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News 17 October 2014

All the news for Friday 17 October 2014


Great Britain Men too strong for France.


Barry Middleton in action

A hat-trick from Reading’s Tom Carson helped Great Britain to a convincing win over France with a dominant display. Despite falling behind to Hugo Genestet’s early penalty corner it was almost one-way traffic thereafter as seven different players got their names on the scoresheet for Bobby Crutchley’s side.

Despite a high tempo start from the home side it was the French who took the lead in the eighth minute. Hugo Genestet’s high drag flick found the net beyond goalkeeper James Bailey to his right.

It took Great Britain just three minutes to restore parity. Debutant Sam Ward did well to get away down the right and crossed for Tom Carson who made no mistake to make it 1-1.

Both Mark Gleghorne and Ward went close before the quarter was out but it wasn’t until the 19th minute that Great Britain took the lead through an Adam Dixon penalty corner. Four minutes later, Captain Barry Middleton won the ball high up the pitch and drove into the circle before giving Edgar Reynaud in the French goal no chance with a splendid reverse stick strike.

Great Britain picked up where they left off after the break and Harry Martin and David Beckett added two more within a minute of each other to make the score 5-1. The strike was Beckett’s first goal in senior international hockey. David Condon got in on the act with the sixth and Carson grabbed another from a penalty corner. There was no let up as Reynaud did well to keep out a penalty corner from Dan Coultas before Carson grabbed his hat-trick from a well-worked open play goal. There was still time for Wimbledon’s Phil Roper to get his name on the scoresheet with a lovely flicked finish over the goalkeeper’s shoulder, making the score 9-1, before the final whistle.

Great Britain will play France in the second match of the series starting at 11am on Friday 17 October 2014 at Bisham Abbey NSC.

Quotes – England Head Coach Bobby Crutchley

On the performance today:
“At this stage we’re looking primarily at the performance. Teams are at different stages of preparation and that’s why sometimes you get scores like this. I was pleased that we kept the intensity in the game throughout. It wasn’t perfect but we built some momentum and some dominance and then score took care of itself.”

On the purpose of the game today:
“We’re trying to tweak a few things in order to make steps forward from the summer. We’ve worked hard in training and these games give us the opportunity to see what works. It didn’t all come off today but there were good signs. We’re bringing things from training into the games and that shows we’re not just training for training’s sake. There was evidence of improvements but it’s a part of a longer process.”

On playing as Great Britain:
“With the Great Britain programme we’re central all the time so it doesn’t feel like much of a change. The non-English players are with us a lot and it’s great to give them the opportunity to play a bit more. It’ll be the same when we go to Spain in November.”

Looking ahead to tomorrow’s game:
“We’ll look at the video and see what we can improve but we hope to produce more of the same.

It’s a physical and a mental challenge to back up a good performance with another the following day. One of the things we want to be is a mentally tough team. It can be hard to go from a big win or a big loss against the same team the next day. They will come out strong tomorrow and it’ll be interesting to see if we ease off which I don’t want, or if we rise to the challenge and play better.

We’ll focus on our game, trying to dominate the opposition and keep the ball. There were some great signs today but it was a one off game and we start again tomorrow.”

Note: Both matches are being played as four quarters lasting 15 minutes each, in accordance with the International Hockey Federation (FIH) rule change which came into effect on 1 September 2014. This is the format that will be used in the upcoming Champions Trophy.

England Hockey Board Media release



Same old story

By Jugjet Singh


India goalkeeper Pandey Abhinav (left) tries to curb Malaysia's attack in the Sultan of Johor Cup match at the Taman Daya Stadium yesterday. Pic by Roslan Khamis.

COACH Arul Selvaraj made a passionate call for a psychiatrist after Malaysia played to the same script and went down 4-2 to India in the Sultan of Johor Cup at the Taman Daya Stadium yesterday.

It was the same old story, as Malaysia let in two goals, before clawing back to 2-2, and then losing 4-2 and now it looks like they will be playing Pakistan in the fifth-sixth classification match on Sunday.

They played the same against Britain, going down two goals, clawing back, and then losing 3-2.

Malaysia meet Pakistan in their last pool match tomorrow, and only have one point to show after four matches.

Yesterday, India scored off three penalty corners and a penalty stroke while Malaysia scored field goals.

The India goals were scored by Harmanpreet Singh (25th, 27th, 55th) and Varun Kumar (65th). The Malaysian goals came off Sufi Ismat (37th) and Azli Misron (42nd).

“My players have shown their ability in every department and the only thing lacking is thinking players, who can keep their emotions in check and make sound judgements. And for this I need the help of an ISN psychiatrist (National Sports Institute) to develop their mental side,” said Arul.

India coach Harendra Singh was elated as his team are poised to play in the final, provided they beat Australia, but also had words of wisdom for Arul and his men: “Like I said before the India-Malaysia match (on Wednesday) the Malaysian players need to be allowed to play their own game and not be too regimental. I have noticed many grey areas in the Malaysian side after four matches and I am sure coach Arul also knows their weaknesses and will be working to rectify them after this tournament. After all, Arul is a capable coach and I am sure he has the ability to turn the boys around.”

Arul said his charges were only assembled eight months ago: “It is not an excuse, but this is a raw side, and have hardly trained as a unit as they also played in the Razak Cup, MHL and Malaysia Games this year, and then, I was also not around for almost 40 days as I was training the national side during the Asian Games.”

The reality is that Malaysia can’t afford to lose against whipping boys Pakistan, who have let in 15 goals thus far, as there is no excuse to stoop so low in our own backyard.

Meanwhile, Britain checked into the final when they beat Australia 5-1, leaving India and Australia to fight for the other spot.

New Straits Times



Malaysia unmatched against India

by Aftar Singh


Jarmanpreet Singh (second from left) lets one fly towards Malaysia's goalkeeper Mohammad Azmi. Malaysia now need to win against Pakistan on Saturday to qualify for playoff for third place.

JOHOR BARU: It was the same old story for Malaysia in the Sultan of Johor Cup.

Defensive errors reared its ugly head in Malaysia’s 4-2 loss to India at the Taman Daya Stadium.

Harmanpreet Singh starred for India with a hat-trick.

His two penalty corner goals in two minutes – 25th and 27th – gave India a flying start.

Malaysia fought back to level the scores in the first seven minutes of the second-half with two field goals by Mohd Sufi Ismat Rohulamin (37th) and Azril Misron (42nd).

Then, the Malaysian malaise emerged.

The defence collapsed in the last 15 minutes to allow India to score another penalty corner goal through man-of-the-match Harmanpreet in the 55th minute.

Ten minutes later India were awarded a penalty stroke and Varun Kumar was spot-on to make it 4-2.

Malaysia now have one point – from a draw and three defeats – and must win their last match against Pakistan tomorrow to qualify for playoff for third position.

India have now put themselves in a good position to make the final. They have nine points from four matches and a win over Australia tomorrow will seal their place in the final.

Malaysian team manager Mirnawan Nawawi admitted that their back problem doesn’t look like going away any time soon.

“This is one area we need to rectify,” he said.

India coach Harendra Singh wasn’t pleased with his defenders either for conceding two goals in the early part of the second half.

“We put ourselves under pressure in the match. There are some areas we need to work on. But I’m glad that we scored two goals to win the match and keep our hopes alive for a place in the final,” said Harendra.

He also said that Malaysia had a good set of players but “don’t put too much pressure of them”.

“They are young and need to enjoy the game,” he said.

In the first match of the day, New Zealand got their first win of the tournament when they edged Pakistan 3-2 in a match that was delayed by an hour due to a downpour.

The Kiwis now have four points from four matches and they are still in contention for third placing.

Harry Miskimmnim (sixth), Nick Woods (19th) and Graig Jones (44th) netted for New Zealand while Pakistan hit back through Abu Mahmood’s two penalty corners in the 56th and 66th minutes.

The Star of Malaysia



India manages 4-2 win over Malaysia

s2h Team

Helped by a fluent hattrick of Harmanpreet Singh, all penalty corner ones, India managed to ward off a 2-2 threat midway through the second half into a pleasant 4-2 win over the hosts Malaysia in its third win in four matches of the Johor Cup today.

Details: Indian colts' penalty corner expert Harmanpreet Singh struck a brace off two successive penalty corners in successive minutes to put India ahead 2-0 in the 27th minute of the ongoing Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia. Then struck his third one midway through second half.

After missing three penalty corners, Harmanpreet struck straight into the net for the match's first goal in the 26th minute, a minute later in the fifth penalty corner, his strike hit the first runners and bounced into the net (2-0). Malaysia pressed hard after that, got a penalty corner, second till now, but could not convert. However two quick goals, field ones, nullified Indian lead after lemon break. Malaysia posted a goal in the 37th and 42nd minutes, as India falls back to a defence-oriented approach. The tournament, being telecast by Star Sports 1 channel in India is played on the traditional format of two equal halves of 35 minutes, and penalty stroke replacing Shoot out.

Harmanpreet converted team's first penalty corner in the second half, that again India lead 3-2 in the 54th min. Its a HATTRICK

Varn converts a stroke that came off when a forward trapping a solo push of Jarmanpreet Singh, for a sealing goal of 4-2 just five minutes before the full time.

Overall, India made use of 3 out of seven penalty corners.

The Times of India



Harman’s hat-trick fires up India

Johor Bahru - Harmanpreet Singh did the star turn with a hat-trick of goals as India enhanced their chances to qualify for the final of the Under-21 Sultan of Johor Cup with a convincing 4-2 win over hosts Malaysia here today.

In top form after thrashing Pakistan 6-0 yesterday, the Harjeet Singh-led side notched up its third win in four games. India though had some tough moments in the game after the hosts overcame a 2-0 deficit to draw level after half-time.

But two late strikes from India saved the day for the Harendra Singh-coached side. The two teams wasted their respective penalty corner chances at the start but India soon forced three more penalty corners to get a goal off the last one in the 25th minute. Two minutes later, Harmanpreet punished Malaysia again with another drag flick.

Malaysia then struck back to reduce the deficit in the 37th minute as Sufi Ismat Rohulmin went past two defenders and sent a reverse stick shot into goal. The goal acted as a booster as Azril Misron levelled the score with his 42nd-minute.

But Harmanpreet proved his ability in penalty corners as he scored India’s third in the 55th minute. India were then awarded a penalty stroke in the 65th minute and Varun Kumar put the result beyond doubt. “I am extremely pleased to see the way the boys performed today. They conceded two quick goals in the second half but did not allow pressure to take hold of them and remained calm. This composure helped the boys to make a brilliant comeback,” Harendra said.

India next take on Australia on Saturday and a win against the Kangaroos would seal the team’s final berth.

The Tribune



India Score Thrice from PCs, Beat Malaysia 4-2 to Stay Unbeaten

India scored their fourth win in the Johor Cup hockey tournament. India play Australia next.


India's Armaan Qureshi (center) vies for the ball during the Sultan of Johor Cup match vs Malaysia. NDTV

After routing Pakistan 6-0 on Wednesday, high-flying India defeated hosts Malaysia 4-2 in their fourth pool match of the 4th Sultan of Johor Cup at Taman Daya Hockey Stadium in Johor Bahru on Thursday. India led 2-0 at half-time.

India drew first blood in the 25th minute when Sumit converted a penalty corner. Gurinder Singh doubled the lead soon after, again scoring from a penalty corner. Malaysia also earned a couple of penalty corners but failed to convert them. (India Trounce Pakistan in Johor Cup)

Malaysia struck in the second half. Mohammad Rohulami scored in the 37th minute and Azril Misron scored another field goal in the 42nd minute to make it 2-2.

Stunned India gathered themselves and fought hard to win a penalty corner. Harmanpreet Singh converted the opportunity to make it 3-2 for India. In the 65th minute, Varun Kumar made no mistake in converting a penalty stroke to seal a hard-earned 4-2 win for India.

Coach Harendra Singh was happy with the way India fought back after conceding two goals in the second half. "They did not allow pressure to take hold of them and remained calm. This composure helped the boys to make a brilliant comeback, the result of which is this well-deserved win for them," he said.

India will now take on Australia in their fifth and last pool match on October 18.

NDTV Sports



Win for under-21 side

New Zealand picked up their first win at the men's under 21 Sultan of Johor Cup hockey tournament in Malaysia.

The Future Black Sticks beat Pakistan 3-2, the result leaving New Zealand in contention for a medal with one round robin game to play, against Britain, on Saturday morning (NZT).

Harry Miskimmin put New Zealand in front in the sixth minute, Nic Woods doubling the lead from a penalty corner 13 minutes later.

Craig Jones made it 3-0 in the 44th minute before Pakistan battled back with two goals in the final 10 minutes from Abu Mahmood.

Head coach Bryce Collins said it was great for the team to come away with a positive result for their efforts.

"It was a huge relief to get a win after being so close in all three previous matches," Black Sticks head coach Bryce Collins said.

"It's a significant confidence boost ahead of what will be a very tough game against Great Britain.

"We are not yet assured of a bronze medal play-off spot but will know what we have to do by the time our game rolls around. We are the last game of the round so depending on earlier matches we will either be through or at least know the equation."

The New Zealand Herald



Pakistan knocked out in preliminary round

By Nabil Tahir

KARACHI: Abu Mahmood’s penalty-corner brace was unable to save Pakistan from exiting the Sultan of Johor Cup, going down 3-2 to New Zealand in their penultimate preliminary-round match.

Prior to their clash, both teams had just one point on board, with Pakistan having previously held Australia 1-1 and New Zealand drawing hosts Malaysia with a similar scoreline in their respective second matches on Monday.

New Zealand took the lead in the sixth minute as Harry Miskimmnim scored from the top of the semi-circle after picking up a rebound. The Kiwis then doubled their advantage in the 19th minute as Nick Woods converted a penalty corner.

The 44th minute saw Graig Jones step into the scoring act to give his side a 3-0 lead via a penalty corner.

Pakistan staged a fightback as Mahmood converted penalty corners in the 56th and 66th minutes, but were unable to do more.

“The position of the team was an expected one as this is not only their first international tour but also their first experience to play together as a team,” head coach Manzoorul Hassan told The Express Tribune from Malaysia.

“The players underwent training for a week after their selection, in which they did not get a chance to play as a team.”

A win in this match would have placed Pakistan in contention for a bronze medal playoff on Sunday. In all, the Greenshirts were able to score just three goals in four matches while conceding 15.

In another match, Malaysia lost 4-2 to India and will next face Pakistan in their last match tomorrow.

The Express Tribune



GB U21 Men beat Australia 5-1


GB U21 Men v Australia. Credit www.sultanjohor.com.my

A first half hat-trick from Luke Taylor helped Great Britain Under-21 Men secure an emphatic 5-1 win over Australia and book their place in the final of the Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia.

Thursday’s victory means GB are guaranteed to finish in the top two and will face either India or Australia again in the final on Sunday. Meanwhile, after a rest day on Friday Great Britain will take on New Zealand in their final group match on Saturday.

“It’s an excellent performance for any team to beat Australia by five goals to one, and something we’re very proud and delighted about,” said Head Coach Jon Bleby. “To be honest we are slightly disappointed that we didn’t score more goals after dominating the last 15 minutes, and this is something we need to guard against for the final.”

It was the second time in the tournament Taylor has scored a hat-trick and leaves him with seven goals in four matches so far.

Against Australia his first goal came after 16 minutes, with a reverse stick shot after a penalty corner had broken down. And just two minutes later he doubled GB’s lead with a drag flick to the goalkeeper’s head side, at another penalty corner.

Australia pulled a goal back through Alec Rasmussen after poor defence at the top of the circle, but Taylor restored Great Britain’s two-goal cushion on 32 minutes when, after the ball was stopped on the line by a defender at a penalty corner, he despatched the resulting penalty stroke.

Five minutes into the second half GB put themselves 4-1 ahead, this time with a good cross in by Chris Proctor being deflected home from close range by Hamish Imrie.

And on 56 minutes Great Britain added their fifth goal. An aerial ball to the edge of the circle was collected by James Albery, who scored from the right side with a bullet into the far corner.

GB pushed for more goals in the final 14 minutes, peppering the Australian circle, but there was no further score.

England Hockey Board Media release



Britain thump Australia 5-1 in Johor

by Aftar Singh

JOHOR BARU: Britain defender Luke Taylor is having a blast in the Sultan of Johor Cup.

The 20-year-old, who featured in the Junior World Cup in New Delhi last December, scored a hat-trick to steer Britain to an impressive 5-1 win over Australia at the Taman Daya Hockey Stadium yesterday.

He converted two penalty corners in the 16th and 18th minutes before completing his hat-trick with a penalty stroke in the 33rd minute.

He has now scored six goals in four matches.

Britain’s other goal was netted by Hamish Imrie (40th) and James Albery (56th).

Australia replied through Alex Ramussen’s 22nd minute field goal.

Britain top the standings with the maximum 12 points from four matches and will wrap up their fixtures against New Zealand tomorrow.

Australia have seven points after suffering their first loss in four matches.

But the Australians still have a chance to qualify for the final – provided they beat India in their last match tomorrow.

Defending champions India are in second spot with nine points and need just a draw to qualify for the final.

The Star of Malaysia



AUS go down to Great Britain

U21 Aus men to face tough match Saturday after going down to Great Britain Thursday night

The Australian U21 men’s hockey team faced their toughest competition at the Sultan Johor Cup against Great Britain on Thursday night. Unable to hold on for the win, Australia went down 5-1 in their fourth pool match of the tournament, falling to third place in the pool standings. Australia, will need to win their final pool match against India Saturday night in order to qualify for the gold medal final Sunday. 

Australia, featuring one player from the 2013 Junior World Cup, could not be compare to Great Britain’s high level of experience on the field, with the Brits showcasing ten England Junior World Cup players, making up a strong and experienced 2014 Sultan Johor squad.  

Australian goalkeeper Hayden Walker and Harry Gibson from Great Britain held a robust defence in goals for the first 15 minutes of the match.

It was Great Britain’s Luke Taylor who broke the ice in the 16th and 18th minutes of the match, having successfully scored off the back of two penalty corners.

Recently returning home after a gold medal winning performance at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, Alec Rasmussen’s field goal at the 22nd minute mark offered Australia the chance to redeem themselves, halving the deficit at 2-1 down.

The 33rd minute brought Luke Taylor his first hat-trick of the tournament. A penalty stroke called against Australia pushed Great Britain in front with a 3-1 lead.

Back onto the field after half time, Australia gelled together as a team however, it wasn't enough to keep Great Britain out of their attacking circle. Another two goals scored at the 40th and 56th minute marks by Hamish Imrie and James Albery left Australia 5-1 behind their opponents before the final siren.

Saturday night’s final pool match against India will be an important match for Australia to refocus and bounce back.

Australia, currently sitting in third place in the pool standings, will face second placed India on Saturday at 19:05 AEST/16:05 AWST. Australia’s result against India will determine whether they will play off in the gold medal or bronze medal match on Sunday evening.

Watch Australia in action on Saturday night on EuroSport (Foxtel, Ch 511) at 19:00 AEST/16:00 AWST.

AUSTRALIA:  1 (1)
Alec Rasmussen 22 (FG) 

GREAT BRITAIN: 5 (3)
Luke Taylor 16,18,33 (PC) (PC) (PS)
Hamish Imrie 40 (FG)
James Albery 56 (FG) 

Australia Under 21 Squad v Great Britain
Started
Benjamin Austin (TAS)
Simon Benetti (WA)
Benjamin Craig (NSW)
Oliver Crane (QLD)
Frazer Gerrard (WA)
Maximilian Hendry (VIC)
Samuel Liles (NSW)
Alec Rasmussen (WA)
Ryan Proctor (NSW)
Nathanael Stewart (NSW)
Hayden Walker (WA)

Used substitute
James Benetti (WA)
Joshua Bretherton (VIC)
William Gilmour (VIC)
Timothy Howard (QLD)
Brandan Horner (NSW)
Andrew Scanlon (VIC)
Ashleigh Thomas (NSW)

Australia Fixtures, Sultan of Johor Cup
18 October - Australia vs India 19:00 AEDT/16:00 AWST
19 October - Medal and Classification matches

Sultan of Johor Cup Pool Standings
1 - Great Britain (12 Points)
2 - India (9 Points)
3 - Australia (7 Points)
4 - New Zealand (4 Point)
5 - Malaysia (1 Point)
6 - Pakistan (1 Point)

*Please note, the pool standings reflect the current score after round four.

Hockey Australia media release



Team USA looking to continue momentum


Pictured: Paige Selenski, courtesy Grant Treeby

Team USA are looking to keep their form rolling going into the first of six tests against the Black Sticks Women in New Zealand.

The opening test is on Saturday at 2pm in Taranaki, with game two at the same time the following day before the series heads to Palmerston North and Wairarapa for a further four games.

All six tests will be streamed live on our live streaming page

After a thrilling fourth place finish at the Hockey World Cup in June, USA are looking to develop even further during their time in the country.

Striker Paige Selenski, who has played more than 100 test caps, said there is a great feeling within the squad that they can achieve big things in the world game.

“The World Cup definitely sparked some momentum for us but we have to keep propelling forward and improve with every match. We want to make a statement that we can come out and win at any time,” 24-year-old Selenski said.

Selenski has been part of the USA squad for more than five years and is one of the players who has helped field hockey evolve into a major sport in America.

“I’ve been on the team five years now and there has definitely been a shift from where the team was to where it is now and I think if we keep progressing, a year or two from now we can be something really special.”

She said her side has been training very hard ahead of what they know will be a tough series against the Kiwis on home soil.

“The Black Sticks always bring a lot of intensity and speed so we’ll have to try and match that. 

“It’s two fast teams going head to head and we know what to expect from each other. Any team could win on any given day so I’m expecting it to be a very close series.”

CLICK HERE for more on the Black Sticks vs USA series

CLICK HERE for more on Team USA Hockey

Hockey New Zealand Media release



Rival US captain rates Black Sticks side highly

MURRAY HILLS


ON TARGET: United States midfielder Michelle Vittese shoots for goal during a practice session in Stratford ahead of the test series against the Black Sticks. ANDY JACKSON/Fairfax NZ

United States women's hockey captain Lauren Crandall knows a bit about the Black Sticks.

The first of her 231 international appearances was against New Zealand back in 2005.

"I was on my first tour. I can't recall where the game was, but it was in or around Wellington," the 29-year-old said yesterday. "I don't know how many times I've played New Zealand, but it's a few."

Crandall rated the Black Sticks highly and said the six-test series starting in Stratford tomorrow would be very close.

"I think we match up well and it will be great for spectators. They're a very fast team and like to counter-attack, like we do. There will be chances created and it's sure to be high paced."

Crandall said her team hadn't played since the World Cup at the start of June.

"We then had a couple of weeks off and we've been together for a couple of months. We've got a fulltime residency programme where we all train together and the other players making up the squad have been in college. We've got 21 players here and they've all been training fulltime, so they know one another well."

Crandall said it was the start of the international season for the squad and the focus of this tour was the "growth" of the side.

"We've got some young players and it will be interesting to see how they match up against New Zealand. We know they've got some different players in their squad with a few of their experienced players missing, but we know what to expect. They will play a fast-paced game."

On a personal note, Crandall said hockey had been very good to her.

"I've been very fortunate. I've been to every continent except Africa. It's been a good way to see the world on someone [else's] dime . . . someone else paying. I love the game. To do what I've been doing for 10 years, there has to be a love for the game and for your team," she said.

"I've been injury-free, knock on wood, apart from a few broken bones in my hand . . . it's part of being a defender."

After the two tests in Stratford this weekend - the first tomorrow at 2pm and the second 24 hours later - the players head to Palmerston North for games three and four on Tuesday and Thursday. The final two games are in Carterton on October 24 and 25.

Stuff



Arul to remain as senior coach

by S Ramaguru


Arulselvaraj (in red cap) giving instructions to the junior players during training at National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) have decided to keep A. Arulselvaraj as interim senior team coach for the next three months.

This is due to the fact that they are running out of time to find a foreign coach for the senior team as the World Hockey League Round Two will be held in Singapore from Jan 17-25.

Arulselvaraj was appointed as interim coach in August for the recently-concluded Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea. He is also the chief coach for the Project 2016 team, who is in Johor Baru for the Sultan of Johor Cup.

”We have yet to find a full-time coach for the senior team. As we are running out of time (due to the World Hockey League), the decision for now is to keep Arulselvaraj as the interim coach for the coming assignment. After all, he will not have anything much to do after the Sultan of Johor Cup,” said MHC senior vice-president and chairman of the management team Datuk Nur Azmie Ahmad yesterday.

“We are still looking for a foreign coach.”

The World Hockey League Round Two is the senior team’s second attempt at qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympics after their failure in Incheon.

The gold medallists at the Incheon Asian Games – India – earned an automatic berth to Rio. Malaysia finished fourth.

The top two teams from each of the three Round Two events will qualify for the semi-finals to be held after May next year.

“The Singapore tournament is very important for us. We must qualify for the semi-finals to stand a chance at making the Olympics,” said Nur Azmie.

Arulselvaraj had stated earlier that he would have no problems handling the two teams on a permanent basis but Nur Azmie dismissed the idea yesterday, saying “it’s out of the question for one person to handle two teams”.

“No, we are not agreeable to that suggestion. We want one coach per team ... and who can give his full attention to his task.

“Arulselvaraj will remain the Juniors coach. We have already said that we are looking for a full-time coach for the senior team,” he explained.

The Star of Malaysia



Asiad gold result of plan, strategy, hard work: Sardar


Hockey captain Sardar Singh celebrates after their victory against Pakistan in the final at the 17th Asian Games in Incheon on October 2, 2014.   

Terming the Asian Games gold as the best moment of his playing career, the Indian men’s hockey team skipper Sardar Singh said that the yellow metal at Incheon was a culmination of two years of hard work, plan and strategy.

“After we finished last in the 2012 Olympics, we put in all our plans and efforts to win Asian Games and qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics. And when the time arrived, we delivered our best to achieve the goal,” Sardar told IANS in an interview.

Winning the Asiad gold made India the first country to qualify for the men’s hockey tournament at the 2016 Olympics.

“We badly wanted to qualify early for the Olympics as we have seen on previous occasions that it can become really difficult towards the end. All the boys have put in loads of hard work in the last two years and especially with chief coach Terry Walsh, our training was very effective. So, the gold is a culmination of all of these things.”

In the title clash against arch rivals and defending champions Pakistan earlier this month, India had prevailed 4-2 in a penalty shootout after the regulation period score read 1-1, to win the Asiad gold after a gap of 16 years.

“We failed to produce results in the World Cup and finished runners-up to Australia in the Commonwealth Games. But we kept improving our game day-by-day. Despite the results not coming our way, we didn’t lose our focus and hunger which helped,” the ace centre-half said.

“In my eight years of international career, I have seen a lot of low moments as well as some high points. But being the Asiad champion is the biggest success in my life,” the 28-year-old said.

But Sardar, who featured twice in the international hockey federation’s (FIH) World XI in 2010 and 2011, said that his team must still work on their grey areas.

“We conceded late goals to lose two matches in the World Cup. But we corrected the errors and lately, we have been successful in avoiding last minute goals in the Commonwealth Games and the Asiad. However, we are still committing some mistakes on the field. We must improve on our penalty corner conversions, defence and circle penetration,” added the captain.

Regarding the upcoming bilateral series against Australia, Sardar said that playing against the World Champions will help them improve their game.

“We have a series against Australia which will help us in improving our game. We will learn a lot of things by playing against the best team in the world next month. We want to improve as a team with an eye on Rio 2016,” he concluded.

The Tribune



PHF needs to take bold decisions: Samiullah


Former Olympians Samiullah and Islahuddin. — File photo/APP

ISLAMABAD: Former Olympian Samiullah Khan feels the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) now needs to take some bold decisions after the green-shirts lost to India in the Asian Games final recently.

Samiullah said Pakistan — after they failed to retain the Asian Games title in Incheon, South Korea — would now have to go through the qualifying rounds for making the 2016 Olympics.

He said though the green-shirts fared well in the Asiad, the final against arch-rivals India was not their day. “They took the lead but failed to maintain it, which exposed their flaws,” underlined Samiullah, known as ‘Flying Horse’ for his swift speed on the field.

He said it was time for the PHF to start thinking on the ways to qualify for the Olympics.

“We, the former Olympians, would sit once again to discuss what necessary steps should be taken to save the future of Pakistan hockey,” he said.

He reckoned Pakistan should not have gone for penalty shootout in the final, noting they were not prepared for this phase of the game.

Dawn



New-look Reading head to Beeston


Reading's Richard Springham v Surbiton, Sept 2014, by Tim Reder

WITH just one win from four matches so far, Reading will be looking for an upturn in their fortunes when they host reigning champions Beeston in the NOW: Pensions Men’s Hockey League Premier Division on Sunday.

The two sides met in the play-off semi finals at the end of last season, when Beeston ran out 4-2 winners on their way to victory while Reading missed out on bronze.

“Beeston is always an important game, because they won the league last year,” said new Head Coach Andy Watts. “We played them in pre-season and hope to have improved since then.

“We had a really good game last week and played superbly, it was probably our strongest performance of the season so far. So Beeston will be a very good test to see where we’re at now with a new coach, new captain and new faces.”

Meanwhile East Grinstead – who top the table despite having a game in hand following their European matches last weekend – travel to Hampstead and Westminster as they bid to hold on to top spot.

Surbiton play host to Canterbury, while Wimbledon are targeting the top four with a home clash against bottom of the table Brooklands Manchester University.

And in the day’s other top-flight clash, Southgate entertain Cannock with both teams looking for points to move away from the lower reaches of the table.

The League Committee have considered last Saturday’s Wimbledon – Reading game, which was abandoned when the floodlights failed with nine minutes remaining. The score at the time was 2-0 to Reading and the Committee agreed that this result shall stand. The goals scored - Tom Carson 22 (PC) and Richard Mantell 28 (PC) - and any cards received will be included in league records. Wimbledon have the opportunity to appeal against this ruling.

In the NOW: Pensions Conference West Team Bath Buccaneers knocked Cardiff and Met off the top of the table with a 2-0 win last Saturday, and they will want to retain their unbeaten record when they head to the University of Birmingham on Sunday.

Cardiff will be aiming to bounce back as they entertain bottom of the table Guildford, and third-placed Fareham go to Cheltenham.

Bowdon are the only unbeaten team in the NOW: Pensions Conference North, and they entertain University of Durham on Saturday. Second plays third as Sheffield Hallam host Olton and West Warwickshire.

Holcombe continue to dominate the NOW: Pensions Conference East with an average of almost six goals per game so far. They will want to maintain that record when they head to Teddington.

Elsewhere, league newcomers Chichester Priory Park, who suffered their first defeat of the season last weekend, entertain West Herts this Sunday.

NOW: Pensions Men’s Hockey League (Sunday, October 19 2014)

NOW: Pensions Premier Division
Hampstead and Westminster v East Grinstead 14:00
Surbiton v Canterbury 14:00
Wimbledon v Brooklands MU 14:00
Reading v Beeston 14:30
Southgate v Cannock 14:30

NOW: Pensions Conference West
Cheltenham v Fareham 12:30
Univ of Birmingham v Team Bath Buccaneers 12:30
Cardiff and Met v Guildford 13:00
Indian Gymkhana v Whitchurch 14:00
Univ of Exeter v Barford Tigers 14:00

NOW: Pensions Conference North
Sheffield Hallam v Olton & West Warwicks 13:30
Leek v Wakefield 14:00
Doncaster v Deeside Ramblers 14:00
Belper v Loughborough Students 14:00
Bowdon v Univ of Durham 14:30

NOW: Pensions Conference East
Cambridge City v Bromley and Beckenham 12:30
Teddington v Holcombe 12:30
Brighton and Hove v Oxted 13:00
Chichester Priory Park v West Herts 13:30
Richmond v Old Loughtonians 13:30

England Hockey Board Media release



Battling Daring content with KO16 debut



Daring captain Jof Cosyns says he was content with how his side handled their maiden Euro Hockey League competition, advancing to the KO16 with well constructed wins over Monkstown and Racing Club de France.

The midfielder admitted that the Belgian side did not reach their fluid best but they relished the physical battle on Sunday in the 3-1 win over Racing to land top spot in Pool B.

“It was a pretty good weekend and we played quite well,” he told the EHL website. “It was quite difficult against Racing; they played counter-attack and made it difficult for us to play our game offensively.

“But we weren’t really in danger and I think we deserved to go through to the KO16 and are looking forward to the next round.”

Indeed, that match was marked by many one-on-one confrontations with a number of cards with three green and four yellow cards shown in total.

But Cosyns felt his side managed that challenge well.

“We know the French play a bit more aggressively than the Irish. We knew it before the game, played to it and did not react so we showed a good mentality and good fighting spirit which was really positive.”

As for Monkstown, it was a matter of patience to get the result they wanted.

“We saw Monkstown’s potential on Friday and they showed all their guts but we managed the game well. It was a good opponent who was impressive defensively so we could not make a lot of goals.”

Euro Hockey League media release



Hockey needs to up its game in an increasingly competitive market

Challenge of Sevens rugby a new threat to women’s game

Johnny Watterson

As outlined in the proposals for the new Irish Hockey League (IHL) that begins next season for both men and women, opportunities will be sought to further develop the new product.

That’s good news but just how that can be done will be closely watched in the context of what competition is out there. The feeling is that hockey needs get its skates on and while the men have always been competing with other team sports and at the elite end also with Britain, on the women’s side rugby has emerged as a new, well-financed competitor.

Interestingly, rugby is being sold as an Olympic sport while hockey never really pushed that point home and at the high end it’s probably the biggest selling point in the marketing locker.

As an illustration an email arrived on Monday. “Irish Rugby Offers Female Sports Stars Opportunity To Turn Pro,” it said. It continued to challenge all female athletes with no prior rugby experience to think of playing Rugby Sevens. The 2016 Olympics in Rio was the carrot.

Current Sevens player Lisa Jacob is well known as her talent earned her over 130 caps representing Ireland in hockey. Jacobs is quoted.

“When I tried out for Sevens I was not sure what to expect as I had never played rugby. However, I was pleasantly surprised as it was far more athletic than I expected.”

“The team support structures in place are really impressive and the set-up and coaching is really professional and I am so excited about being a full-time athlete. Travelling the world to represent Ireland is a dream for many people and the chance to qualify for an Olympic games is simply amazing.”

The IRFU email went on to describe rugby as a modern, fast game with an emphasis on speed agility and high levels of fitness. It read like the skill set required for hockey. Men’s Sevens has also been launched as an Olympic sport this week and they will also be recruiting. Hustling for new athletes has become a competitive sport.

The Irish Times



Good foundations lead to national success


(Photo: Olympic Youth Development Centre)

Zambian hockey is on the rise... at both ends of the spectrum.

Four years ago, Dutch company, BDO presented FIH with 20,000 euro to invest in an artificial turf in the African state of Zambia. The aim, said FIH President Leandro Negre, was “to increase the awareness of hockey in that region and also to boost the recruitment of young African hockey stars”.

Fast forward to 2014 and Zambia is proof that if you provide the facilities and coaching, then people will take the opportunity. In March, Zambia hosted the men’s African Youth Olympic Qualifier – something that would not have been possible just a few years earlier. Zambia finished the tournament in second place and qualified to participate in Nanjing, where they finished seventh, after defeating Mexico 7-4. But this play-off match was probably dwarfed in terms of the men’s team achievement in beating hockey powerhouse Germany 8-1.

 The women’s team also qualified for Nanjing and finished ninth overall after defeating Fiji in the play-offs. One of the stars of the women’s team was Loveness Mudenda, who scored a hat-trick in the team’s 6-1 win over Fiji. Demonstrating how far Zambia has come, she said that just two years ago, her domestic team didn’t even own hockey sticks. The fact that the national junior team was able to spend three weeks at a training camp in preparation for this tournament further demonstrates the growth of the game.

Zambia’s rapid rise is due to a number of factors. Facilities and high-quality coaches at the national level are just one part of the jigsaw. It is also important to acknowledge the work that is being carried out at grass-roots level.

Hockey is one of the sports that features in the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Sport for Hope programme. In Zambia, the Olympic Youth Development Centre in Lusaka welcomes on average 10,000 youngsters a month, and the facilities, which are jointly funded by the IOC and international sporting federations, include an Olympic swimming pool, a sports science unit and facilities for 16 Olympic sports. Youngsters are given the chance to train in state-of-the-art facilities, while also getting an education and health advice.

Taking their lead from the IOC programme are many smaller-scale sports coaching projects that are combining elite sport and education. One such project is being carried out by the Kadish Foundation, a national government organisation run by Dutchman Gijs Hardeman.

The Kadish Foundation, which is now gaining momentum in other African nations besides Zambia, organises and supports coaches from the home nation to develop their hockey coaching skills and education while coaching young players. There are currently between 10-20 coaches working on projects in Zambia, although many more will be recruited to work at the six hockey camps that run throughout the year.

Gijs explains the reach of the game through this initiative. “I estimate there are around 500 kids involved with hockey on a regular basis on the artificial pitch. Our three-day hockey camps attract more than 100 kids. We had one camp last year that had 180 kids on it.” Additionally, some of the coaches have started their own hockey communities, catering for 20 to 60 students at a time. These might play at schools or other grass fields.

Hockey in Zambia is on the up, and projects that use sport to both educate and inspire the young African children are having a positive impact across the country. The last word should go to a player with her eyes firmly on the larger prize. “Now we have qualified for the Youth Olympics,” says Loveness, “There is no reason why we cannot go on to qualify for the full Olympics in the future.”

FIH site



Guidelines for your Pre-Season Preparation

Pre-season training field hockey team management

Jon Royce


* This pre-season plan was written by former international coach Jon Royce for hockey coaches, but it can easily be tailored for other team sports, including football, rugby and basketball - read on for your pre-season plan:

Getting started:

Your start point planning for the new season is to review the last campaign. This must involve face to face conversations with a meaningful cross section of the squad. An agenda is useful to ensure the conversation stays on track. Aside from an obvious analysis of results and scorers, discussions need to be initiated regarding the effectiveness of:

Attack: Outletting, midfield retention of possession, creation of chances (including penalty corners) and finishing.

Defence: Pressing, dictating the direction of opposition attacks, trapping the ball in areas of strength, stepping in front, marking and covering in deep defence and finally ability to defend set pieces.





No Coverup At Trinity: Tapsall Discards Wig, Inspires Others

Jeff Jacobs


Liv Tapsall (MICHAEL McANDREWS / Hartford Courant)

Athletes often take off their gloves, their pads, their caps before they start an interview. Liv Tapsall takes a seat on the bench at the Trinity field hockey field and takes off her blonde wig.

She plays bald.

"We did this exercise in preseason where each of us wrote down six words about ourselves," Tapsall said Thursday. "And then we had to guess who everyone was. I wrote, 'Most aerodynamic player in the NESCAC.' "

None of the Bantams needed two guesses.

Liv Tapsall plays bold, too.

The junior forward was diagnosed with alopecia at age 10. It started with small bald patches in her scalp. She'd get cortisone shots to restart the growth. She was able to continue to wear her hair down to her shoulders.

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder that, according to the National Institutes of Health, affects nearly 2 percent of Americans of both sexes and all ages and ethnicities.

In the summer of 2013, however, her life changed dramatically. She broke her foot and sat out the first half of the Trinity season. Suddenly, she wasn't talking about losing patches of hair.

"I didn't know this until the time, but alopecia can be triggered by frustration and stress," Tapsall said. "We're assuming because I was so frustrated by not playing, just sitting there watching, missing out, that it triggered it to go universal."

Her overactive autoimmune cells attacked her hair follicles. It was alopecia areata universalis. As she sat there before Trinity practice on a beautiful late autumn afternoon, Liv Tapsall has no hair on her body.

"None," Tapsall said. "All of it fell out. It started in November of last year, most gone by February and completely bald by May."

You see bald guys like Michael Jordan, Seal or Bruce Willis over the years and it looks cool. Sure, UConn fans, who know every little thing about their players, know Charlie Villanueva has alopecia, but thousands upon thousands have watched the NBA and had no clue. Charlie just looked like a bunch of other guys in the league.

Whether it's the ignorance and insensitivity of others, self-esteem issues or a society that places far too much weight on appearance, it sure seems that women with alopecia face a more daunting vision in the mirror. Losing all your hair can be awfully traumatic.

"It was pretty bad at first," Tapsall said. "But I've always tried to stay positive."

Tapsall comes from an athletic family. Her mom, Catherine, was an All-American soccer player at Harvard and also played lacrosse there. Her dad, Ian, is from England, competed for Southgate in the U.K. and has played field hockey his entire life. Her uncle Manzar Iqbal was captain of U.S. field hockey at the 1984 Summer Olympics. Liv's younger sister Emilia plays field hockey for Virginia.

"I chose Trinity because it has a great field hockey program," said Tapsall, who went to Greenwich High before transferring to Greenwich Academy. "I also played club with our two captains here from Darien, Sophie Doering and Courtney Wynne, and I've known them for a long time."

As a freshman, Tapsall was tied for most game-winning goals, was second in goals and third in assists. Despite missing six games, she was tied for most assists for Trinity last season as a sophomore and was named NESCAC player of the week once. With four goals and four assists through a 7-2 start this year, she is third on a team ranked 17th in Division III after defeating 2013 national champion Bowdoin.

Yes, Tapsall has an athletic gene. She also has a genetic predisposition.

"One thing I did was because the steroids and cortisone stopped working was I wasn't getting shots anymore," Tapsall said. "I went a homeopathic route, vitamins, acupuncture and learned how to meditate. That helped for a while. But there was no regrowth happening, so it was, 'OK, I might as well start getting the shots again,' and that went on for three quarters of a year."

Starting last Thanksgiving, she began gathering hair pieces. In all, she has four, including two full pieces. The steroids, meanwhile, suppress the immune system and give the hair a chance to grow back, but they also made it much more difficult to lose weight, with so much water retention, and to get in top condition. So she stopped the injections before the season and will resume afterward.

"Except not getting into the shape you need because of the steroids, I've felt totally healthy," Tapsall said. "There's no way to know if my hair will regrow or it won't. I've focused on not being stressed or frustrated. It's not that I'm more stressed than the average person, but it affects me differently.

"Obviously, I care so much about field hockey. It's a stressful sport. There's no way I'd start growing hair again during the season. Hopefully, afterward, I can begin the regrowth process."

Tapsall played with a wig over the summer for her club team, Fairfield County United, and while shooting around with her dad and sister. She'd also wear a hat, so the wig wouldn't fall off. It was far too hot.

"There's no way to let out all the sweat," she said. "It's like wearing a giant knit hat."

When she returned to Trinity, Tapsall made the move. No wig.

"With the wig, there was no way I could play as hard as I could," Tapsall said. "I'd be dehydrated. I'd be exhausted."

So how did it feel to go bare?

"It was pretty awesome," Tapsall said.

So, too, was the feedback from her teammates.

"As of right now, I still wear my wig to classes, because everyone at school doesn't know what my condition is," said Tapsall, who also played ice hockey and lacrosse in high school. "A lot of my teammates only recognize me now without my hair and think it's weird when I wear it. They're encouraging me not to wear it.

"One of my friends not on the team, we were going to Whole Foods for grocery shopping and she's like, 'Liv, you're not allowed to wear it in the store.' I was like OK. That's where the push came from, really, and it has been really helpful for me. I want to be comfortable with it."

She is the bold, bald Bantam. And, as it turns out, someone who can inspire others.

There is a program called Team IMPACT that matches children facing life-threatening and chronic diseases with college athletic teams. Teams in Connecticut have done it. The kids are drafted onto the team and become an official member. Give them lockers. Make them part of everything. It has brought some cool, motivating stuff.

Tapsall didn't know all the particulars, so I looked it up. At the beginning of September, the Hamilton College field hockey team added 12-year-old Sophia Johnson from Newport, N.Y. She is fighting medulloblastoma, a malignant brain tumor.

"This little girl, who was put on the team through this program," Tapsall said. "She has cancer. She was wearing a hat during the game. She took it off after she saw me playing with no hair [in a Sept. 6 NESCAC game at Hamilton].

Sophia has lost her hair, too.

It turns out Hamilton's Eva Rosencrans, Tapsall's friend and a former Greenwich Academy teammate, texted her about it.

"Eva said she was so inspired she just took it off," Tapsall said. "That's one of the best things that has ever happened to me in my life. I was shopping with my friends, got the text and burst into tears in the middle of the store and immediately called my mom. It was the coolest thing."

Turns out being bald isn't only cool for men.

Hartford Courant



Sharon Geeson



It is our sad news to report that Sharon Geeson passed away on Sunday 12 October.

Sharon had many roles in the hockey world. She was an umpire at the top level of the game and gained her FIH badge in 1994 having umpired at international tournaments in Cork in 1992 and Cardiff in 1993.

She was the Midlands Disciplinary Administrator from 2008 and also chair of selectors of the England Over 45s Womens Masters squad.

Sharon was a well known figure on the Midlands hockey circuit and was a member of Crimson Ramblers LHC that latterly became part of Beeston.

As can be seen from her various roles within the sport, Sharon was a great supporter of hockey and this support helped others enjoy the game.  Our thoughts are with her friends and family at this time.

Her funeral will be held on 3 November at Mansfield & District Crematorium. For details, a fuller obituary and condolences please use this link

England Hockey Board Media release

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