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News for 15 March 2019

All the news for Friday 15 March 2019


Hockeyroos Stalwart Lynch To Reach 200-Game Milestone

Ben Somerford



Hockeyroo Rachael Lynch is set to make history this weekend by becoming only the second Australian goalkeeper to reach 200 caps and says there’s no end in sight.

Lynch, who turns 33 in July, will reach the milestone in Saturday’s FIH Pro League match against Argentina at Sydney Olympic Park.

The Victorian debuted for the Hockeyroos 13 years ago, but such is the challenge for goalkeepers, has had to bide her time to reach the 200-game milestone.

Twenty-two women and 19 men have reached 200 games for Australia but Sydney Olympics gold medal winner Rachel Imison was previously the only goalkeeper.

Imison, who is Lynch’s childhood hero, is the most capped goalkeeper in Australian history with 207 appearances, which is in the 32-year-old’s sights given she’s aiming to compete at next year’s Tokyo Olympics which are now 500 days away.

“We’re leading into Tokyo and that’s something in my mind,” Lynch said.

“I’d still love to win a gold medal with this team and that’s something I’m passionate about.

“It’s still a long way off and we’ve got the FIH Pro League which is a really cool opportunity for the Hockeyroos and Hockey in general to promote our sport.

“I’m trying to embrace it and enjoy it but Tokyo is the bigger focus.”

Lynch said there were numerous highlights in her career to date, but one stood out above all else.

“Every opportunity is a good one,” Lynch said. “I’ve had a lot of really cool experiences in my career, to be able to go to three Commonwealth Games, three World Cups and also an Olympic games, I’m really proud of that.

“I try to treasure every time I walk out for the team. Even at my age, 200 games later.

“But the biggest highlight was a moment I wasn’t even involved in when the scored the goal to equalise in the 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medal match in Glasgow with 10 seconds to go.

“If I think back to that feeling, it’s one of the best I’ve had as a member of the Hockeyroos.

“I was standing up the other end when it happened but it was such a special moment.

“The elation and feeling with my teammates who you work hard with every day, that’s why you play. I loved that.”

Lynch debuted against England in June 2006, but opportunities weren’t overly forthcoming in her early days, battling with Imison and Toni Cronk for the spot in goal.

She missed selection for the 2008 and 2012 Olympics but has come into her own in recent years and was last year nominated for the prestigious FIH Goalkeeper of the Year award.

“It’s been 13 years since I debuted,” she said. “It’s been a long time. It’s taken a long time.

“My journey hasn’t been a smooth ride, plenty of time on the bench, plenty of time in and out of the team.

“I’ve worked really hard to get to this point. It’s something I’m proud to have got to 200 games.”

Ever the team player, Lynch said her focus was on helping the side get two more victories this weekend, against Argentina on Saturday and New Zealand on Sunday, rather than her milestone.

“We always match up well against Argentina,” She said. “Some of our best games have been against Argentina and I really look forward to playing them, especially at home.

“Hopefully Sydney will come out to support us, we’ll need it.

“There’s always a big clash against New Zealand who beat us in last year’s Commonwealth Games final.

“They always turn up. We always have good battles. Playing at home is good for us.

“It’s a good opportunity for us, we’ve been going well in the FIH Pro League and this is another good test for us.”

The Hockeyroos team for the weekend’s matches will be announced on Thursday morning.

Matchday tickets are available from $30 for adults and $10 for children via Ticketbooth

The Sydney matches are made possible thanks to the support of Destination NSW.

Saturday 16 March 2019 – Sydney Olympic Park Hockey Centre
Kookaburras v Argentina – 3pm, Hockeyroos v Argentina – 5pm
Sunday 17 March 2019 – Sydney Olympic Park Hockey Centre
Kookaburras v New Zealand – 3pm, Hockeyroos v New Zealand – 5pm
Tickets by www.ticketbooth.com.au
*All times AEDT

Hockeyroos 19-member team:
Athlete (Hometown, State)
Jocelyn Bartram (Albury, NSW)
Edwina Bone (Orange, NSW) *Plays for ACT
Lily Brazel (Sydney, NSW) *Plays for VIC
Emily Chalker (Crookwell, NSW)
Jane Claxton (Adelaide, SA)
Kalindi Commerford (Ulladulla, NSW) *Plays for ACT
Madison Fitzpatrick (Cabarita Beach, NSW) *Plays for QLD
Savannah Fitzpatrick (Cabarita Beach, NSW) *Plays for QLD
Rebecca Greiner (Bundaberg, QLD)
Jodie Kenny (Wamuran, QLD)
Rachael Lynch (Warrandyte, VIC)
Georgina Morgan (Armidale, NSW)
Kaitlin Nobbs (Newington, NSW)
Brooke Peris (Darwin, NT)
Michaela Spano (Adelaide, SA)
Grace Stewart (Gerringong, NSW)
Sophie Taylor (Melbourne, VIC)
Mariah Williams (Parkes, NSW)
Georgia Wilson (Mahogany Creek, WA)

Hockey Australia media release



Stewart Replaces Malone In Hockeyroos Team For Sydney

Ben Somerford

Hockey Australia today confirms the Hockeyroos have made one change to their selected team for the upcoming FIH Pro League matches against Argentina and New Zealand in Sydney.

Grace Stewart has been added to the 19-member team, replacing Rosie Malone due to injury.

Tickets are still available for the Sydney matches by ticketbooth.com.au. Gates open at 2pm AWST.

The Sydney matches are made possible thanks to the support of Destination NSW.

Saturday 16 March 2019 – Sydney Olympic Park Hockey Centre
Kookaburras v Argentina – 3pm, Hockeyroos v Argentina – 5pm
Sunday 17 March 2019 – Sydney Olympic Park Hockey Centre
Kookaburras v New Zealand – 3pm, Hockeyroos v New Zealand – 5pm
Tickets by www.ticketbooth.com.au
*All times AEDT

Hockeyroos 19-member team:
Athlete (Hometown, State)
Jocelyn Bartram (Albury, NSW)
Edwina Bone (Orange, NSW) *Plays for ACT
Lily Brazel (Sydney, NSW) *Plays for VIC
Emily Chalker (Crookwell, NSW)
Jane Claxton (Adelaide, SA)
Kalindi Commerford (Ulladulla, NSW) *Plays for ACT
Madison Fitzpatrick (Cabarita Beach, NSW) *Plays for QLD
Savannah Fitzpatrick (Cabarita Beach, NSW) *Plays for QLD
Rebecca Greiner (Bundaberg, QLD)
Jodie Kenny (Wamuran, QLD)
Rachael Lynch (Warrandyte, VIC)
Georgina Morgan (Armidale, NSW)
Kaitlin Nobbs (Newington, NSW)
Brooke Peris (Darwin, NT)
Michaela Spano (Adelaide, SA)
Grace Stewart (Gerringong, NSW)
Sophie Taylor (Melbourne, VIC)
Mariah Williams (Parkes, NSW)
Georgia Wilson (Mahogany Creek, WA)

Hockey Australia media release



Black Sticks Name Sides to take on Australia



The Vantage Black Sticks Women will be looking to put a tough performance against Argentina behind them. The New Zealand Women will be taking part in their first overseas match of the FIH Pro League as they look to get the better of their neighbours Australia.

The Kiwi Women who are currently sitting 5thon the Pro League table will be looking to keep in touch with the top 4 when they come up against an Australian Women’s team who are looking to move into first place on the table.

Australia have been the competitions offensive experts where they have scored 13 goals in their first 6 matches. The New Zealand Women are not to far behind this mark having scored 11 goals in their 7 matches so far.

Vantage Black Sticks Women’s Coach Sean Dancer has made 4 changes to the teams that contested the matches against the USA and Argentina. Holly Pearson from Central has been named in the side to make her debut.

Sean Dancer commented ahead of the match “We need to look at some of our key movements and be more aggressive against Australia”

Watch out for Australia’s Mariah Williams who has returned from a series of injuries to rediscover her goal scoring form as she leads the Australian side with 3 goals for the tournament.

Vantage Black Sticks Women vs Australia. Sunday 17thMarch at 7:00pm. Coverage is on Spark Sport

Name

Position

Caps

Sam Charlton

Defender

233

Tarryn Davey

Midfielder

44

Frances Davies

Defender

60

Steph Dickins

Defender

16

Ella Gunson

Defender

203

Megan Hull

Defender

11

Rose Keddell

Defender

190

Olivia Merry

Striker

212

Stacey Michelsen ©

Midfielder

267

Brooke Neal

Defender

160

Grace O’Hanlon

Goalkeeper

45

Kirsten Pearce

Striker

110

Sally Rutherford

Goalkeeper

176

Shiloh Gloyn

Striker

81

Tessa Jopp

Midfielder

19

Liz Thompson

Defender

180

Amy Robinson

Striker

63

Holly Pearson

Midfielder

Debut

The Black Sticks Men will be hoping that a change of scenery brings a change in their fortunes. Despite some promising play in their recent matches the Black Sticks Men are still searching for their first win of the FIH Pro League.

The New Zealand Men pushed Spain to the brink on Friday evening before the Spanish stormed back with two late goals to send the match into a shootout which Spain eventually would go on to win.

The Black Sticks have made 3 changes to the previous weekend which sees experienced midfielder Hayden Phillips coming back into the match day squad to replace Marcus Child.

The Australian Men have been enjoying a successful start to the FIH Pro League where they sit 2ndon the table behind only World Champions Belgium. Australia has scored an impressive 14 goals in the tournament so far. Jacob Anderson who is new to the international game is leading the Australian goal scoring charge having scored 3 goals in the 4 matches he has played.

Watch out for Jeremy Hayward and Blake Govers who are two of the most feared drag flickers in the world and have yet to find the back of the net in the tournament, something that they will be looking to rectify against the Black Sticks on Sunday.

For the Vantage Black Sticks look out for Dylan Thomas who scored his first international goal against Spain on Friday evening and will be looking to build on this and use his speed and powerful shot to put the Kiwis on the front foot.

Vantage Black Sticks Men vs Australia Men. Sunday 17thMarch at 5:00pm. Coverage is on Spark Sport

Name

Position

Caps

Richard Joyce

Goalkeeper

64

George Enersen

Goalkeeper

47

Shea McAleese

Defender

283

Nic Woods

Midfielder

103

Dane Lett

Defender

48

Cory Bennett

Defender

81

Arun Panchia ©

Defender

266

David Brydon

Defender

46

Harry Miskimmin

Midfielder

53

Nick Ross

Midfielder

104

Aidan Sarikaya

Midfielder

32

Dominic Newman

Striker

50

Hayden Phillips

Midfielder

75

Mac Wilcox

Striker

25

George Muir

Striker

118

Dylan Thomas

Striker

12

Sam Lane

Striker

37

Jared Panchia

Striker

109

Hockey New Zealand Media release



Keeper Hafiz’s goal is to regain his spot in national team

By Aftar Singh



KUALA LUMPUR: National goalkeeper Muhd Hafizuddin Othman (pic) aims to make a strong claim for a place in the national team after being out of action for five months. The 27-year-old Kuala Tereng-ganu-born is eyeing to make a return in the six-nation Sultan Azlan Shah Cup from March 23-30 in Ipoh. He last played for Malaysia in a four-nation tournament in Darwin in October.

He is one of the four keepers in the national training squad. The others are the nation’s No. 1 custodian S. Kumar, Mohd Hairi Abdul Rahman and Muhd Zamri Mat Deris.

Unfortunately, Kumar will not feature in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup as he is nursing a hamstring injury and it has given Hafizuddin a chance to fight for a place.



Hafizuddin, who has 87 international caps, wants to feature in his fifth Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.

“I’ve not played for a while but I’m confident to make the cut as I’m more experienced compared to Hairi and Zamri,” said Hafizuddin, who is one of the 28 players in centralised training.

He suffered a hamstring injury on his left leg during training in June and was out of action for a few months.

He played a key role in the World League Semi-finals in London in 2017 to help Malaysia qualify for the World Cup in Bhubaneswar, India last year. But he did not get to play in the World Cup and also the Asian Games in Jakarta last August.

“I’m doing all I can in training to convince national coach Roelant (Oltmans) that I can play well. I want to play regularly in the national team,” said Hafizuddin, who made his international debut in the 2014 edition of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh.

Malaysia will also miss the services of national skipper and defender Muhd Sukri Abdul Mutalib, who broke his finger and defender Syed Mohamad Syafiq Syed Cholan, who is nursing a fractured wrist.

Malaysia open their campaign against Poland on March 23. Their other matches are against Asian Games gold medallists Japan on March 24 followed by India (March 26), South Korea (March 27) and Canada (March 29).

The final and the placing matches will be played on March 30.

The Star of Malaysia



Teams Named for the 2019 Trans-Tasman Masters Hockey Challenge



The 2019 National Masters Tournament (NMT) was the largest tournament in Masters history with a total of 81 teams competing. Hockey New Zealand (HNZ) would like to recognise the hard work in the lead up and throughout tournament week of the players, coaches, and officials for making the tournament a success.

The NMT was the primary selection event for the NZ Age Group teams who will compete in the Trans-Tasman Masters Hockey Challenge (TTMHC) on the Gold Coast, Australia from the 30th April to 5th of May 2019. The bi-annual international master's tournament started in 2000 and features female and male teams from Australia and New Zealand competing in seven age divisions: Over 35, Over 40, Over 45, Over 50, Over 55, Over 60 and Over 65. Each age division plays three matches and the nation that wins the most divisions across the men’s and women’s competitions is declared the Trans-Tasman Champion.

This year a team of 28 selectors, forming 6 selection panels, all worked together to observe and assess players at NMT. HNZ received over 500 expressions of interest from players, and teams have now been finalised.

In alignment with the MOU with Hockey Australia, teams of 16 have been selected. Non-travelling reserves have been named, in no particular order, in case a replacement player is required.

HNZ would like to thank and acknowledge the work of the selection panels and the Convenor of Selectors Lee Munt and John Daniels in leading the implementation of the Masters Selection Policy and final team selections.

HNZ congratulates all players on a successful NMT and wishes those selected for the TTHMC all the best against Australia.

Please find attached the selected teams for the TTHMC below.

<<< Click here for the 2019 Womens Selections >>>

<<< Click here for the 2019 Mens Selections >>>

Hockey New Zealand Media release



PREVIEWS: Investec English Women's Hockey League

Mid-table Beeston’s play-off hopes hang by a thread with three games left in the Investec Women’s Hockey League Premier Division, but they also have one eye on the teams below them with relegation still not mathematically ruled out.

Four defeats in a row have seen them drop out of the top four but they still harbour hopes of finishing the season well, starting with a trip to second-bottom Slough this Saturday.

“It has been a frustrating run of results for us, but we are confident that if we finish the season well anything is still possible,” said Beeston team manager Chris Glover.

“Last Saturday was particularly frustrating as we played very well against Buckingham creating lots of chances and we were perhaps unlucky with a disallowed goal, but ultimately we failed to put away our opportunities and inevitably that costs you.

“This week will be a very tough test. Slough are a very difficult team to play against. They are well organised, difficult to break down, and are tactically smart, so we will need to be more clinical with the chances we create if we are to come away with the three points.

“We are confident though that if we can deliver the same level of performance as last week and be more precise with our detail in the 'D', we can back on a winning run to finish off the season.”

Elsewhere Clifton Robinsons are fifth and harbour play-off hopes, but they have to get past high-flying Surbiton – and hope that Buckingham lose to leaders Holcombe – to move up the table.

And it’s last-chance saloon for bottom of the table Canterbury. They must beat visitors East Grinstead and hope that Slough lose to Beeston to save themselves from automatic relegation.

Leaders Hampstead & Westminster play host to St Albans in the Investec Conference East, while second-placed Wimbledon entertain Harleston Magpies as they continue to chase the leaders.

Stourport could clinch the Investec Conference West title this weekend when they go to Oxford Hawks, while Gloucester City go to Swansea City hoping the leaders slip up and help keep their promotion hopes alive.

Similarly, Loughborough Students could be celebrating the Investec Conference North title if they can win at Brooklands-Poynton and Leicester drop points against Leeds.

FIXTURES

Investec Women’s Hockey League (Saturday, 16 March 2019)

Investec Premier Division
Buckingham v Holcombe 12:00
Slough v Beeston 12:30
Clifton Robinsons v Surbiton 13:00
Univ of Birmingham v Bowdon Hightown 13:30
Canterbury v East Grinstead 16:00

Investec Conference East
Hampstead & Westminster v St Albans 13:30
Wimbledon v Harleston Magpies 14:00
Horsham v Ipswich 14:30
Cambridge City v Bedford 15:30
Sevenoaks v Southgate 17:00

Investec Conference West
Isca v Barnes 12:00
Oxford Hawks v Stourport 12:00
Swansea City v Gloucester 12:00
Trojans v Exe 12:00
Reading v Olton & West Warwicks 16:30

Investec Conference North
Sutton Coldfield v Belper 12:00
Brooklands-Poynton v Loughborough Students 13:00
Fylde v Ben Rhydding 13:30
Timperley v Univ of Durham 14:15
Leicester v Leeds 14:30

England Hockey Board Media release



Tichelman's Greek odyssey



Thomas Tichelman is well known in coaching circles. As a high performance coach, he has worked with the world-beating Netherlands national teams, including his role as part of the coaching team that led the Netherlands men to silver at the 2012 London Olympics.

Since then, Thomas has been a key player for both the FIH and the European Hockey Federation (EHF) in developing coaches through collaborative high performance coaching programmes. He is currently a FIH Level Three presenter and coach educator.

But the glamour of Olympic medals and top class international competition seems a long way away as Thomas contemplates his current challenge – to reignite a passion for hockey in the very seat of the Olympic movement, Greece.

Thomas explains further: “A few months ago I ran a course for a group of physical education teachers in Greece. The course took place on an old basketball course and I took all the equipment with me but the staff were so enthusiastic. I felt that something quite beautiful was being created and I said to myself, ‘I can’t just go away now and shut the door on this’, I knew I had to do more.”

I returned to the EHF and the FIH and said: “We cannot leave Greece behind. Yes, there are few facilities and very little equipment but we can help change and make a difference.”

The result is a grand plan to develop hockey from the smallest of beginnings. Thomas and a team of up to 10 other coaches will be starting a programme in April that, they hope, will eventually reach 3-5,000 potential hockey players.

In preparing the ground work for the programme, Thomas met with a group of 16 PE teachers and within three days, the group went from no knowledge to playing a full game, with substitutes.

 “We cannot leave Greece behind. Yes, there are few facilities and very little equipment but we can help change and make a difference.”

The enthusiasm for hockey among teachers is matched by enthusiasm within the Ministry of Education. Currently, the only two team sports that exist in Greece to any significant level are soccer and basketball. The Ministry of Education is seeking alternatives, so hockey has got government blessing.

In a collaborative move that includes FIH, EHF, Hockey Australia and the Greek government, from April onwards Thomas and his team will be running a series of eight week coaching courses at schools around the country. Each course will cater for up to 20 teachers and at the end of each course the participating schools will be given a starter kit comprising sticks, balls and eight-week’s worth of lesson plans. As a fore-runner to this, The Hockey Foundation, which is supporting the project as part of its #HockeyREADY campaign, collected five bags of donated sticks and equipment, which Thomas will deliver to schools in Greece.

The scheme initially will last for three years and, at the end of that time, Thomas hopes that there will be a series of informal leagues so that the children can continue to play the sport. His other ambition is for hockey to be a key part of the school sports curriculum.

“I want to open the students’ eyes to the opportunity to play hockey,” says the coach. “And I would like the PE teachers to be able to drive the programmes themselves, at the end of the day it has to be sustainable. It is also important that they deliver the course in their own language.”

Greece is a country that is going through difficult financial times and resources for sports are very limited but with collaborative work of this kind, hockey is once again proving that the global hockey community can come together for the benefit of a community.

The project is supported by The Hockey Foundation (THF). It is part of #HockeyREADY, which is a Hockey2024 - the FIH/THF joint global development strategy - initiative. The Hockey Foundation exists to promote and develop hockey throughout the world in liaison with the FIH. A key aim of The Hockey Foundation and one which makes this project such a perfect match, is to make the world a better place through hockey. #HockeyREADY

FIH site



Hockey's bumbling has ruined sport sponsorships such as Sir Owen Glenn's

By Mike Hosking

Has New Zealand Hockey ruined it for everyone?

Sir Owen Glenn, the sport's biggest player and payer outside the government, has what most would have thought was an ideal sports funding model going.

He gave a dollar, High Performance Sport NZ gave a dollar. This is a good model based on the very simple premise that sport generally doesn't have enough money.

The High Performance model is based on winning. The more you win, the more you get. That's broadly a sensible way of doing it, but not the ideal way.

Sports can be stuck in a rut, sports stuck in a rut lack money, sports that lack money don't send emerging talent off to places they need to go to excel, opportunity missed. It's a self-fulfilling circle of demise.

Private money can take low-profile sport and accelerate them to a level regular funding might not have supported.

Of course it's been done in motorsport for years. Scott Dixon, Brendon Hartley are where they are because of private money and a very clever system whereby they foot the bills, and when you win big, you pay back what they loaned you, that money then goes to fund someone else.

But at team level, at national level, the model hasn't existed until Sir Owen Glenn came along, and sadly he picked hockey, who for reasons that I can't quite fathom is run by dunderheads who have taken some unhappy players, turned it into a review, which turned into a fiasco, which turned into the coach leaving, and now coaching England and the sport's biggest donor saying he's sick of it. And once his commitment is over, at the Olympics next year, he's done with sport.

So the question is this: how much of this mess is the result of a sport that looks shambolic? And how much of it is a cantankerous old bloke with a lot of dough and too much expectation?

And in that is the trick - what does your money buy you? Glenn is clearly upset over the way he's been handled.

But sponsorship, of which Glenn's money is basically an example of, is all over business. So we have models, sponsorship can be handled, relationships formed, expectations set, and ongoing mangement set in place. Most sports have a level of sponsorship (not to Glenn's extent of a minor-ish sport) but the calculation still applies.

I am sure he never thought he was the coach or owned the game, I am sure all he ever wanted was to see the sport excel. So based on that, you would have to argue it's the sport at fault, not the donor.

The tragedy is hockey, like so many sports, see the public-private model as the way of the future. And why wouldn't they? There's plenty of people with a heap of dough looking for an outlet and this is a country that loves sporting success.

But has hockey, and its ineptitude, wrecked it for others that never got a chance to leverage an idea that had real potential.

The New Zealand Herald

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