of the national squad members.

For the first time in a few years, the Investec SA players are required to turn out at the top-flight domestic tournament, which gets underway in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday and ends on Saturday.

Defending champions Southern Gauteng, who boast 11 women who have represented South Africa, and 2012 winners Western Province will start the tournament as favourites for the A-section title.

Southerns have been drawn in Pool A against North West, Eastern Province and Wits, while Province are up against Northern Gauteng, Border and the KZN Raiders in Pool B.

The Citizen



Terengganu riding high


Faizal Saari

TERENGGANU claimed their third straight win in Division Two of the Razak Cup when they beat Perlis 5-2 in Kuantan yesterday.

After beating Armed Forces 7-1 and Police 4-1, Terengganu look set to walk away with the title.

Faizal Saari (23rd), Baljit Singh Sarjab (28th), Kamarul Anuar (31st, 57th) and Syamiru Aiman (69th) delivered for Terengganu yesterday.

And the Perlis goals were scored by Azroy Azeman (44th) and Yunus Hussin (67th).

Terengganu’s next two matches are against Kedah and Kelantan, and look set to top Division Two and play in the final against the runners-up.

RESULTS: Division One A: Pahang 3 Selangor 1, Perak 4 Negri Sembilan 3.

Division Two: Kedah 0 Armed Forces 5, Kelantan 1 Police 2, Perlis 2 Terengganu 5.

TODAY: Divison One B: Kuala Lumpur v Johor (8pm, Pitch I); Malacca v Penang (8pm, Pitch II).

Division Two: Kelantan v Perlis (4pm, Pitch I); Police v Forces (6pm, Pitch I); Terengganu v Kedah (8pm, Pitch II).

TOMORROW: Division One A: Negri v Pahang (6pm, Pitch I); Perak v Selangor (6pm, Pitch II).

Group B: Kuala Lumpur v Malacca (8pm, Pitch I); Penang v Johor (8pm, Pitch II).

THURSDAY: Division Two: Terengganu v Kelantan (6pm, Pitch I); Forces v Perlis (6pm, Pitch II); Kedah v Police (8pm, Pitch I).

New Straits Times



Perak edge Negri and qualify for Razak Cup semis

By S. Ramaguru

KUALA LUMPUR: Defending champions Perak qualified for the Razak Cup semi-finals when they came from behind to beat Negri Sembilan 4-3 in a Group A match at the Kuantan Hockey Stadium.

In another match, Pahang kept alive their semi-final hopes with a 3-1 win over Selangor.

Negri Sembilan and Pahang have three points and will play each other on Wednesday with the winners qualifying for the last four.

On Monday, Negri took the lead against Perak through Mohamed Maziz in the 11th minute.

Mohamed Haziq Shamsul then put Perak back on level terms in the 23rd minute, only to see Kavin Kartic give Negri the lead three minutes later.

Shazrul Imran scored twice in the 32nd and 47th minutes to give Perak a 3-2 lead, but Kavin gave Negri a lifeline with his second goal in the 52nd minute.

Just when Negri thought that they had a point wrapped up, Mohamed Najib Hassan popped in the winner for Perak in the 65th minute.

In Division Two, Terengganu edged closer to the final after chalking up their third straight win after whipping Perlis 5-2.

The top two teams in the seven-team division will play in the final with the winners gaining promotion to Division One next year.

Khairul Annuar (31st and 57th), Faizal Saari (23rd), S. Baljit Singh (28th) and Syamiru Aiman (69th) scored for Terengganu while Perlis got their goals through Azroy Azeman (44th) and Yunos Husin (67th).

The Star of Malaysia



Ready to move on

By Jugjet Singh

MALAYSIAN Hockey Confederation (MHC) president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah will not seek re-election when the Annual General Meeting is held in November.

Tengku Abdullah’s reason is simple — he is looking to jump onto a bigger ship, as he eyes the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) president’s post.

He announced his decision yesterday after MHC held a council meeting to discuss amendments to its constitution.

“I will not stand for the MHC election in November and this is an early notice to would be candidates who are interested to take over the helm of MHC.

“Yes, I am disappointed with some of the recent happenings (Malaysia doing badly in the World Cup and Commonwealth Games) but my decision is not solely based on that.

“I have informed the council many times of my intention in the past, but if there is good news from the Asian Games, like a gold medal, I may reconsider,” said Tengku Abdullah.

He has been at the helm since Nov 2008, and under him, MHC has had a good time filling up its coffers, the juniors have done well while the seniors qualified for the World Cup after 12 years.

The MHC council, however, was unanimous in wanting Tengku Abdullah to stay on.

“The council members still want him to helm hockey and this is a unanimous decision, and we will try and coax Tengku Abdullah to stay on for another term,” said MHC senior vice president S. Shamala.

When asked if he has a replacement in mind, he said: “No, I don’t have anybody in mind, but the person must have a big heart and deep pockets.”

There were whispers that Tengku Abdullah will hold a discussion with his possible successor after the council meeting yesterday but he neither confirmed nor denied it.

“News travels fast around here, but no, I don’t have a successor in mind.”

As for the AHF elections, nominations close on Aug 20, and the MHC has nominated Tengku Abdullah and it looks like he will be challenged by a candidate from Pakistan.

“I am not jumping ship, just looking to move to a bigger ship which is the AHF.”

The AHF president’s post is vacant following the demise of Sultan Azlan Shah, who had served from 1990.

MHC senior vice president Nur Azmi Ahmad will stand for the AHF’s vice-president’s post, while MHC vice presidents’ Manjit Majid Abdullah and AHF incumbents S. Shamala and Datuk Rahim Ariff will go for council members’ posts.

New Straits Times



MHC president Tengku Abdullah will not seek re-election

By S. Ramaguru


Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah (centre) will not seek re-election for the MHC presidency at their congress later this year. - BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah dropped a bombshell on Monday, saying he will not be seeking re-election at their congress later this year.

“I want to give another person the chance to helm the MHC. I have other missions which I want to accomplish. There is no other reason,” said Tengku Abdullah after a 3½-hour council meeting.

He went on to state his intention to go for the presidency of the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) at their congress in Kuala Lumpur on Aug 31. Tan Sri P. Alagendra is the acting AHF president following the demise of Sultan Azlan Shah in May this year.

Tengku Abdullah took over as MHC president in 2009. His first term was for two years and the constitution was amended a year later to allow for a four-year term.

“I believe I have done my best while serving the MHC. I have stated many times that I do not want to hang on to the post and that the association need to look at others who can take over. I hope they will do so now,” said Tengku Abdullah, who is the president of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and a vice-president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Meanwhile, the number of council members in the MHC has been reduced from 52 to 21.

As for the date of the congress, Tengku Abdullah said it would be held after the Incheon Asian Games in South Korea from Sept 19-Oct 4.

MHC senior vice president S. Shamala said the council plan to appeal to Tengku Abdullah to stay on.

“Let’s hope the national team come back with a gold medal at the Asian Games and clinch a place in the 2016 Rio Olympics. That way the president may change his mind about quitting the MHC,” she added.

The Star of Malaysia



OCM reinstate hockey to Category A for Asiad

By S. Ramaguru
   
KUALA LUMPUR: Hockey has been reinstated to Category A for the Incheon Asian Games in South Korea from Sept 19-Oct 4.

The decision to reverse the decision was made by the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) selection committee over the weekend.

The Malaysian Hockey Confedera­tion (MHC) filed an appeal last Thursday after both the men’s and women’s teams were downgraded to Category B last Monday.

“The selection committee revised their decision following an appeal by the MHC.

“There is nothing wrong in changing our mind if there is merit to having them in Category A,” said OCM secretary general Datuk Sieh Kok Chi.

Hockey was not the only sports to be downgraded to Category B. The others were football, cricket, rugby, kabbadi, beach volleyball and the women’s badminton team.

Six sports – cycling (road), tennis, golf, canoeing, fencing and triathlon – were initially axed from the Games list.

“But following their appeals, we have included the men’s and women’s golf teams as well as two road cyclists for the Games.

“As for shooting, we also allowed two more shooters to compete. But all these athletes will go under Category B,” said Kok Chi.

Sports going to the multi-sports Games under Category B will have to pay their own way. If they meet the target set by the OCM, whatever expenses incurred will be reimbursed.

The Star of Malaysia



S’pore, Indonesia and Thailand complete semis line-up

KUALA LUMPUR: Singapore qualified for the semi-finals of the Asian Schools Under-18 hockey tournament after a 3-0 win over Hong Kong in their final Group B match at the Sultan Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh.

Singapore topped the group with seven points from two wins and a draw. Mohamed Makaaiel (seventh and 42nd minutes) and Mohamed Fauzi (62nd) scored for the Singaporeans in Monday’s match.

Thailand also qualified for the last four as Group B runners-up after a 0-0 draw with Sri Lanka.

In Tuesday’s semi-finals, Thailand face Malaysia while Singapore meet Indonesia.

Also on Monday, Indonesia scored a 2-0 win over Macau in Group A to join leaders Malaysia in the last four. Frank Atwo opened the scoring with a field goal for Indonesia in the 10th minute and Dede Alberta added the second by converting a penalty stroke in the 31st minute.

The Star of Malaysia



Ford NHL to serve as game changer for hockey


Pictured: Southern's Kane Russell, courtesy www.photosport.co.nz

This year’s Ford National Hockey League will literally serve as a game changer for the sport of hockey.

Games will now be played in four 15 minute quarters, rather than the traditional two 35 minute halves.

Other changes see the clock stop when a penalty corner is awarded, with teams given 40 seconds to set for the corner to be taken, while the clock will also stop for 40 seconds after a goal has been scored.

As of 1st September the International Hockey Federation (FIH) has stipulated that all international games will adopt the change, with the NHL providing the perfect place for New Zealand players and fans to get a taste of the new format.

Hockey New Zealand High Performance Director Terry Evans said it’s a good chance for players to have some extra time adapting to the change.

“The decision to play the new format at NHL is a no brainer for us. The FIH will change the rules at their international competitions from 1 September, so we need to change our rules at a domestic level to give our players and coaches the most experience as possible,” Evans said.

“This is quite a big change and it will be exciting to see the impact the new format has on games. It’s expected to be more spectator friendly, help television ratings and commercial interest, and will speed up the game.

“Playing the new format at NHL gives us a good jump on the rest of the world in terms of preparation, especially with the Black Sticks Women heading off to Champions Trophy in three months’ time.”

The 2014 National Senior Tournament will continue to be played in 35 minute halves this year.

GAME CHANGES SUMMARY

  - Four 15 minute quarters
  - Two minute break between quarters
  - 10 minute halftime break
  - Clock stops when penalty corner is awarded, 40 seconds for teams to set
  - Clock stops when a goal is scored for 40 seconds

Hockey New Zealand Media release



Teams finalised for Ford National Hockey League


Pictured: Canterbury's Rachel McCann, courtesy www.photosport.co.nz

New Zealand’s eight regions have confirmed their teams to compete at this year’s Ford National Hockey League.

The opening two rounds take place at various venues around the country on 30th/31st August with tournament week hosted at North Harbour Hockey Stadium from 6th-14th September.

Among the 16 men’s and women’s teams competing, rosters feature 38 current National Squad members and 14 Development Squad players.

There are 20 Black Sticks Men and Women who played at the recent Glasgow Commonwealth Games who are back in action for their regions.

Among the top Kiwi talent 19 international guest players are heading over to New Zealand, including names such as Jamie Dwyer, Simon Orchard, Tim Deavin and Renee Ashton.

Defending Ford NHL champions are the Auckland Men, who defeated Southern 4-3 in a dramatic penalty shoot-out, and the Midlands Women who cruised past Capital 5-0 in their final.

Earlybird tickets are now on sale through the Hockey NZ website

CLICK HERE to view 2014 Ford NHL teams

CLICK HERE for more on the 2014 Ford NHL

Hockey New Zealand Media release



Quarter time

New quarters format with matches played in four periods of 15 minutes for AHL



The Australian Hockey League (AHL) is preparing for another great tournament, which this year runs from 4 – 11 October.

Amongst a number of developments, this year’s tournaments in Brisbane (women) and Adelaide (men) will see the competition take a giant step by introducing the new quarters format with matches played in four periods of 15 minutes.

The change is being implemented for the AHL only with special permission from the International Hockey Federation (FIH), who are introducing quarters to international hockey from 1 September. A similar quarters format has been in operation in the Euro Hockey League and Hockey India League for some time, although those leagues have, until now, used four periods of 17.5 minutes.

The format change will also see the introduction of a 40 second time stoppage immediately following the award of a penalty corner or a goal. Where a penalty corner is re-awarded the clock will not be stopped.

A two minute break after the completion of the first and third quarters will see the teams remain on the pitch while half time remains a ten minute break with the teams leaving the field of play.

Athletes and spectators alike will benefit from another of the changes to have occurred in international hockey in recent years with AHL umpires set to allow athletes to play the ball with their sticks above shoulder height provided it is not dangerous.

And staying with the umpires, if a defending player breaks the line early prior to the taking of a penalty corner they will be sent to the halfway line (or, in the case of the goalkeeper, a defending teammate will be sent halfway), while green cards will see an offending player serve a two minute suspension.

Permission for the changes outlined above has been granted specifically by the FIH for the Australian Hockey League and do not apply to other domestic competitions in Australia. For the full AHL tournament regulations click here.

Don’t miss our AHL preview in next month’s Hockey Australia newsletter.

Hockey Australia media release



Watch and learn

Ella Loudon benefits from U21 ball girl experience

12 year old Ella Loudon from Perth, Western Australia received the chance to learn from the country’s best young hockey players at the 2014 U21 Australian Women’s Championships in July.

The duties of a ball girl may not sound like a ‘glamorous’ role, however, Ella looked at the opportunity from a different angle…as a chance to learn and develop her own hockey skills from what she witnessed on the sidelines – the best seat in the house - over the 12 day tournament.

Encouraging other girls and boys her age to get in involved and become a ball girl or boy, Ella believes it will not only help improve their hockey knowledge, but it will develop their skills from what they witness up close while having an abundance of fun.

“It was really easy to get into. I had to have some training and a couple of games experience before they allowed me to ball girl at the U21 Australian Championships. I’m really glad I got involved, it was so much fun and loved the experience I gained.”

An experience that she describes as ”fantastic” and an ”unbelievable experience”, Ella has found something else she now enjoys and is keen to participate more in the future. Who knows? Maybe even one day she might ball girl for a Hockeyroos match.

Hockey Australia media release



Racing bring in four new faces



Racing Club de France welcome four new players to add to their panel for the new season, building up to their Euro Hockey League date with Belgium's Daring and Ireland's Monkstown in Barcelona in October.

Chief among them is Canadian international James Kirkpatrick who made his international debut earlier in 2014 before playing in the Sultan Azlan Shah tournament.

The other three new arrivals come from French clubs with Antoine Férec and Christophe Peters-Deutz - both Under-21 internationals this summer at the European championships - moving from Montrouge while David Bernstein comes in from Le Touquet.

Le Touquet is Racing's destination next weekend for the next phase of their preseason plans, playing a couple of Belgian clubs on the astroturf having spent the past weekend playing beach.

Euro Hockey League media release



From the ‘other side’ of the whistle


South African umpire Michelle Joubert

Being an umpire was never part of my ‘plan’.   From the age of 11, I knew hockey would always be a part of my life. I loved playing, I loved coaching, in fact, I STILL love it. I guess when you have a passion for something, it doesn’t really matter at which level you are involved, the only thing that matters, is to still be a part of it. Well, this is the case for me.

I first held a whistle when I was 22, playing a club match and as usual the umpire for the next game was a ‘no show’. I offered to help out and before I knew it, I was told that I had ‘something’ as an umpire, something that needs to be pursued.   Yes, I knew I had something and that something, for me, was a passion for the game.

I am fortunate to have had great support in my umpiring career. It is these people who have encouraged me to just keep working at getting better, to be who I am and always to take on any opportunity that comes my way. I guess this advice is what built my foundation as an umpire, to understand that we all make mistakes, to be open to advice and even criticism.

One of the many things I have learnt over the years, and I am sure it is not the last lesson to be learnt, is that pressure will always be a part of any sport, no matter what your level of involvement is. The only difference is how you deal with these pressures and how you come back from disappointments.

One of the biggest challenges we face, as hockey umpires, is the lack of funding to help us prepare properly for tournaments. With the fast pace of the game, rules changing to make the game even faster and more ‘spectator friendly’, the demand on us is even higher to keep up with the game.   Apart from the fitness levels, we also need practice at top level to help us improve and cope with various aspects of the game and gain experience, especially at top international level. If we look at how players, teams, coaches and management plan and prepare for their tournaments, and we compare this to the reality of our own preparations, I think that as a whole, we are not doing too bad. I believe that we as umpires in hockey are operating as non-professionals within a professional sport. We all have our own careers and more often than not we take unpaid leave or annual working holidays to go to tournaments. Obviously it is our choice, and I do not think that any umpire would sacrifice family or holiday time for something which they did not enjoy or want to be a part of. When I speak of ‘struggles’ it is more about the lack of time available to manage work and family, and also keeping high standards at tournaments. Often this part of our career is overlooked and I wonder how many people are aware of how ‘little’ time we actually have to prepare for tournaments where teams spend months, if not years, preparing for.

What does our tournament preparation consist of? First of all would be to achieve and maintain an acceptable level of fitness. We also need to have sound knowledge of the rules, understand what coaches and teams are trying to achieve in their game plans, and we need to ensure that the game is managed and played within the context of the rules. It sounds easy enough to do, but what many don’t understand is the challenges within the umpiring fraternity to make sure that every umpire is exposed to ‘top level’ hockey, within their own countries, or at least have one pre tournament to prepare for a major tournament. As umpires, we are selected from different continents, different countries and as we all know, some countries lack adequate levels of hockey in order to prepare for top-level tournaments.


Argentina vs Korea

This means that we only really have the 3 or 4 days, prior to the start of a tournament, where all umpires are required to attend briefings, tournament meetings and discuss our ‘game plan’ for the tournament. Literally, we have these 3 or 4 days to make sure that every umpire, in a group of between 8 and 16 (depending on the amount of teams), is on the ‘same page’ by the time the tournament starts. It is within these 3-4 days that the real pressure starts. We do video analysis, discuss new rules and scenarios, and often leave meetings even more confused than before. My heart goes out to those umpires who are not native English speakers, those umpires who have to stay up late nights spending time translating and understanding the content of the day’s meetings.

At the start of the tournament, we all hope to get a game on the first day, just to help settle nerves and get into the ‘business’ side of things. Our pre game preparations vary from individual to individual, and more or less 2 hours before the game, we would meet and discuss our game plan for the match ahead. It is in this moment that we need to make sure we leave the changing room as a team, knowing what is expected of us, how we would deal with situations and to ensure our support for each other. After all, we are the 3rd team on the field.

In my experience I have also learnt that no matter how prepared you are for a game, to always expect the unexpected, and it is in these situations that our true strength of character is tested. Personally, I understand and can identify with player frustrations, I know how much training and planning goes into each team’s preparations for these tournaments and I probably am more critical of myself when making mistakes. For me, it is not about which game I get appointed to, but rather being grateful for every opportunity and trying to be as consistent as possible.

In my career as a trainer in Neuroscience Applied to Sports, I train athletes from various sports on both amateur and elite levels. I teach these athletes skills such as stress management, visual skills and cognitive skills, all sports related. These skills are just as important for the umpires and I have been applying them in my own training and preparations for tournaments.

Over the years I have learnt to love umpiring, I have learnt to cope with the pressures relating to umpiring. I really love being out on the field, I am always excited to be part of the game at such a high level and I always strive to be better than my last performance. I believe we never stop learning, we never stop growing and the same as players and teams share in victory and learn to overcome disappointment, we as umpires have learnt to do the same.

Just like any elite team, athlete or coach, umpires are competitive, we want to succeed, we want to be better, we feel pressure, we have disappointments and we want to be the best. No matter what I feel, good or bad, it is all worth it!

Michelle Joubert
FIH International Umpire

Originally posted by Self-pass.com on August 14th, 2014

FIH site



Tech Mahindra ties up with Pillay to promote hockey


Former Indian hockey team captain Dhanraj Pillay. File photo

MUMBAI: IT firm Tech Mahindra has partnered with an academy promoted by Indian hockey icon Dhanraj Pillay to encourage people to take up the sport.

Excellence Academy aims at promoting talent in the field of hockey, a game which India once dominated on the international level, and support from corporates will help in achieving the goals, the former national captain said today.

"There has been no dearth of talent in India. At Excellence Academy, we aim at promoting that talent of our country in the field of hockey. Support from corporates like Tech Mahindra will help in uplifting the level of the game," the 46-year-old former striker said in a statement here.

India has taught the world how to play hockey and I am sure we will be able to promote the right talent. I would also like to thank Fleur Hovin for her support to the sport," the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award winner said.

Hovin is a 17-year-old blogger from the Netherlands who raised funds for the cause through social media. She has teamed with Tech Mahindra with an aim to promote hockey in India over the next two years.

"At Tech Mahindra we believe that with the right infrastructure, training and promotion we can bring out the best performances to represent India at the international level. Collaborations with sports academies like Excellence will help in identifying the right talent and lending them the required support," Abhijit Lahiri, Chair, Pune Location Council, Tech Mahindra said.

The Hindu



Arrested PHF officials, Olympians granted bail

LAHORE: A judicial magistrate at Model Town courts on Monday granted bail to five office-bearers of the Pakistan Hockey Federation and former Olympians in a case of alleged gambling.

The arrested suspects argued through their counsel that police implicated them in a fabricated case. The counsel said police failed to produce any independent witnesses of the alleged crime.

He asked the court to release all the arrested suspects on bail. The suspects include Danish Kaleem, Irfan senior, Kamran Ashraf, Anjum Saeed and Rana Zaheer.

On the other side, investigating officer opposed the bail plea. He said police arrested the suspects red-handed from a hotel and also recovered gambling money from the scene.

The magistrate, however, allowed the bail petition and directed the suspects to deposit surety bonds of Rs50,000 each.

Dawn

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