News for 01 August 2015
All the news for Saturday 1 August 2015
Spain defeat for Scotland Senior Women in Euro Masters
Scotland Senior Women lost 3-0 to Spain in the second ERGO Euro Masters match in Hamburg today.
The Scots trailed 1-0 at half-time, before putting in a strong showing. Two late goals, however, flattered the Spaniards.
Head Coach Gordon Shepherd said, "We started slowly and looked a bit nervy but from when they scored we stepped up and played so much better. We were the better side in the second half and created lots of chances. Unfortunately, we lost two late goals on the counter-attack.
"Happy with the effort and most of the performance. We will improve on today in next week's games against Spain."
The Scots now travel to Madrid later this weekend for a warm weather camp and three international matches against Spain.
Scottish Hockey Union media release
Thunderbolts edge BJSS 4-3
by Jugjet Singh
TNB Thunderbolts edged Bukit Jalil Sports School 4-3 in Division One of the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) yesterday.
The score was tied 3-3 until the 66th minute, but Thunderbolts' last push handed them full points in the MHL curtain raiser.
Thunderbolts got their goals off Luqman Hakim (14th), Anwar Ali (22nd), Sabri Mohamed (45th) and Haizzat Noor Azmi (67th).
The BJSS goals were scored by Norshahrezan Jusoh (39th), Hafizhuddin Zaini (60th) and Mahathir Rathuwan (66th).
RESULTS: Division One A: MSP-YP-SSP 2 MSNT-THT 3, MBI 4 MASUM-USM 0, TNB Thunderbolts 4 BJSS 3; Division One B: Nur Insafi-Penang Hockey 0 UiTM 0, Politeknik 0 SSTMI 1.
TODAY: Division One B: SSTMI v ATM Airod (Taman Daya, 5pm); Women's Group A: The Cops v Penang Juniors (Bukit Jalil, 5pm); Group B: Manjung Hockey Club v MSN Kedah (Azlan Shah, 5pm).
TOMORROW: Premier Division: KLHC v Terengganu HT (Bukit Jalil II, 5.30pm), Tenaga Nasional v Maybank (Bukit Jalil II, 8pm), Sapura v UniKL (Bukit Jalil II, 8pm).
Jugjet's World of Field Hockey
KLHC want to start on a winning note in bid to regain title
by S. Ramaguru
KLHC are boosted with national players like Razie Rahim (left) on their side.
KUALA LUMPUR: Former champions Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) are determined to regain at least one of the two titles at stake in the Premier Division when the new season of the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) gets under way .
The Premier Division starts on Sunday with six teams in the fray – KLHC, double champions Terengganu HC, Sapura, Tenaga Nasional, Maybank and Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL).
“We have a good side this year and I feel that we’re a bit stronger with the inclusion of six Pakistani guest players,” said KLHC coach K. Dharmaraj.
“With only six teams, there’s very little chance for us to win the title if we start on a losing note. That’s why we want to start off with a win in the Charity Shield match against Terengganu on Sunday.
“My hope for this year’s MHL is that it should be a more open affair. It’s not good for the MHL to be dominated by one or two teams.”
KLHC are quite a solid team as they have four national stars in their ranks – goalkeeper Roslan Jamaluddin, Mohd Razie Rahim, Nabil Fiqri Mohd Nor and Mohd Shukri Mutalib.
They’ve also recruited Malaysian-born German defender Kevin Lim.
In addition, they have the vastly experienced Waseem Ahmad and five other Pakistanis – Mohamed Umar Bhutta, Mohamed Usman, Ahmad Ijaz, Fareed Ahmad and Ali Shan.
Dharmaraj can also bank on other local players, like Harvinder Singh, Dedy Ariyadi, Mohd Rashid Baharom, Mohd Syamin Yusof and Mohd Azri Hassan.
“It’s a good mix. We finally have all the players in camp. So, the match on Sunday will give us a better indication of the chances.
“Playing the top contender at any time is a tall order. But to start off on a losing note will certainly affect our title chances,” he added.
Last year, KLHC won the Charity Shield when they defeated Tenaga Nasional 4-3.
The Star of Malaysia
MHC put naming of hockey technical director on hold
by S. Ramaguru
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) want to look into all aspects before deciding on the National Sports Council’s (NSC) suggestion for a technical director to oversee their national development programme.
The MHC held a joint committee meeting with the NSC on Friday. The MHC were represented by president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal and deputy president Prof S. Shamala while NSC were represented by director general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail and his officers.
Subahan said that the meeting focused on the development of the national team and “we feel that the suggestion to hire a technical director merits serious consideration”.
“We didn’t make any decision on the matter today, but it will be discussed further and we’ll look into all aspects before coming to a decision. I also want to see what the coaching commitee decide and recommend before taking it any further.
“The executive board will meet on Aug 15, and that’s the forum that will make the final decision,” he said.
Shapawi had, on Thursday, said that the NSC were in favour of hiring a foreign technical director to oversee MHC’s national team programme.
He also said that former national coach Terry Walsh is being considered for the job. Another Australian Neil Hawgood is also in the mix and might be roped in to handle the women’s programme.
“This is our suggestion and we need to see what MHC decide. The meeting allowed us to hear what MHC plan to do and also how we can work together. They have certain procedures in place, so we’ll wait for them to get back to us,” said Shapawi.
Subahan also confirmed that they have received reports from the team officials on the World Hockey League Semi-Finals and that the coaching committee will meet to discuss them.
Malaysia finished sixth in the tournament in Antwerp, Belgium, last month and failed to make the cut for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The Star of Malaysia
GMHS-18 girls lift hockey title
Triple Olympic gold medallist Balbir Singh Sr interacts with the players on the final day of the Chandigarh state junior hockey championship for women at the Sector 18 hockey stadium, on Thursday. (Sanjeev Sharma/HT)
A hat-trick each by Manisha and Shalu helped Government Model High School-18 to crush Hockey Club42 11-1 in the final and clinch the Chandigarh state junior hockey championship for women at the Sector 18 hockey stadium, on Thursday.
Manisha scored in the 20th, 32nd and 38th minutes to lay foundation for an easy win for GMHS-18 whereas Shalu also showed her nose for goals with brilliant field goals in the 26th, 42nd and 48th minutes, to consolidate the team’s position.
The other goals for the team were scored by Sharmila (8th), who opened the account for the team, Lakhwinder (34th, 44nd) and Amritpal (39th). Poonam pulled back one for Hockey Club-42 in the 11th minute of the game. Padma Shri and Olympian Balbir Singh Sr gave away the prizes to the winners and the runners-up team.
A two-minute silence was also observed as a mark of respect to the Late Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Azad, the former president of India who passed away a few days ago.
Hindustan Times
Team England buddy groups
By Mike Haymonds
Ashleigh Ball in action at the London Olympics
LONDON 2012 bronze medallist Ashleigh Ball is in contention for England selection for the Unibet EuroHockey Championship in the Olympic Park later this month after being sidelined with a serious knee injury for the past year.
Ball, 29, who has 114 combined England and GB caps, suffered damage to the anterior and medial cruciate ligaments, as well as cartilage damage, in the final minutes of England’s last game at the World Cup in The Hague in June last year.
However, whilst unable to train fully with her fellow centralised performance squad members at Bisham Abbey, she has still had an active involvement with the squad as a buddy group leader.
She is one of a five-person leadership team, the others being the experienced Kate and Helen Richardson-Walsh, Alex Danson and Scot Emily Maguire. Each has five or so in their buddy group while Ball has six – Sabbie Heesh, Shona McCallin, Sarah Robertson, Susannah Townsend, Hollie Webb and Lucy Wood.
The buddy group concept was started after the last Junior World Cup in 2013 under the then coach Craig Keegan, now the senior women’s deputy coach. Situations and problems are discussed within the group and there is liaison between the leaders and the coaching staff (head coach Danny Kerry and coaches Keegan and Karen Brown) who meet at least every two months.
Ball said: “It’s been great to have been involved with the system during my rehab.
“Things are well planned so we know what we have to work on. Tasks we are set are relevant and there is a competitive edge (with the other groups).”
There are also Thinking Thursdays which involve inter-squad competition which forces decision making.
Ball’s latest target has been to get fit for the EuroHockey Championship from 21 – 30 August after which she will decide on which club she will play for in the upcoming season. She is currently registered with East Conference side Slough.
Fieldhockey.com
So you think you can lead?
Kookaburras skipper Mark Knowles offers leadership guidance and tips on how to be the perfect captain in this week’s hockey column.
Tim Doutré
Kookaburras captain Mark Knowles celebrates.
Leaders come in all shapes and sizes.
Some lead with words, some lead with actions. On and off the field, they’re the ones we turn to in times of trial.
I was seeking some leadership guidance so I went straight to the top: Kookaburras captain Mark Knowles.
The 31-year-old has captained “75 to 100 games”, leading our best players into battle against the rest of the world.
Being named captain
After a period where the role was rotated, Knowles was named sole captain in January 2014.
The first words he received from coach Ric Charlesworth?
“He said: “Everyone will follow someone who is being exceptional on the field. So the biggest challenge for you is to play well,” Knowles said.
“I really took that talk seriously.
Knowles in action for Australia. Photo: Getty
“Everyone can talk and everyone can yell in the huddle before a match.
“But, to be a really good captain, you have to be able to play consistently and play at a high level.”
Does it affect your performance?
As Knowles discusses his career trajectory, his role as a leader, at all levels, becomes apparent.
Even when asked if there was any extra pressure in his first game as sole captain, with the world watching, he seems nonplussed.
“Not really [any extra pressure] to tell you the truth. The biggest difference I felt was that I was doing it on my own which was a weird kind of feeling,” he said.
“I was playing really well at the time and I was really confident in my own ability that I would be able to do it.”
Knowles felt he was not leading to his full potential when the captaincy was being rotated through the leadership group.
“I was always doubting how I was leading. I’m not a control freak but I certainly like to be leading and take charge,” he said.
“I just thought to myself this [sole captaincy] was perfect for me because I have kind of been let loose a little bit.
“Some people might have felt it was a bit more of a burden, I thought this was perfect. I could lead how I would like and how I think the team needed to be led.”
Leadership challenges
It wasn’t all smooth sailing though.
Knowles faces constant challenges at the helm of the team.
“You’ve got 30 guys in our national squad and every single one of those people want to be led differently,” he said.
Role models are important – Bevan George was one of Knowles’. Photo: Getty
“That’s the hardest thing I’ve found now…making my message count to the largest amount of people.”
Part of the solution was to delegate.
“I have allowed some other people to take charge.
“I really want my point, when I think it is required, to hit home, so I’ve allowed the co-captains a little bit more freedom to speak in meetings,” he said.
But the real key to addressing challenges in your leadership is to never stop learning.
“I’m really open about it. I don’t know anywhere near enough about leadership,” he added.
“I like to get feedback from different guys in the squad from different experience levels. I’m by no means a ‘know-it-all’.”
It was a refreshing statement from our nation’s hockey figurehead and a reminder that elite athletes are just like you and I…except they have six-packs.
Knowles’ five ways to become a great leader
1. Never think you have all the answers
“I’m at a stage of my life where I don’t have five to 10 years left in the sport and I need to pick up things as quick as I can. I love hearing other people in other sports and career paths and how they’re learning and how they’re leading and for me that’s all about the growth that I need to keep having.”
2. A strong work ethic/will is a must
“I’ve always wanted to do it. There are some people who don’t like being a leader, some people who don’t like having people looking up at them all the time. I’ve always had that personality.”
3. Have role models and learn from them
“I think you’ve got to have role models. When I was growing up, I had people who I was looking up to.”
4. Be honest and approachable
“I think for me it’s about being real, just to not chop and change your message all the time for different people. I am very clear in what I like players to do and how I like them to act and behave on and off the field.
“That doesn’t vary whether you’re a rookie first gamer or someone like Jamie Dwyer. You have to be real with yourself and real with your team-mates.”
5. Time your message
“That’s the hardest part… I always feel that I could do more or the players could do more but it’s not necessarily required or needed at that time.
“That’s been the hardest thing for me, to put things into perspective and put them to the side if they need to be or up front if they do need to be.”
The New Daily
Dutchman Stockmann inspiring the next generation in India
Dutch goalkeeper Jaap Stockmann (left) is making his mark in India
Hockey clubs across the Netherlands are providing generous donations to help improve young Indians lives
He’s recognised by millions as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, but for many young children in India, Jaap Stockmann is a hockey hero for another reason.
So far, the Dutchman’s project, Chak de India, has made a significant mark in the country.
It has provided more than 7,000 pieces of hockey equipment to disadvantaged communities throughout the India, allowing kids the chance to train and play the national sport.
In a country where hockey is one of the most popular sports and members of the India squad are national heroes, being given the opportunity to learn and play from an early age is sadly no more than a dream for many children in the most deprived and rural areas of the country.
A lack of funds, lack of facilities and lack of equipment means that these children are unable to learn the sport that has given the Indian nation so much pride over the years.
Dutch goalkeeper Jaap Stockmann has been playing in the Hockey India League since it began three years ago.
He is a member of the Jaypee Punjab Warriors team, and last season he won Player of the Tournament.
During his travels around the country, he has seen at first-hand just how difficult it was for children in the remote villages to get into the sport. As a result, the giant keeper decided to do something about it.
Jaap explains why he was so determined to help. “During my adventures in India in the Hockey India League, I learned a lot about India, its culture, its people and learned the differences between both countries. In many areas there are a lot of differences, but not when it comes to playing hockey. Sport connects. It helps people forget many problems. It makes people, and especially children, happy,”says Jaap.
He continued: “Often, these Indian children hardly have any material that they can use for sports. They use homemade stuff and play on a gravel field. Kids find hockey fun and interesting, but a lack of hockey sticks and other equipment often makes sure that these kids cannot play hockey.”
Chak de India, which translates as ‘Go India!’, is Jaap’s initiative to promote hockey across the country. In doing so, it is hoped that the project will inspire the next generation of hockey stars.
He enlisted the support of a few companies with hockey links to help with logistics and then put out the call the hockey clubs, hockey camps and several hockey suppliers to donate any pieces of kit they could spare.
The project came into being 18 months ago and now more than 7,000 items of hockey equipment –including sticks, balls and goalie equipment –have been collected and sent to India.
More than 50 hockey clubs from the Netherlands have joined the initiative, including a holiday sports camps. As well as donating equipment, the clubs have held several one-off events to raise funds for the project.
The focus of the Chak de India is upon developing hockey in the poorer areas, but the main, and wider-reaching outcome has been to get more children exercising, improving their health and welfare, developing their communication and social skills and raising their levels of self-confidence.
FIH site
Hamilton Receives USOC's National Doc Counsilman Science Award
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The National “Doc” Counsilman Award is for a coach that utilizes scientific techniques/equipment as an integral part of his/her coaching methods, or has created innovative ways to use sport science. The “use of science in sport” includes, but is not limited to, biomechanics, nutrition, psychology, technology, strength and conditioning, exercise physiology, etc.
It is with great pleasure that USA Field Hockey announces Dave Hamilton as the recipient of the United States Olympic Committee’s (USOC) 2014 National “Doc” Counsilman Science and Technology Award recipient.
“How humbling – I am very honored to receive the National Doc Counsilman Award,” said Dave Hamilton, USA Field Hockey Director of Performance Science. “I feel fortunate to receive this as I have no doubt it comes more as a recognition of how well the women’s team has accept every physical, experimental and time consuming challenge I have put their way since 2013.”
Each National Governing Body (NGB) was invited to recognize a coach that utilizes scientific techniques/equipment as an integral part of his/her coaching methods, and Hamilton was selected as the national winner among all NGB candidates. His selection as the 2014 national recipient serves as a testament to his dedication to the U.S. Women’s National Team program and a huge recognition for USA Field Hockey’s High Performance Staff.
“This year’s award given to USA Field Hockey’s David Hamilton is prestigious and demonstrates the high level of credibility that has been earned by Dave, the USA Field Hockey National Team’s staff and athletes,” said Simon Hoskins, USA Field Hockey Chief Operating Officer. “Dave has brought cutting edge tools into play for our athletes and introduced metric driven results which have helped to propel our U.S. Women’s National Team to Gold at the Pan Am Games and qualification for the Rio 2016 Olympics.”
Hamilton has a Bachelor’s Degree in Sport Science and a Master’s Degree in Exercise Science. This foundation of knowledge has allowed him to understand the importance of integrating sports medicine, sport science and technology into an elite sport setting. His strength lies in his ability to utilize bespoken technologies and systems to better understand how the U.S. Women’s and Men’s National Team are responding to training content and the daily demands of tournament hockey.
The main device that Hamilton uses both in training and competition is the Catapult System. This technology tracks individual player loads, develops understanding around sessions volume, work rate, player fatigue and establishes trends to make accurate performance decisions based on facts. Polar Heart Rate technologies are also embedded within this technology to add even further validation around player load and effort.
“Our team is defined by speed and fitness; our goal is to outwork every team we come up against,” said Lauren Crandall, U.S. Women’s National Team Captain. “We challenge our competitors to play at our tempo for 60 minutes, and it is because of Dave that we are able to beat teams with our speed and tempo of play. Coordinating the fitness program to be able to play this way goes well beyond lifting and running. Dave creates blocks of training with specific goals such as maximal strength blocks, speed training blocks, speed-velocity blocks, etc.”
Hamilton openly shares his knowledge and scientific findings with many members of the sport of field hockey. He has presented at the National Strength and Conditioning Association Conference, Philadelphia Pro Sport Forum, Seattle Sounder Sports Science Workshop, USA Field Hockey National Coaches Forum for Level 1 to Level 3 FIH Coaches and more. Through his research and findings he has established unique methodologies and systems to facilitate a positive change in field hockey performance markers and has helped fast track the U.S. Women’s National Team in their physical qualities since 2013.
Many of the developed monitoring systems and processes that Hamilton uses are now being employed by many high profile team sports around the world. He was the first to use Drop Jump, performed on electronic jump mats, as a physical marker of neuromuscular fatigue. Through the testosterone profiling he has completed, he has helped shape and change common practice for game day preparation.
“Dave’s use of technology takes the guesswork out of sport science and workloads and allows him to effectively communicate this information to our head coach,” said Crandall. “Dave and his tech tools (as we like to call them) train us in the smartest, and most optimal way possible so that we are able to repeatedly run around our competition – our game is built around it!”
USA Field Hockey extends our sincere congratulations to Dave Hamilton. His relentless drive to keep Team USA among the world’s best in our sport is evidence in his work ethic and desire to implement cunning technology into the squad’s daily regimen.
More about The “Doc” Counsilman Award
Doc Councilman was a longtime head swim coach at Indiana University. Doc earned numerous NCAA Division I National Championships throughout his career. He was the Olympic Head Swim Coach for several Olympic Games and was a superb athlete having swum the English Channel in his 70s.
USFHA media release
Former coach Walsh on India's chances at Rio 2016 and 'narcissistic' Batra
Terry Walsh. Getty Images
Paul van Ass' unceremonious sacking and frequent change of coaches is "potentially destabilising Indian hockey" but the country has just enough time to prepare and train itself for an "outstanding performance" at the Rio Olympics, feels former coach Terry Walsh.
Walsh said he was saddened by Van Ass' sudden ouster just five months into the job following an altercation with Hockey India president Narinder Batra.
"This (Van Ass' sacking) is potentially destabilising for the Indian hockey team," Walsh told PTI in an interview from Perth, when asked about the current mess in Indian hockey just a year ahead of the Rio Games.
Van Ass was the fourth foreign coach to be shown the door unceremoniously ever since Hockey India took over the reins of the game in 2009.
Van Ass's predecessors Jose Brasa, Michael Nobbs and Walsh - all of whom were hired by Sports Authority of India on the recommendations of HI at hefty salaries - also left the country on an unceremonious note.
Walsh, under whose guidance India sealed a direct ticket to next year's Olympics after winning the gold in the Incheon Asian Games, however feels the Sardar Singh-led side has the potential to create a magic in Rio.
"With appropriate preparation and training this squad is capable of an outstanding Olympic performance. There may even be a medal opportunity in Rio if all is put together properly and opportunities are grasped. But realistically though, that will now be very tough," Walsh observed.
The former coach, though, was surprised by the disciplinary issues raised against Gurbaj Singh and said the experienced midfielder is a key player for India going into the Olympics.
"The team has enough time to reset direction for the Olympics in Rio. (But) it surprises me that issues are again being had with Gurbaj. I found him to be an outstanding component of our team. Without key players like Gurbaj, the task becomes seriously more difficult," Walsh said about Gurbaj's omission from India's upcoming Europe tour on disciplinary grounds.
Like his successors, Walsh too faced a tough time working in India and finally had to do away with his job after HI president Batra accused him of financial impropriety during his tenure as technical director USA Field Hockey.
Asked Walsh about the episode with Batra and the resignation that followed, the Australian simply said it was "a sad and emotional time" of his illustrious coaching career.
"My difficulties revolved around administrative process. The players and staff were a pleasure to work for and with. The office staff were also extremely helpful and I made very strong friendships with the players, coaches and office staff during my time in India," he said.
"What transpired through Mr Batra's narcissistic behaviour and accusations was very sad. There is always a first for everything but this period was a shock and seemed totally unnecessary.
"Yes, it was a very sad and emotional time in my career. Mr Batra accused me falsely of financial impropriety and my integrity was unfairly tarnished," Walsh said.
Accusing Batra of "premeditated character assassination", Walsh blamed "systematic failure" behind India's slump in world hockey.
"Communication is not difficult but the premeditated character assassination initiated by Mr Batra is not in my top 20 wonderful memories that I have in working with the Indian Team," he said.
"The changes I was seeking involved a much greater decision making capacity for Roelant Oltmans as Technical Director. At critical moments I felt it would have been much more productive to have greater support from certain quarters.
Underpinning my involvement in Indian Hockey was the requirement to implement change and take Indian hockey to a much more competitive and effective level. It is very difficult to do that if change is not part of the thinking process," said Walsh, a world champion with Australia in 1986.
He also alleged Batra and HI CEO Elena Norman of adopting vengeful attitude towards him by not giving him financial benefits provided to the players and support staffs after India's successful campaign as Glasgow Commonwealth Games and Asian Games last year.
"To reflect how spiteful the HI President and CEO (Norman) became they didn't include me in the financial benefits provided to the players and staff for the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games successes, albeit the Technical Director was.
"Now that could easily be construed as financial impropriety from Hockey India," he said.
"Maybe they could consider providing those funds to Jude Felix's orphanage hockey school in Bangalore.
"The good part is that now I sleep very well at night about this whole issue. The integrity of the game of hockey and all that surrounds it is paramount in my view and that should never be jeopardised no matter where, when or how you are involved with our game," Walsh added.
Asked whether he is still open to return to India if opportunity comes forward, he replied in the negative.
"Had Hockey India recognised that their information and associated actions were inaccurate and offered some platform to move forward, yes there would have been a significant opportunity. But when requests to create discussion are rejected without response from the CEO and President of Hockey India it makes any opportunity very difficult," signed off Walsh, who is all set to take charge as the Malaysia's Technical Director.
Firstpost
‘TNOA needn’t interfere in Hockey India’s affairs’
Hockey India president Narinder Batra said the ad-hoc committee formed by Tamil Nadu Olympic Association to solve the problems faced by the former’s Tamil Nadu unit has no relevance.
“TNOA has no business and authority to interfere with the affairs of Hockey India,” he told The Hindu on Friday.
It can be recalled that TNOA had formed a five-member committee and has authorised it to conduct the election within six months.
Batra said Hockey India would look into the affairs of its Tamil Nadu unit as it has given the latter a deadline till the end of August to sort out the issues.
“Hopefully, we will find a solution,” said Batra.
“Even otherwise, Tamil Nadu has enough Olympians such as Baskaran and Md. Riaz who, I think, can offer solutions.”
He further said that Tamil Nadu had a lot of potential.
“We will not let the State down,” he said.
The Hindu