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News for 03 October 2015

All the news for Saturday 3 October 2015


Black Sticks Women edged by Argentina


Pictured: Debutante Maddie Dowe / Planet Hockey

The Black Sticks Women fought back but couldn’t clinch a win against World No. 3 Argentina in the first game of the 2015 South Island Tour held in Blenheim today.

The visitors won 2-1 but not without a spirited comeback in the fourth quarter from the Kiwis, spurred on by a goal from Black Stick Shiloh Gloyn.

‘We were too patchy and not cohesive enough today, the last five minutes was pretty much the best part of our game with three or four shots – we finished well, but we have got to be better,” said head coach Mark Hager.

It was an end-to-end affair in the first half with both sides having their opportunities – Argentina were unlucky not to score early on when the ball bounced off the post. Likewise, the Black Sticks were rueing their chances when a nice piece of play was disallowed when the ball edged over the baseline and a Charlotte Harrison shot was superbly saved by the goalkeeper.

Argentina’s Zuloaga was the first to score in the eighth minute from a penalty corner and the score remained till half time. The visitors doubled their lead when Maria Granatto finished off a nice team goal in the 35th minute.

A strong vocal crowd in Blenheim kept the Black Sticks buoyed but the Kiwis struggled to find the connections in the circle to get on the scoreboard throughout most of the second half.

With only four minutes left on the clock Sam Charlton set up a great goal which Gloyn finished off giving the Kiwis a sniff of a win.

In the final minutes the Kiwis held possession, entering the circle and taking shots but it was not to be and the win went the visitor’s way.

There were two new faces on the turf today for the Kiwis - Auckland’s Maddie Dowe and Capital’s Kelsey Smith.

‘Obviously a bit of nerves from both of them today, it’s a big learning curve playing number three in the world – they are a team of very talented hockey players. But I’m pleased we can give Maddie and Kelsey an opportunity and no doubt they will learn from that today,” said Hager.

The two teams face each other again at 2pm tomorrow in Blenheim, they then head to Nelson where they play on Tuesday, ahead of going to Christchurch for the final clash on Friday.

The Black Sticks Men will play India twice in Nelson (6th and 7th October) and twice in Christchurch (9th and 11th October).

For more details on the South Island Tour, click here.

All games are live streamed here hockeynz.co.nz/Video

RESULTS
Full time: 2-1 (Argentina win
Half time: 0-1 (Argentina led)
NZ goal scorers: Shiloh Gloyn
Argentina goal scorers: Victoria Zuloaga, Maria Granatto

Hockey New Zealand Media release



Black Sticks edged by Argentina


Charlotte Harrison had a shot superbly saved in the loss against Argentina. Photo / Getty

The Black Sticks women fought back but couldn't clinch a win against world No 3 Argentina in the first game of the South Island tour in Blenheim today.

The visitors won 2-1 but not without a spirited comeback in the fourth quarter from the Kiwis, spurred on by a goal from Shiloh Gloyn.

'We were too patchy and not cohesive enough," said head coach Mark Hager. "The last five minutes was pretty much the best part of our game with three or four shots - we finished well, but we have got to be better ."

It was an end-to-end affair in the first half with both sides having their opportunities - Argentina were unlucky not to score early on when the ball bounced off the post. Likewise, the Black Sticks were rueing their chances when a nice piece of play was disallowed after the ball edged over the baseline and a Charlotte Harrison shot was superbly saved by the goalkeeper.

Argentina's Zuloaga was the first to score in the eighth minute from a penalty corner and the score remained until halftime.

The visitors then doubled their lead when Maria Granatto finished off a nice team goal in the 35th minute.

A vocal crowd kept the Black Sticks buoyed but the Kiwis struggled to find the connections in the circle to get on the scoreboard throughout most of the second half.

With only four minutes left on the clock Sam Charlton set up a great goal which Gloyn finished off giving the Kiwis a sniff of a win. In the final minutes the Kiwis held possession, entering the circle and taking shots but it was not to be and the win went the visitor's way.

The two teams face each other again at 2pm tomorrow in Blenheim before heading to Nelson where they play on Tuesday, ahead of the final clash in Christchurch on Friday.

All games will be streamed live and exclusive on nzherald.co.nz

The New Zealand Herald



Blacks Sticks women fall to Argentina in Blenheim

Patrick Dawkins


Argentina celebrate their first goal against the Black Sticks on Saturday. DEREK FLYNN/FAIRFAX NZ

Blenheim's first taste of international hockey for 57 years did not disappoint as the New Zealand women's team took their match with Argentina down to the final seconds before falling short 2-1 on Saturday.

The Black Sticks trailed 2-0 at halftime in the first match of a four-test series, and first of two matches at College Park. They picked up a goal with 4:30 to play in the final period to setup a a frantic finish where they turned up the heat but were ultimately denied an equaliser.

After an even start, both sides were awarded penalty corners midway through the first quarter. New Zealand's shot was blocked by outstanding Argentinian goalkeeper Maria Belen Succi, before the tourists were more clinical in their attempt moments later, Victoria Zuloaga flicking in from deep in the circle.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/7/9/m/t/e/image.related.StuffPortrait.238x286.179keq.png/1443850178450.jpg
Black Stick Sophie Cocks, left, tries to lauch an attack under pressure from Argentina's Jimena Cedres. DEREK FLYNN/FAIRFAX NZ

The second quarter saw Argentina applying pressure on the Kiwi defence, holding possession and forcing defenders Liz Thompson and Natasha Fitzsimons to come up with some key stops.

The hosts fought back with several attacking raids of their own shortly before the close of the half. Rose Keddell's brilliant searching run, where she beat several defenders, was snuffed out by the solid Argentina defence - led by 244-match veteran Noel Barrioneuvo.

New Zealand looked to have finally cracked the code moments later when Sam Charlton set up Sophie Cocks on the stroke of halftime, only for the ball to be ruled as out just before Charlton's pass.

That would have tied the scores, but instead New Zealand went further behind five minutes after play resumed, Maria Jose Granatto finishing off a slick build-up by the South Americas. New Zealand created a few opportunities in the Argentinian circle, but the defence of the visitors had an answer until the final quarter surge from the Black Sticks.

A Shiloh Gloyn deflection off a Charlton shot gave the Kiwis hope but Argentina controlled possession for the next two minutes. The Black Sticks claimed the ball with 2:30 remaining and immediately went onto attack.

Charlotte Harrison had the best chance to equalise, but the returning attacker could not get decent contact from close range. New Zealand were not deterred though, throwing everything at the visitors until the final whistle went as players scrambled for the ball in Argentina's goal mouth.

The thrilling finish kept a crowd of around 1200 on edge, setting up another showdown in Blenheim on Sunday afternoon before the series heads to Nelson and then Christchurch.

Black Sticks head coach Mark Hager is looking for major improvement. "We were quite poor ... our basics were probably some of the worst basics I have seen from us in a long long time. Our ability to trap the ball dead, pass from A to B, let us down. We weren't able to string passes together for long periods. They made us look silly with their ball control ... we were giving away too many easy free hits and our outletting was poor.

"Maybe it was the pressure of the occasion, and the level of the Argentinians. We have just come off the NHL, which is a level lower than internationals, so a few of our players I didn't think raised themselves to that level. I hope we can handle the ball better tomorrow," addded Hager.

Argentina 2 (Vicotria Zuloaga, Maria Jose Granatto) New Zealand 1 (Shiloh Gloyn). HT: 1-0 Argentina.

Stuff



Black Sticks zero in on strike rate for India visit with Rio in sights

By David Leggat


Ipanema beach in Rio de Janeiro, where the 2016 Olympics will be held. Photo / Bloomberg

New Zealand are likely to have a heavier emphasis than usual on goalscoring when they play India in their four-game series starting in Nelson on Tuesday.

Coach Colin Batch has been concerned at a failure to fully capitalise on opportunities, and with the Oceania Cup clash with Australia coming up - when Olympic qualification will be at stake - he's keen to see a sharpening in front of goal.

To that end, uncapped Midlands attacker Matt Rees-Gibbs has been called into a squad of 23. Rees-Gibbs has impressed Batch at the last two national tournaments, as a midfielder and a striker.

He scored four goals in last month's NHL, while there were useful hauls for other national squad attackers, including Central's Nick Wilson with seven, and Southern's Hugo Inglis and Capital's Stephen Jenness, who clashed in the Challenge Shield final, with six apiece.

"We're thinking of Matt as a striker," Batch said. "He's very collective in his play. He understands the pressing side of the game and we'll throw him in and see what he can do.

"One area we wanted to improve in from World League 3 was our scoring and strikers need more punch, so we'll see what Matt can bring to the group."

At the world league semifinal in Buenos Aires in June, New Zealand scored 15 goals in seven games, with four coming from captain Simon Child and two apiece from Steve Edwards, Hugo Inglis and penalty corner sharpshooter Nick Haig.

"It's definitely been a focus for us, even before Argentina," Inglis said yesterday. "It's just a combination of decision-making, connections with each other and having that ability to take those chances.

"It's one thing to take them in club hockey and NHL when you have the time and space. But the nature of international hockey is you don't have the same sort of flexibility. It's dealing with the extra pressure put on you and making smart decisions - whether we shoot the ball or look for penalty corners."

World No8 India offer tough opposition ahead of the Oceania Cup series in Stratford later this month.

Batch rates India's penalty corner prowess highly and in one respect they are similar to Australia, with a fast, attacking approach.

"Australia are very well structured and organised in defence, while India rely more on one-on-one defence. They'll provide a very good challenge and are bringing a strong squad here."

Veteran Kyle Pontifex was an influential figure in goal for Capital when they won the national title and at 35 has earned a recall, after last appearing for the Black Sticks at the London Olympics in 2012.

He may also have a role in helping organise the defensive structure and working with the 25-year-old classy first choice Devon Manchester.

• The women's Black Sticks start their four-game series against world No3 Argentina with games in Blenheim today and tomorrow.

They have had to make one change, with Canterbury's Pippa Hayward ruled out by injury. Her place has gone to Auckland midfielder Julia King.

The third game in Nelson on Tuesday offers a first opportunity for captain Anita Punt, who turned 28 yesterday, to play international hockey in her home town. The series ends in Christchurch next Friday.

New Zealand squad:

Goalkeepers: Devon Manchester (Auckland), Kyle Pontifex (Capital).

Defenders: Nick Haig, Bradley Shaw (Canterbury), Arun Panchia, Dwayne Rowsell (Auckland), Blair Tarrant, Kane Russell (Southern), Alex Shaw (Capital).

Midfielders: Ryan Archibald (Auckland), George Muir, James Coughlan (North Harbour), Nick Ross (Southern), Nic Woods (Midlands).

Attackers: Simon Child, Marcus Child, Jared Panchia (Auckland), Nick Wilson (Central), Steve Edwards (North Harbour), Hugo Inglis (Southern), Stephen Jenness, Blair Hilton (Capital), Matt Rees-Gibbs (Midlands).

The New Zealand Herald



Indian men's hockey team wins 3-1 against New Zealand A

AUCKLAND: Akashdeep Singh, Ramandeep Singh and Nikkin Thimmiah scored a goal apiece as Indian men's hockey team started their tour of New Zealand with a convincing 3-1 victory on Friday.

After the ever-consistent PR Sreejesh thwarted New Zealand A's back-to back penalty corners, India hit on counter in the third minute. Ramandeep dribbled past a couple of opposition players feeding Akashdeep, who coolly slotted it home to give his team 1-0 lead.

In the 20th minute (fifth minute of second quarter), it was Ramandeep's turn to put his name up in the scorers' list with a spectacular field goal as he left the host defence in complete tatters.

Within another six minutes, it was Nikkin did spadework past the 'Black Sticks' defenders after receiving a pass from Gurjinder Singh as he successfully struck to make it 3-0.

New Zealand did pull one back in the third quarter as they successfully converted a penalty corner in the 36th minute. The score at the end of the third quarter was 3-1.

In the fourth quarter, both the teams pushed themselves harder to score more goals with forwards Ramandeep, Akashdeep and Nikkin keeping the New Zealand defenders busy and played most of the game in opponent's half.

India will again play against New Zealand A on Saturday at the same venue. The first match against New Zealand senior team will be played at Nelson on October 6. The next three matches will be held on October 7, 9, 11 respectively. The last two matches will be held in Christchurch.

The Times of India



India beat New Zealand A 2-1 in second game

AUCKLAND: Riding on forward SK Uthappa's twin strike, the Indian men's hockey team posted yet another win against New Zealand A in the second game of the Kiwi tour on Saturday.

The first quarter saw both the teams going on the attack on each other's business side of the field. But the Indians, with a win yesterday were high on spirits and in the 5th minute saw SV Sunil entering the D as he passed the ball to Nikkin Thimmaiah.

Nikkin's pass to Uthappa helped the Karnataka player to put the ball into the nets brilliantly as India led 1-0.

India continued to put pressure and maintained good ball possession, keeping the opponents defence busy all through. But with no further goals added, the quarter ended 1-0 in India's favour.

Indians started the second quarter on a high as they took over from where they left and were seen in the opponent's semi-circle trying to score on the opportunities. But unfortunately for the Indians they could not find the nets, leaving the score untouched at 1-0 at the end of the first half.

The third quarter saw Indians scoring yet again as the second goal was added to the tally. Right into the quarter it was Uthappa's sheer brilliance which helped India score the goal. He entered the D, beating the New Zealand A goalie and defenders and scoring through a field goal in the 34th minute to provide India a 2-0 lead.

With seconds left for the quarter to end, India were awarded a penalty corner which unfortunately did not go in their favour.

The last quarter saw New Zealand A being awarded with penalty corner but unfortunately for them it was effortlessly saved by PR Sreejesh.

But New Zealand A persisted with their endeavour to open their goal account and finally in the 57th minute, Stephen Jenness scored a field goal, taking the score to 1-2. With no further goals getting scored India registered their second consecutive win1.

India will take on New Zealand on October 6 at Nelson.

The Times of India



The curtain will rise tomorrow at Chiclayo, Peru, where the Pan American Challenges take place

Brazil, who has already qualified for the Olympic Games, will meet Panama- both men and women’s teams. Host Peru, will make their debut against Puerto Rico.

Patrick Espejo

Brazil and Panama’s national teams will open the Pan American Challenges tomorrow. The tournament will take place from October 3rd, through October 11th. Organized by PAHF and the Peruvian Hockey Federation, the tournament will be held at the city of Chiclayo, 765 km north from Lima, Peru.

Brazil, who had validated their berth for the Olympic Games 2016 in Rio, will play against Panama at 9:00 AM local time (14:00 GMT) in the first match of Pool A. Two hours later, Puerto Rico and Guyana will play.

National team of Peru led by Fabrizio Corno, will not swing into action until Saturday against Uruguay, in the first cross-over of Pool B. Both squads share pool with Venezuela and Ecuador. The latest, will meet for the second duel on Sunday.

WOMEN COMPETITION

As for the women’s competition, they will play a round-robin. The first match features Brazil against Panama at 1:00 PM (18:00 GMT). The Peruvian team will take advantage of their position as hosts when they meet Puerto Rico. Barbados will take a rest during the first day.

The Pan American Challenges will be inaugurated today in the afternoon by Mr. David Cornejo, Mayor of Chiclayo together with Mr. Gianni Delucchi, President of the Peruvian Hockey Federation. They will give the official welcome to all the delegations.

The matches will be played on the official pitches of the Peruvian Hockey Federation in this city. These were installed by the end of 2013 specifically for the Juegos Bolivarianos (Bolivarian Games) organized by Peru.

Pan American Hockey Federation media release



Witness one of the world's most explosive sports in Raipur, India later this year



Raipur will play host to one of the world's most action packed sports when the Hero Hockey World League Final comes to town between 27 November and 6 December.

Data gathered from FIH Innovation Partner Loughborough University at the 2014 Hockey World Cup revealed a host of statistics highlighting just how intense elite hockey matches are.

With players covering up to 10km per game, that equates to around 140m per minute. Compare this to football, where players run 125m per minute, 109m per minute in basketball and 94m per minute in rugby 7s.

Whilst for many, a 10km run sounds enduring, but in hockey, much of this activity is undertaken at a high pace, with players reaching maximum speeds of 34-35kmh during games.

In fact, for 30% of an elite hockey game, players are running at a high intensity (above 19kmh), compared to only 20% of a rugby 7s match and 9% of a football match.

As a result, hockey players are sustaining about 85-90% of their maximum heart rate for over 40% of the game.

All of these facts lead to a clear conclusion - hockey is explosive. Players perform at a high intensity throughout matches, which results in action packed, exciting games.

You too can be part of the action. Turn up or tune in to catch all of the excitement at the 2015 men's Hero Hockey World League Finals in Raipur, India.

FIH site



MHC start steep Olympic and World Cup climb

By Jugjet Singh

THE MALAYSIAN Hockey Confederation (MHC) selected 35 trainees for the senior squad yesterday, and it was based on merit and not sentiment.

Three former stalwarts were dropped from the list, but Technical Director Terry Walsh reminded everybody that: "The door swings both ways."

Veteran goalkeeper Roslan Jamaluddin, striker Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin and midfielder Azlan Misron were left out, as MHC start preparing to get back into the Olympic and World Cup.

Azlan is the highest capped Malaysian player with 349 internationals, while Roslan retired with 199 and Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin with 206.

Coach Stephen van Huizen and assistant Lim Chiow Chuan selected a team with an average age of 24, with the oldest being goalkeeper S. Kumar who is 36.

Baljit Singh will no longer be the sole Punjabi representative, as Harmeet Singh, Harmesh Singh and Harvinder Singh were also included in the training squad.

Harmeet, 23, and Harmesh, 22, played for Sapura in the Premier Division of the Malaysia Hockey League, while Harvinder turned out for Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club.

"The selection was done with the Olympics and World Cup in mind, and so, we had to leave behind some players and try out others. We have six months to the Azlan Shah Cup, and so, emphasis would be on fitness and technical aspect of the game," said van Huizen.

Also selected was Joel Samuel, van Huizen's son, who last turned out for the country in the 2013 Junior World Cup. He played for Sapura in the MHL.

Walsh, tasked to turned around Malaysia's hockey misfortunes said: "Those who have been selected and those who were dropped must always understand that the door swings both ways. Don't take anything for granted, and comeback is also a possibility."

Three 21-year-olds who will play in the Sultan of Johor Cup and then the Junior Asia Cup were also named as senior trainees.

Meor Azuan, Shahril Saabah and Haziq Shamsul will be coach Arul Selvaraj's stalwarts when Malaysia play in both the junior tournaments.

"Training will start on Monday with 21 players, as some are away with their clubs overseas, while others have some commitments to settle before answering the call-up," said van Huizen.

GOALKEEPERS: S. Kumar (age 36), Hairi Abdul Rahman (25), Hafizuddin Othman (23), Hazrul Faiz (22).

DEFENDERS: Razie Rahim (28), Noor Faeez Ibrahim (24), Suhkri Mutalib (29), Azlam Hanafiah (22), Izad Hakimi (23), Harmesh Singh (22), Harmeet Singh (23), Shahrun Nabil (30), Shazril Irwan (22), Baljit Singh (29).

MIDFIELDERS: Nabil Fiqri (28), Azri Hassan (23), Harvinder Singh (26), Joel Samuel van Huizen (23), Faiz Helmi (23), Marhan Jalil (25), Fitri Shaari (22), Ramadan Rosli (24), Norhizzat Sumantri (24), Meor Azuan (21).

FORWARDS: Rashid Baharom (23), Syamin Yusof (23), Dedi Ariyadi (24), Hafiz Zainol (22), Faridzul Afiq (23), Dangerous Lee (23), Faizal Shaari (24), Firhan Ashari (22), Shahril Saabah (21), Haziq Samsul (21), Izwan Firdaus (26).

Jugjet's World of Field Hockey



Three hockey veterans dropped from training squad

by S. Ramaguru


The most capped Malaysian hockey player Azlan Misron has been left out of the training squad. - Filepic

KUALA LUMPUR: Three old war horses were put out to pasture as the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) named a squad of 35 trainees for the national hockey team.

The three – goalkeeper Roslan Jamaluddin (199 caps), defender Azlan Misron (349) and forward Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin (206) – were left out due to their age as the MHC named a squad with an average age of 24.

MHC chief executive officer K. Logan Raj said that the squad “was picked on merit, not sentiments”.

Roslan, Tengku Ahmad and Azlan were all part of the 2014 World Cup squad and have been regulars in the national team for over a decade.

Azlan is also the most capped national hockey player. The current oldest player in the team is goalkeeper S. Kumar, who is 36.

It is also interesting to note that all the 35 players named on Friday come from clubs in the Premier Division.

Double runners-up KLHC and third-placed Sapura provided nine players each while double champions Terengganu have six.

The other teams Tenaga Nasional, Universiti Kuala Lumpur and Maybank contributed five, four and two players each.

“The selection was done with the Olympics and World Cup in mind. So, we had to leave behind some players and try out the younger ones,” said chief coach Stephen van Huizen, who will be assisted by Lim Chiow Chuan.

“Roslan and Azlan are on the verge of retirement and it’s pointless to keep them in the squad. We have capable replacements for Tengku in the forward line.

“We have six months to the Azlan Shah Cup ... so, the emphasis will be on fitness and technical aspect of the game for now,” said Logan Raj.

MHC technical director Terry Walsh, who was also present at the press conference to announce the squad, said that the door is not closed on any player.

“This is by no means the final squad. Those who were dropped must always understand that the door swings both ways. Don’t take anything for granted ... comebacks are a possibility,” he said.

Training will start on Monday with only 21 players as some are away in Europe playing in the German League while three are with the National Juniors preparing for the Junior Asia Cup.

The three joining the National Juniors for the Sultan of Johor Cup and the Junior Asia Cup are Mohd Shahril Saabah, Mohd Haziq Shamsul and Meor Mohd Azuan Hassan.

THE 35-PLAYER TRAINING SQUAD

Goalkeepers: S. Kumar (Tenaga); Mohd Hairi Abdul Rahman (Sapura); Mohd Hafizuddin Othman, Mohd Hazrul Faiz Ahmad Sobri (Ter).

Defenders: Mohd Razie Abd Rahim, Mohd Noor Faeez Ibrahim, Mohd Sukri Abdul Mutalib (KLHC); Mohd Azlam Mohd Hanafiah (Maybank); Mohd Izad Hakimi Jamaluddin (Sapura), Harmesh Singh (Sapura), Harmeet Singh (Sapura); Mohd Shahrun Nabil Abdullah (Ter); Shazril Irwan (Tenaga), Baljit Singh Charun Singh (UniKL).

Midfielders: Nabil Fiqri Mohd Noor, Mohd Azri Hassan, Harvinder Singh (KLHC); Joel Samuel Van Huizen, Faiz Helmi Jali, Mohd Marhan Jalil (Sapura); Mohd Fitri Saari (Ter); Mohd Ramadan Rosli, Norhizzat Sumantri (Tenaga); Meor Mohamed Azuan Hasan (UniKL).

Forwards: Mohd Rashid Baharom, Mohd Syamin Mohd Yusof, Dedi Ariyadi (KLHC); Mohd Hafiz Zainol (Maybank); Faridzul Afiq Mohd, Dangerous Lee (Sapura); Faizal Saari, Mohd Firhan Ashari (Ter); Mohd Shahril Saabah (Tenaga); Mohd Haziq Samsul, Izwan Firdaus Ahmad Tajuddin (UniKL).

The Star of Malaysia



Coach leaving it late to name Sultan of Johor hockey squad

By S. Ramaguru

KUALA LUMPUR: The national junior hockey team will leave it late to name their final 18 for the Sultan of Johor Cup, which will be held in Johor Baru from Oct 11-18.

The team, whose five-day stint at the Taman Daya Hockey Stadium in Johor Baru ended on Friday, will continue their training in Kuala Lumpur with two matches against a National Selection on Tuesday and Wednesday.

They will then travel back to Johor Baru for a friendly against Britain before the final selection is made.

The Sultan of Johor Cup is an invitational Under-21 tournament that will see Malaysia going up against defending champions India, Pakistan, Australia, Argentina and Britain.

With the Junior Asia Cup scheduled for Nov 14-22 in Kuantan, Malaysia, India and Pakistan will be looking to use the Sultan of Johor Cup to gear up for the tournament. The Kuantan meet offers four places to the Junior World Cup next year.

India have already booked themselves a spot in the Junior World Cup as the host nation and all Malaysia need to do at the Kuantan tournament is to finish in the top three.

Chief coach A. Arulselvaraj will be looking to keep his cards close to his chest during the Johor Baru meet as India and Pakistan will be taking a keen interest on their progress.

The Malaysians are the highest ranked Asian team in both the Johor Baru and Kuantan tournaments following their victory at the last Junior Asia Cup in Malacca and their fourth placing in the 2013 Junior World Cup.

“The Sultan of Johor Cup is the only tournament I have to test the boys and I’m aware that India and Pakistan will be keeping a close eye on us. I will ensure our boys do their best without giving away too much,” he said.

Malaysia finished a disappointing fifth in the previous edition of the Sultan of Johor Cup, but Arulselvaraj is confident they will do better this time.

“I’ll be trying out different tactics for each game to see which one suits us best,” he said.

“My biggest concern is injuries. With the Junior Asia Cup just around the corner, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that there’ll be no serious injuries.”

The coach will be banking on his three experienced team members – Mohd Shahril Saabah, Mohd Haziq Syamsul and Meor Mohd Azuan Hassan – to hold the team together.

The Star of Malaysia



Indian women's hockey camp starts

BHUBANESWAR: After a month-long preparatory camp in Delhi, 33 Indian women hockey players are now assembling for a coaching camp at the Kalinga Stadium here from Thursday.

The camp, scheduled to run till October 23, also includes young talents from the junior team, who recently participated in the 7th Junior Asia Cup and Volvo Invitational Under-21 (Women) Tournament held earlier this year.

As many as 33 players will be part of the coaching camp where they will be trained for 22 days. The 33 campers consist of four goalkeepers, 10 defenders, nine midfielders and 10 forwards.

The players will work on their skills and team coordination for the upcoming tournaments that are scheduled in the next one year and the all important Rio 2016 Olympics.

"With the team all set to face the challenge of Rio de Janeiro next year, Hockey India is ensuring that the players have all that is required to be ready for the tournament and be a tough team for the opponents," chief coach Mathias Ahrens said in a statement.

"Keeping this in mind we are arranging regular preparatory camps alongwith plans to line-up Test series with different international teams in the next 8 months which will help the players to better themselves as a unit."

The list of players:

Goalkeepers: Savita, Yogita Bali, Rajani Etimarpu, Sonal Minj

Defenders: Manjit Kaur, Sunita Lakra, Deepika, Susila Chanu Pukhrmbam, Jaspreet Kaur, Namita Toppo, Deep Grace Ekka, Gurjit Kaur, H. Lalruwatfeli, Rukmani Dodray

Midfielders: M. Lily Chanu, Renuka Yadav, Ritu Rani, Lilima Minz, Navjot Kaur, Monika, Narinder Kaur, Lalhlunmawii, Navdeep Kaur

Forwards: Navneet Kaur, Rani Rampal, Poonam Rani, Vandana Kataria, Anupa Barla, Anuradha Devi Thokchom, Ritusha Kumari Arya, Punam Barla, Nikki Pradhan, Jyoti Gupta

The Times of India



Queensland Blades win men’s AHL

Maroons beat WA Thundersticks for sixth title in ten years


Kookaburras captain Mark Knowles in the colours of the AHL winners, the Queensland Blades.

Cale Cramer was the hero for the Queensland Blades as his double secured a sixth Australian Hockey League title in ten years for the Maroons with a hard fought 2-1 win over WA Thundersticks in Friday’s Grand Final. The 27 year-old was subsequently named Player of the Final.

Chris Bausor’s penalty stroke in the 46th minute equalised Cramer’s opener early in the third period but Cramer’s tomahawk low inside the near post sealed victory for the Blades.

Goalkeeper Tyler Lovell had kept the Thundersticks in contention with a string of saves, supplemented by Kiel Brown’s goal line clearance in the second half. At the other end, the Thundersticks saw several penalty corners fly past the outside of the post as they unsuccessfully tried to penetrate the Queensland back line.

In the bronze medal clash, Tassie Tigers came out on top in a ding-dong battle with the Victorian Vikings that saw the lead change hands four times before the defending champions eventually emerged 4-3 winners.

Justin Ellis opened for the Vikings after 15 minutes but Dougal Middleton levelled for the Tigers shortly before half time. Tim Deavin’s penalty corner goal five minutes after the restart put Tasmania in front for the first time in the game but two goals in the space of two minutes from Kiran Arunasalam and Will Gilmour restored Victoria’s advantage going into the final period. The drama was not over, however. Inside the final ten minutes Middleton bagged his second of the game before James Dick netted Tasmania’s winner to secure the bronze medal.

Tasmanian captain Eddie Ockenden became the first player to ever win the Player of the Tournament award at four AHL championships, adding the 2015 award to those picked up in 2011, 2013 and 2014.

Wollongong teenager Blake Govers ensured he walked away with the top goal scorer’s award after his hat-trick for NSW Waratahs took his tally for the week to ten, one more than last year. Having missed out on the top four earlier in the week, the Waratahs had to settle for fifth place, secured courtesy of a 7-0 win over RAMS Home Loans Canberra Lakers. Govers' hat-trick took just 13 minutes either side of three-quarter time with the 19 year-old joined on the score sheet by Flynn Ogilvie, Jack Hayes, Simon Orchard and Nick Hill.

Despite the result, Lakers goalkeeper Andrew Charter, who shared the duties in goal with Malcolm Beer, was named Goalkeeper of the Tournament.

In the day’s opening encounter, SA Hotshots rebounded from being 2-1 down to beat hosts SRA Territory Stingers 5-3 courtesy of doubles from Luke Larwood and Ruben Wyld, and one from captain Daniel Cox. For the Stingers, who finished eighth, former Kookaburra Des Abbott netted a brace with Jarrod Lockley adding his name to the score sheet late on.

Men's Australian Hockey League
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Darwin

Day 6 Results
7th/8th: SA Hotshots 5-3 SRA Territory Stingers
5th/6th: NSW Waratahs 7-0 RAMS Home Loans Canberra Lakers
Bronze: Victorian Vikings 3-4 Tassie Tigers
Gold: Queensland Blades 2-1 WA Thundersticks

Final Classification
Gold: Queensland Blades
Silver: WA Thundersticks
Bronze: Tassie Tigers
4. Victorian Vikings
5. NSW Waratahs
6. RAMS Home Loans Canberra Lakers
7. SA Hotshots
8. SRA Territory Stingers

Player of the Tournament: Eddie Ockenden (Tassie Tigers)
Player of the Final: Cale Cramer (Queensland Blades)
Goalkeeper of the Tournament: Andrew Charter (RAMS Home Loans Canberra Lakers)
Top Goal Scorer: Blake Govers (NSW Waratahs) 10 goals
Play the Whistle Award: Tassie Tigers

Hockey Australia media release



Queensland win women’s AHL

Queensland Scorchers crowned 2015 champions after defeating Victoria



The Queensland Scorchers clinched a 2-1 victory over the Victorian Vipers in the women’s gold medal final, claiming the 2015 Australian Hockey League title powered by Premier Technology Solutions. It is the Maroons' second title in three years.

Forward Emily Hurtz quickly put the Victorian Vipers in front four minutes after the starting whistle, slotting the ball behind Queensland’s goalkeeper Audrey Smith. Showcasing valuable firepower throughout the tournament, Jodie Kenny and Madonna Blyth’s strikes in the second and third quarters didn’t disappoint the crowd.

With a rock-solid defence featuring the likes of Hockeyroos Jodie Kenny, Kirstin Dwyer and Madison Fitzpatrick, the Queensland Scorchers managed to hold out the Victorian Vipers until the final siren, reclaiming their 2013 AHL crown.

During the medal presentation, Victorian Rachael Lynch was named goalkeeper of the tournament alongside teammate Emily Hurtz who picked up the tournament’s top goal scorer. South Australian captain Jane Claxton was awarded Player of the Tournament for the women’s 2015 Australian Hockey League.

In the bronze medal match, the NSW Arrows regrouped after their previous defeat, claiming a 3-1 victory over the Canberra Labor Club Strikers. A late double in the final ten minutes of the match from NSW Arrows’ captain Emily Smith and a strike from Kate Jenner was enough to award the 2014 premiers this year’s bronze medal. Shelley Watson contributed to the ACT Strikers tally.

Battling for fifth place, the SA Suns’ forward Anna Busiko put South Australia on the scoreboard with an early lead, however, it wasn’t enough to hold the WA Diamonds out. Strikes from Georgia Wilson and Kate Denning helped their side to fifth place.

A dramatic sudden death shoot-out decided the seventh/eighth place playoff, after Tassie Van Demons’ captain Amelia Spence netted off the back of a penalty corner, 2-2, with seconds remaining on the clock. Under pressure during the shoot-out by Tasmania’s goalkeeper Ruby-Rose Haywood, it was NT Pearls’ captain Brooke Peris that coolly slotted the ball home, awarding the Northern Territory their first 2-1 victory of the tournament and a final position of seventh place on the standings.

Women's AHL results - Friday (day six)
Sydney, NSW
Tassie Van Demons 2-2 (1-2 SO) NT Pearls
SA Suns 1-2 WA Diamonds
NSW Arrows 3-1 Canberra Labor Club Strikers
Queensland Scorchers 2-1 Victorian Vipers

Women's Final Standings
1. Queensland Scorchers (QLD)
2. Victorian Vipers (VIC)
3. NSW Arrows (NSW)
4. Canberra Labor Club Strikers (ACT)
5. WA Diamonds (WA)
6. SA Suns (SA)
7. NT Pearls (NT)
8. Tassie Van Demons (TAS)

Player of the Tournament: Jane Claxton (SA)
Goalkeeper of the Tournament: Rachael Lynch (VIC)
Top Goal Scorer of the Tournament: Emily Hurtz (VIC)
Player of the final: Rachael Lynch (VIC)
Play the Whistle: Victoria

Hockey Australia media release



Van Strydonck brings EHL experience to Leo



Royal Leopold return to the Euro Hockey League next week for a second bash at the world’s premier club competition, taking on Italy’s SG Amsicora and Russia’s Dinamo Elektrostal.

They will do so with a pair of EHL winners in their ranks with Belgian star Elliot van Strydonck and Spanish sharp-shooter Gabriel Dabanch joining during the summer following their memorable success with Oranje Zwart last Easter.

Van Strydonck told the EHL website that he would have been happy to stay with OZ and attempt to retain the title but the lure of a return to Brussels proved just that bit stronger.

Speaking about the move back to Belgium from the Netherlands, he said that family very much comes first: “Initially, I wanted to stay at least one more year at OZ because it’s an amazing club with amazing people.

“The team was one of the best you can get in the World and I could still improve more. But the big reason why I came back to my club is because I am gonna become a dad this season.

“I’m living in Brussel and I spent a lot time in my car to go to OZ and to the others clubs in Holland. I wanted to be closer from my wife and my son!”

Playing in his homeland will also reduce commuting time to Belgian national training, something that he says will aid his Olympic bid, another factor that tipped the balance in Leo’s favour.

“In the end, it was a hard decision because like I said, I met some really nice people in this club and when you won so many titles in two years, you wanna stil win more!”

Now, he is looking to bring his experience to a reasonably settled panel to the Leopold panel who have had a mixed start to the Audi Hockey League. A win over Daring was followed by a draw with Hérakles and a big loss against Dragons.

They have been missing the skills of Dorian Thiery and van Strydonck says it will take a little bit of time to find their full rhythm but he says the side is confident they will be at their best for Round 1 of the EHL in Hamburg.

Reaching peak-form for the competition is something van Strydonck knows all about having played in the last three editions.

“In the past I watched the EHL like a kid dreaming about this big cup because it’s an amazing tournament and the best you can play in with your club.

“I played one EHL with Léo, reaching the KO16 but with OZ I played two finals in two years. The first one we were all set to win but in the final we were a bit tired because of the numbers of games we had at the end of the season. We lost on the shoot outs against Haverstehuder but it was already a good experience.

“Last year, it was an unbelievable EHL for us again. We had so many emotions, especially during the shoot outs in the semi against Bloemendaal and of course during the shoot outs in the final against UHC Hamburg.

“There were moments we thought it was over but, at the end, we got the cup we deserved to win! I’m still congratulating my friend Vincent Vanasch for his unbelievable performance during the two shoot outs sessions.”

His Royal Leopold side begin their EHL campaign for this season with a date with Italian newcomers SG Amsicora ASD on Saturday, October 10 before meeting Elektrostal a day later.

And van Strydonck cannot wait for the challenge.

“We are going to Hamburg to become first of our group. We don’t know a lot about these two teams but we have to focus on our game, our structure and going for the win, not focus on the opponents. Focus on our own game plan!
“We have still a few weeks to work on it and be ready to fight for this first spot!”

Euro Hockey League media release



Cannock prepare to host champions Wimbledon


Cannock captain Marc Edwards in action against Beeston, Credit Josh Dixon

Cannock play host to reigning champions Wimbledon in the Men’s Hockey League Premier Division on Sunday, as the two sides battle to keep up with the early pacesetters.

Three unbeaten teams are followed in the table by three teams who have won one, drawn one and lost one – including Cannock and Wimbledon.

“We’re really pleased with our start to the season,” said new Cannock Head Coach Mark Moss. “We’ve had a few players leave and a few come in, but we’re gelling well, and having Harry Jawanda back is great for us with his experience.

“Cannock is always a hard place to come and play, and the confidence of the guys is growing, especially on the back of beating Wimbledon last season.

“I’m happy to have four points after three games as it has been a difficult start to the season, but we still have some difficult matches ahead. But I’m delighted with how we’ve developed as a team.”

In other top flight action, Surbiton play host to Canterbury on Saturday afternoon as their double-header with the women’s teams reaches a climax. Surbiton are unbeaten, and although Canterbury have yet to score a point they will still provide a formidable opponent.

Leaders Holcombe head to Beeston on Sunday, while Reading go to bottom of the table East Grinstead and Hampstead and Westminster entertain Brooklands Manchester University.

In the Conference West leaders Cardiff and Met take on Fareham as they bid to maintain their great start, while second-placed University of Birmingham entertain Isca.

Two unbeaten teams do battle in the Conference North with leaders Loughborough Students aiming to keep their 100 per cent record against hosts the University of Durham.

Meanwhile, the league’s other unbeaten team Bowdon entertain Sheffield Hallam.

Richmond are at home against Harleston Magpies in the Conference West, while the other team with 100 per cent record, Sevenoaks entertain Teddington at Holly Bush Lane.

Men’s Hockey League (Saturday, October 3 2015)

Premier Division
Surbiton v Canterbury 18:00

Men’s Hockey League (Sunday, October 4 2015)

Premier Division
Hampstead and Westminster v Brooklands Manchester Univ 14:00
Cannock v Wimbledon 14:00
Beeston v Holcombe 14:00
East Grinstead v Reading 14:30

Conference West
Univ of Exeter v Indian Gymkhana 12:30
Univ of Birmingham v Isca 12:30
Cheltenham v Team Bath Buccaneers 12:30
Cardiff & Met v Fareham 12:30
Chichester Priory Park v Guildford 13:30

Conference North
Olton and West Warwicks v Deeside Ramblers 13:30
Bowdon v Sheffield Hallam 14:30
Wakefield v Preston
Univ of Durham v Loughborough Students 14:00
Doncaster v Lichfield 14:00

Conference East
Cambridge City v Brighton and Hove 13:00
Richmond v Harleston Magpies 13:30
West Herts v Oxted 14:00
Sevenoaks v Teddington 14:00
Southgate v Bromley and Beckenham 14:30

England Hockey Board Media release



Repeat of last season's finale


Surbiton players celebrate. Matt Henderson.

Surbiton host rivals Canterbury in the Investec Women’s League Premier Division on Saturday afternoon, in a repeat of the league finale last season where the London side were crowned champions.

They edged to a 2-1 victory back in April, but with just one win from their first three matches the pressure is on to start climbing the table, which sees Canterbury in second spot with two wins from their opening three games.

“We pre-seasoned without quite a few of our core group with internationals and Southern hemisphere players not being around, so the first few weeks is about getting everyone back together and getting points on the board,” said Surbiton women’s Performance Manager Mark Atherton.

“So far we’ve been happy with the chances we’ve created, but we’ve been a little rusty in front of goal. It’s early days, and really we won’t know who the form teams are until the table settled down around Christmas.”

Elsewhere, the only side with a 100 per cent record is the University of Birmingham, and they will want to maintain that record as they host Holcombe.

East Grinstead have adapted to the top flight well and are third in the early table. They entertain Reading on Sunday with the visitors searching for their first win of the season. Clifton are on the road at Leicester and two teams without a win so far, Bowdon Hightown and Buckingham play each other at Stowe School.

Both with a 100 per cent record so far, leaders Sutton Coldfield are at home against second-placed Swansea City in the Investec Conference West on Saturday.

And third-placed Stourport go to fourth-placed Oxford Hawks in what could prove to be a crucial weekend for all those teams’ title hopes.

Two unbeaten teams also face each other in the Investec Conference North, with leaders Wakefield heading to Whitley Bay and Tynemouth. Meanwhile, Loughborough Students could go top if they win at Springfields and Wakefield fail to win their match.

In the Investec Conference East, leaders Slough are on the road to Maidenhead and will be looking to maintain their 100 per cent start, while Maidenhead are still searching for their first points.

Elsewhere unbeaten Hampstead and Westminster are hosting Chelmsford, and Cambridge City – who lost to Slough last weekend, go to Wimbledon.

Investec Women’s Hockey League (Saturday, October 3 2015)

Investec Premier Division
Buckingham v Bowdon Hightown 12:00
Univ of Birmingham v Holcombe 12:30
Leicester v Clifton 14:00
Surbiton v Canterbury 15:30

Investec Conference East
Maidenhead v Slough 13:30
Hampstead and Westminster v Chelmsford 13:30
Wimbledon v Cambridge City 14:00
Harleston Magpies v St Albans 14:00
Ipswich v Sevenoaks 14:30

Investec Conference North
Brooklands Poynton v Ben Rhydding 11:45
Belper v Liverpool Sefton 12:00
Whitley Bay & Tynemouth v Wakefield 12:30
Univ of Durham v Beeston 12:00
Springfields v Loughborough Students 14:00

Investec Conference West
Bristol Firebrands v Olton and West Warwicks 11:30
Gloucester City v Trojans 12:00
Oxford Hawks v Stourport 12:00
Univ of Bristol v Isca 13:00
Sutton Coldfield v Swansea City 14:00

Investec Women’s Hockey League Sunday, October 4 2015

Investec Premier Division
East Grinstead v Reading 12:30

England Hockey Board Media release



Futures Cup and HiPac squads announced


Coaches talk their teams through the plans at the Futures Cup

The squads for the 2015 Futures Cup and HiPAC have now been selected with over 500 players progressing to this stage of the Single System across the four age groups for both boys and girls.

England Hockey’s Futures Cup is a competition which forms part of Junior Regional Performance Centre (JRPC) Tier 2 activity. It is for players in the U16 and U18 age groups, who are selected for squads from JRPC Tier 1 activity. These squads are called the Saxon Tigers, Pennine Pumas, Wessex Leopards and Mercia Lynx.

The EHFC aims to give players in the U16 and U18 age groups first-hand experience of an international tournament environment, in preparation for potential future involvement in a National Age Group Squad (NAGS). This year’s Futures Cup runs from 29-October to 1 November and is being held at Cannock HC.

A High Performance Assessment Camp (HiPAC) is a residential three-day camp which forms part of Junior Regional Performance Centre (JRPC) Tier 2 activity. The camps are held annually and are for players in the U15 and U17 age group who have been selected for squads from JRPC Tier 1 activity. As with Futures Cup, these squads are called the Saxon Tigers, the Pennine Pumas, the Wessex Leopards and the Mercia Lynx.

The HiPAC aims to give players in the U15 and U17 age groups first-hand experience of an international training camp environment, in preparation for potential future involvement in a National Age Group Squad (NAGS).

The HiPAC camps will take place at Lilleshall from 25-27 October 2015.

England Hockey would like to congratulate all those selected and wish them luck for their training and competitions.

For full squad listings, please download the PDFs below.

Saxon Tigers Squads

Pennine Pumas Squads

Wessex Leopards Squads

Mercia Lynx Squads

England Hockey Board Media release



Strathmore Scorpions take on MKU at City Park

By BRIAN YONGA


Strathmore Scorpions striker Gilly Okumu (left) vies with Anita Agunda of Sliders their national hockey women's league match at City Park Stadium. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

The Strathmore University Scorpions will be out to move into second place when they take on basement side Mount Kenya University on Saturday at City Park Stadium in one of the 10 Kenya Hockey Union league matches lined up this weekend.

Scorpions, last season’s women’s national league runners up, are currently in third place with 16 points after seven matches and a win will see them leapfrog second-placed Sliders and move eight points behind leaders and champions Telkom Orange.

The university side were impressive in last weekend’s 2-1 derby win over USIU Spartans and will be looking to build on that display as they seek to close in on Orange. The team seems to be coping well in the absence of their two signings, Pauline Naise and Margaret Rotich, both of whom have since left the club.

Former Orange forward Rotich left the club after playing just four games to pursue other interests while Naise has yet to feature for the club since she was snapped up from Spartans early this year.

“We could not stand in their way, they made their decisions and we respect that. They are two players we hoped would help us challenge for the title but it was not meant to be. The rest of the squad have what it takes to get the job done,” Scorpions coach Meshack Senge told Saturday Nation Sport on Friday.

OKUMU TO START

Strikers Gilly Okumu and Rachel Ousa, who scored in last weekend’s win, are expected to lead the university side’s attack against an MKU side that lost 10-1 against Sliders last weekend and has only won once this season.

MKU coach James Waruta has challenged his team to put last weekend’s disastrous performance behind them and focus on getting three points.

“We have worked on our defensive weaknesses which were exposed last weekend and I’m confident we will bounce back and get a good result against Scorpions tomorrow (Saturday),” the coach said.

In the men’s premier league, third-placed Greensharks can move to within four points of Kenya Police if they beat visiting Western Jaguars this afternoon. Sharks, who had a poor start to the season, have recovered well and are unbeaten in their last five matches.

Jaguars complete their visit of the city tomorrow when they take on USIU and will be hoping to come out with six points from the two fixtures.

FIXTURES (All matches at City Park unless stated)

Saturday:

National women: Strathmore v MKU- 2pm

Premier men: MSC v Parklands – 2pm (Mombasa)
Mvita v Parkroad – 4pm (Mombasa)
Greensharks v Jaguars -6pm

National men: Ksm Youngstars v Multimedia – 4pm

Sunday:

Premier men: MSC v Parkroad – 8.30am (Mombasa)
W. Jaguars v USIU – 9 am
Mvita v Parklands – 10am (Mombasa)

National men: Ksm Youngstars v Kimathi – 11am
MKU v Multimedia – 1pm

Daily Nation



Hussey Strikes Twice; Field Hockey Defeats QU, 4-1

Nittany Lions cruise past

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Led by a pair of goals by senior captain Stephanie Hussey, the Penn State field hockey team defeated Quinnipiac, 4-1, in non-conference action Friday evening at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex.

Hussey’s (Miami, Fla.) first goal in the 12th minute gave Penn State (5-5) a lead it would not relinquish. Hussey also added the game’s final goal in the 48th minute, on a cross along the goal line from Aurelia Meijer (Hattem, The Netherlands.)

“I thought the ball speed and our passing game was good tonight, especially in the first half,” said head coach Charlene Morett-Curtiss. “I thought we were better defensively low, and I thought their goalie played very, very well. We certainly had a lot of chances again.”

Gini Bramley (Elizabethtown, Pa.) gave the Nittany Lions an early lead over Quinnipiac (3-8) with a reverse sweep into the back corner of the cage just two minutes, 11 seconds in. The Bobcats would answer though in the ninth minute, as Lily Shemo found Dayna Barlow in front for in the ninth minute.

However, Brooke Birosik (Ickesburg, Pa.) found Hussey in front in the 12th minute, and then Birosik notched her third penalty stroke goal in the 16th minute, giving the Nittany Lions a quick 3-1 lead.

“That was her best stroke to date, I would say,” said Morett-Curtiss.

Penn State outshot Quinnipiac, 27-8, and held the advantage in corner attempts, 12-3. The Bobcats’ Megan Conaboy made 10 saves, while Jenny Rizzo (Hershey, Pa.) made four saves for the Lions.

Penn State will next hit the road to face No. 20 Princeton Sunday at noon.

“We play well on Friday nights, so we really have to bring it on Sunday,” said Morett-Curtiss. “They keep growing and I have to remind myself of their inexperience at times, but I really thought that we had a good week of practice. Tonight I really liked the energy, and getting a lot of people in the game means a lot."

Penn State Sports



IHUA launches new web system



The Irish Hockey Umpiring Association has recently launched a new Web System (www.irishhua.com). It is not just simply a series of websites but a fully functioning administration system run over the internet. It also fully covers all the activities of the Irish Hockey Umpires Association, Leinster Hockey Umpires Association, Munster Hockey Umpires Association and the Ulster Hockey Umpires.

Primarily the system will involve all those clubs who enter Irish Cup Competitions (including IHL) and those clubs who receive umpire appointments from their Provincial Association for league and cup matches.

For clubs, the system will post their fixtures, umpire appointments, technical official appointments, provide all relevant ‘match day’ contact details and much, much more. Many of the functions include automatic emails to the individual or individuals concerned or to certain administrators when the system recognizes that an administrator needs to do something.
Because it is web based, the system is accessible to anyone, anywhere in the world, as long as they have an internet connection and providing the user has the required password for their access.

All clubs entering the above competitions are expected to access to the club administration areas. This area is restricted by password (with one password per club) and the individual needs their club password to access the club administration area.

The club administration area allows a club administrator to update the core details of their club (Clubhouse name, postcode and club colours) and also the vital information needed by all associations in order to appoint umpires and to ensure you have the information you need from us.

Up to date and accurate email addresses for contacts within your club are essential for efficient operation. This should be regularly reviewed by the clubs to ensure it is accurate at all times. Most importantly, email addresses are used for automatic email notification of appointments to games.

Each club listed on the system is responsible for making sure the ‘Club’ and all the ‘Teams’ associated to the club have up-to-date contact details. All Clubs MUST manage this themselves.

All club Honorary Secretaries will shortly receive an Information and Guidance Sheet which will fully explain how you can access and navigate the system as well as provide all your club information for effective communication.

Irish Hockey Association media release



Hope shines through at Haiti hockey tournament

Hockey plays its part in rebuilding of disaster stricken Haiti



Haiti was struck by a devastating earthquake just five years ago and has been rebuilding communities ever since. While getting the basic infrastructure of the country up and running again has been the main priority, the health and welfare of its population is also an important aspect that both the government and Aid agencies are concerned about.

Providing sporting and cultural activities are just two of the ways that this rebuilding process employs to teach young people how to live a healthy and productive life. In recent months, hockey has been playing its part in this development.

In September, a hockey tournament organised by the Haiti Hockey Association featuring four teams from across the nation took place, as part of a programme to bring sporting opportunities to more children in the Caribbean country.

Boney Georges is the Programme Planning Officer at the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Sport for Hope Centre in Croix des Bouquets, Port-au-Prince.

He explained that physical education does not appear on the curriculum of most schools in Haiti. It is only the largest schools that have any sporting facilities and equipment to cater for physical education lessons.

The hockey competition is part of a programme of activities for the children who live in the local community. A further group of children also joined the competition who were attending the Sporting Summer Camp.

This is a programme that enables children to experience cultural and sporting activities that are not provided through the formal school curriculum. Georges also added that it is a great way to socialise, build relationships with a variety of people and foster new friendships.

A total of 36 children took part in the tournament, with a coach for each team and an umpire overseeing proceedings.

The four teams were: Royal Fourgy, a team from the Fourgy community, a rural settlement some way from the urban centre; Freedom of Merger, a team from an urban community; Wings of Canaan, children from Canaan and Bon Repos, a community that was at the very centre of the 2010 earthquakes; and Unity of Delmas, the children who were on the Sporting Summer Camp.

It was Unity of Delmas who emerged as victors - they beat the Royal Fourgy team 6-4 in an exciting encounter that saw a lot of goal-mouth action.

Media from across the Caribbean came to the event to see how sport has developed in the area that had been so devastated by disaster.

There was universal praise for the IOC's Sport for Hope Centre and its efforts to help the communities regain some control over their lives as well as showing them how to live a healthy lifestyle through sport.

Several of the children's parents also attended the tournament and for many, this was their first taste of hockey. The competition didn’t disappoint as it served up a fast-paced and action-packed hockey festival, that was competitive and fun.

Barbara Schweizer, Head of the Management Centre in Haiti and IOC representative, was on hand to give medals to the participating teams and a trophy to the winners.

The is the latest activity to take place in Haiti, who only joined the International Hockey Federation (FIH) as a National Association back in 2014.

In January this year, for the first time, an Olympic Solidarity funded FIH and Pan American Hockey Federation (PAHF) Coaching Course was organised in cooperation with the Haitian Hockey Federation.

Led by FIH Coach Shiv Jagday, the course was held over four days and welcomed 42 Haitian coaches to the IOC's Sport for Hope Centre.

For more information on that project, click here.

FIH site

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