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All the news for Tuesday 29 March 2016

U-21 women Hockey team qualify for Jnr WC

Ellina Mhlanga

THE ZIMBABWE Under-21 women national team put up a remarkable show at the ongoing Junior Africa Hockey Cup over the weekend to book their place at the Junior World Cup later this year. They beat Namibia 2-1 in the semi-finals on Saturday. With the top two teams qualifying for the global showcase, Zimbabwe and South Africa clash in the finals today knowing they will both represent Africa in Chile. Hockey Association of Zimbabwe president, Humphrey Chigwedere said they were impressed with the teams show in Namibia.

“Now it means they are playing in the final but that is for placing. The top two teams go to the World Cup. “The most important thing is we have qualified. We won 2-1 against Namibia in the semi-finals. We had lost 1-3 in the round-robin. So we are now hoping that the government can take us seriously,” said Chigwedere.

The tournament was played in a round-robin before the teams went for semi-finals and a win against Namibia saw the team securing a place at the World Cup.

Zimbabwe went into Saturday’s match as the underdogs having lost 1-3 in the round robin matches. But a win against Tanzania and Botswana kept them in the run for qualification.

Zimbabwe will be returning to Chile for the Junior World Cup set for November 23 to December 4 having been there in 2005 when they qualified in the same section.

Chigwedere said they have to start planning for Chile now so that the team is adequately prepared and catered for.

“Firstly we are happy we have qualified. Its part of our strategic plan and it has happened just one year into our plan, which also speaks to us on doing well at international level and qualifying for these events like the World Cup and the Olympics.

“We are now targeting the next Olympics. The ladies have put us on the world map and we are happy that we are part of history.

“Secondly in terms of going to Chile the process starts now. Obviously when they come back we are going to set a fundraising committee in place so that they can compete comfortably. We have qualified under different conditions.

“We are lucky that the competition is at the end of the year, it means everyone in the team will still be Under-21, so we can keep these players together. From now on we have to prepare them with more international matches.

“There is the South African inter-provincials in April and we have entered a team. We are inviting regional countries to come for a regional competition in August so that when they go to Chile they would have played more international matches,” said Chigwedere.

The men’s side was set to play Egypt in the semi-finals late yesterday in what was expected to be a tough match considering that the latter is regarded as one of the best teams in Africa.

Meanwhile, the Sports Commission congratulated the women’s team for qualifying and said preparations for the World Cup should start now.

“The SRC would like to extend a hearty congratulations to the Hockey Association of Zimbabwe’s Under-21 ladies team for qualifying for the World Hockey championships during the qualifiers in Namibia yesterday (Saturday).

The Herald

Black Sticks primed ahead of Hawke's Bay Cup


Stacey Michelsen celebrates scoring with her Black Sticks teammates. Photo / Getty Images

A tough physical examination has the women's Black Sticks primed ahead of the Hawke's Bay Cup.

New Zealand goes into the eight-team tournament beginning this weekend on the back of comprehensive wins over Canada.

Midfielder Stacey Michelsen says while the score lines in each match were comfortable, the two games tested them physically.

She says the likes of Canada force them told their ground when tackled and treasure the possession.

New Zealand is the second ranked team at the tournament, behind third ranked Australia.

The New Zealand Herald

Canada ready for Hawke’s Bay Cup after test matches with Blacksticks

Shaheed Devji


PHOTO: Kaitlyn Williams (left) and Karli Johansen (centre) of Canada in a friendly match vs New Zealand in Hamilton, NZL on March 24, 2016 (Courtesy of Planet Hockey Magazine).

After playing two test matches against New Zealand, the world’s fourth ranked women’s field hockey team, the Canadian Women’s National Team now sets its sights on the Hawke’s Bay Cup which begins April 2nd in New Zealand.

Canada dropped its second test match against the Blacksticks by a score of 5-1 Monday in New Zealand, after the Kiwis got off to a quick start scoring two goals in the first quarter.

The Canadians responded well in the second quarter with veteran Thea Culley powering a shot by goalkeeper Amelia Gibson in the eighteenth minute. The Blacksticks added a third goal and took a 3-1 lead into the second half en route to the 5-1 win.

Highlights of Test Match #2 between Canada and New Zealand:

While the scores of the two matches might suggest the Canadian women were outmatched, the assessment from Women’s National Team coach Ian Rutledge suggests otherwise. He is encouraged.

“The girls have played really well as a collective and I think individually they’re all in top form,” he said before the team travelled to Napier ahead of the start of the Hawke’s Bay Cup this weekend. “I think as a team it’s probably the best two games I’ve seen us play.”

The two test matches against New Zealand were as much about about preparation as they were about the scoreline of each individual match. With Canada set to compete with five teams ranked in the top ten in the world, in addition to two others in the top twenty during the Hawke’s Bay Cup, playing against top tier competition as a tune-up was key in the processes of being ready for the tournament.

“The matches have been extremely beneficial,” Rutledge added. “Against excellent opposition, number four in the world, in front of a good crowd, in a televised event, the experience on so many levels has been really valuable for us.”

In addition to the two official test matches, the Canadians also played the Kiwis in a friendly earlier this week. And when all was said and done, Rutledge believed the Canadians have position themselves well ahead of the Hawke’s Bay tournament.

In the final game against the Blacksticks, Canada generated 13 shots to New Zealand’s 15, a clear sign that the Canadians were there to play.

Rutledge says the scores are a result of the Kiwis clinical finishing, something which the Canadians have been working hard at improving.

“We really put our game out there and we were able to control some passages of the game and we improved from game one to game two” he said. “I think we’re ready. But we still have to turn up on Saturday and Sunday.”

Canada opens the Hawke’s Bay Cup on April 2nd against Korea at 11:00am local time.

Field Hockey Canada media release

Indian women's hockey team undaunted ahead of Hawke's Bay Cup

New Delhi: Following confident and notable performances at the South Asian Games (SAG) and the South African tour, the Indian women's hockey team launch their campaign in the Hawke's Bay Cup in Hastings, New Zealand, on April 2.

There will be two things paramount on the minds on the team -- fitness and converting short corners into goals. These are the two key areas that chief coach Neil Hawgood, his coaching staff and senior members of the squad have singled out for special attention during the recent preparatory camp.

If World No.13 India are to outplay No.4 New Zealand and No.5 China, they would need to sustain the intensity for the entire duration of the matches. Even No.15 Ireland are capable of springing a surprise. These four teams make Pool B of the Hawke's Bay Cup while Australia, South Korea, Japan and Canada make Pool A of the April 2-10 tournament.

"In the past we have lost some crucial matches due to fitness and not being able to convert penalty corners. We have been paying extra attention to these two critical aspects. Chief coach Hawgood is obsessive about improving the fitness levels of those in the camp," said Deepika, who will lead the team in the absence of Ritu Rani.

"In modern hockey, converting penalty corners makes a huge difference between winning and losing. We have to learn from the mistakes of the past and ensure they are not repeated."

India depart for New Zealand on Monday.

Deepika received the Women's Player of the Year award in the Hockey India (HI) Annual Awards in Bengaluru on Saturday.

"To get this recognition right before the Hawke's Bay Cup is undoubtedly a big boost. I am overjoyed to be selected for the most coveted award in recognition of my efforts. I have always strived to give my best playing for India. This recognition will continue to spur me to do even better in the upcoming tournaments," said Deepika.

The New Zealand outing will also give selectors a chance to see how some of the juniors, drafted in the camp, fare at the senior level, giving them more options when selecting the Olympic squad few months down the line.

"The Olympic squad has not been announced yet. Currently, the entire core group is training at the camp. So everyone is very keen to perform to brighten their chances for making the cut for the Olympics. This is good in the long-term because we would have more options when selecting the side for Rio," said the captain.

The prospect of taking on higher ranked teams in the Hawke's Bay Cup is not weighing down the 18-member team.

"It's good we are playing these teams. It will not only give us, and especially the youngsters, critical exposure of playing against good sides, it will also prepare us mentally to take on even better sides at Olympics," said Deepika.

"Also, improved fitness levels give us the confidence of playing against higher ranked sides. We have been telling ourselves that rankings only matter to a certain extent. The final result depends on how the team plays on that particular day. We are not at all daunted to play against any team."

Though, doing well in New Zealand is the immediate target, the Indian women's squad is well aware that history beckons them in Rio de Janeiro for which they have qualified after a long wait of 36 years.

"There is a huge amount of excitement among us regarding the Olympics. For Indian women's hockey it's a dream come true. People think it's still some months away, but if you ask me, we believe that there is very little time left. Since we have made it to Olympics after such a long time, we want people to take note of Indian women's hockey. It's a huge opportunity for us," said Deepika before signing off.

The Times of India

With Olympic preparation in mind, Indian eves leave for NZ


Indian women hockey team. The Hindu

BENGALURU: A positive start to their Rio Olympics preparation would be key on their agenda when the Indian women's hockey team launches its campaign in the Hawke's Bay Cup in Hastings, New Zealand on April 2.

Going into the tournament, there will be two things paramount on the minds on the team's think-tank -- fitness and converting short corners into goal.

These are the two key areas that chief coach Neil Hawgood, his coaching staff and senior members of the squad, have singled out for special attention during the recent training and preparatory camp.

If India, placed 13th in the world rankings, are to outplay Black Sticks, ranked fourth, and China a place behind, the Indian eves would need to sustain their intensity for the entire duration of the match. Even Ireland, which is ranked below India, is capable of springing a surprise.

"In the past we have lost some crucial matches due to fitness and not being able to convert penalty corners. In this camp we have been paying extra attention to these two critical aspects. In fact, you can say that our chief coach Neil Hawgood is obsessive about improving the fitness levels of those in the camp," said Deepika, who will lead the Indian team in the Hawke's Bay Cup in the absence of Ritu Rani.

"In modern hockey, converting penalty corners makes a huge difference between winning and losing. We have to learn from the mistakes of the past and ensure they are not repeated."

Deepika received the Hockey India Player of the Year Award for women in the second Hockey India Annual Awards in Bengaluru on Mar 26.

"To get this recognition by Hockey India right before the Hawke's Bay Cup is undoubtedly a big boost. I am overjoyed to be selected for the most coveted Hockey India awards in recognition of my efforts," said Deepika.

The New Zealand outing will also give the chief coach and selectors a chance to see how some of the junior players who have been drafted in the camp fare at the senior level ahead of the 2016 Rio Games.

"The Olympic squad has not been announced yet. Currently, the entire core group is training at the camp. So, everyone is very keen to perform in the Hawke's Bay Cup to brighten their chances for making the cut for the Olympics. This is good in long-term because we would have more options when selecting the side for Rio," said the skipper.

The prospect of taking on higher ranked teams in the Hawke's Bay Cup is not weighing down the 18-member Indian team.

"It's good that we are playing these teams in the tournament. It will not only give us, and especially the youngsters, critical exposure of playing against good sides, but will also prepare us mentally to take on even better sides in the Olympics. Also, the improved fitness levels of our players give us the confidence of playing against higher ranked sides," Deepika said.

Though, doing well in the Hawke's Bay Cup is the immediate target of the team, the girls are well aware that history beckons them at the Rio Olympics for which they have qualified after a long wait of 36 years.

"There is a huge amount of excitement among us regarding the Olympics. For Indian women's hockey it's a dream come true moment. People think it's still some months away, but if you ask me, we believe that there is very little time left. Since, we have made it to the Olympics after such a long time, we want people to take note of Indian women's hockey. It's a huge opportunity for us," Deepika signed off.

The Indian eves will depart for New Zealand later tonight.

The Times of India

McAleese returns for Azlan Shah defence



Black Sticks Men’s head coach Colin Batch has named his side to defend their title at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia.

The Black Sticks won last year’s event with a thrilling 3-1 result over Australia in a shoot-out and are looking for back-to-back titles at the tournament which runs from 7-17 April.

Fresh from series wins against Malaysia in Tauranga and Korea in Auckland, New Zealand head away with momentum and confidence.

Veteran midfielder Shea McAleese returns to the Black Sticks having last played international hockey nine months ago at the FIH World League Semi-Final in Argentina.

McAleese (221 caps) adds to an experienced core of players alongside Ryan Archibald (306) and captain Simon Child (253).

Following a successful debut series against Korea, Central midfielder Hayden Phillips will get his first taste of international tournament hockey.

Batch said the tournament is another opportunity to develop as a group with an eye on the Rio Olympic Games in August.

“We’ve given this group the opportunity to test themselves in a tough tournament situation and try to cement a spot for Rio,” he said.

“However, there is still a chance for all players to stake their claim as we continue to try and discover the best combinations.

“The addition of Shea adds experience and leadership to the group and he also brings a voice and organisation on the field which is something we need.

“Hayden showed some good signs in his debut series and he has been given the opportunity to test himself in a tournament situation. It’s a big step up and we’re looking forward to seeing what he can do.”

McAleese will join the Black Sticks team in Malaysia from Europe where he has been playing club hockey for Belgium side Braxgata.

After almost a year away from the international scene he is looking forward to helping the team push for another Azlan Shah Cup.

“I’m really looking forward to getting back out on the turf with the Black Sticks and confident we can put together a good performance at the tournament,” he said.

“There is great depth within the group right now and some impressive talent so we are looking forward to continuing our fine tuning to make sure we are at our peak come Rio."

All Black Sticks games at the Azlan Shah Cup will be broadcast live and replayed on SKY Sport, with their first test against hosts Malaysia on Thursday 7 April at 12:30am (NZ time).

CLICK HERE for more on the Azlan Shah Cup

BLACK STICKS MEN
AZLAN SHAH CUP TEAM

Hockey New Zealand Media release

McAleese back in Black Sticks squad


Shea McAleese playing for the Black Sticks. Photo / Getty Images

Experienced midfielder Shea McAleese is back in the New Zealand team to defend the Azlan Shah Cup men's hockey tournament in Malaysia in April.

McAleese last played for the Black Sticks nine months ago at the world league semifinal in Argentina. He adds more wisdom from his 221 caps to a quality core of players alongside veteran midfielder Ryan Archibald (306 caps) and captain Sikmon Child (253).

Central midfielder Hayden Phillips, who made a handy start to his international career in the recent 2-0 series win over Korea, gets his first overseas trip with the national squad.

Coach Colin Batch said the tournament is another opportunity to develop as a group with an eye on the Rio Olympic Games in August.

"We've given this group the opportunity to test themselves in a tough tournament situation and try to cement a spot for Rio," he said.

"However, there is still a chance for all players to stake their claim as we continue to try and discover the best combinations."

Batch said McAleese brings not only extra leadership to the group but a voice and organisation on the field.

McAleese joins the squad from Europe where he's been playing club hockey for Belgian side Braxgata.

"I'm really looking forward to getting back out on the turf with the Black Sticks and confident we can put together a good performance at the tournament," he said.

"There is great depth within the group right now and some impressive talent so we are looking forward to continuing our fine tuning to make sure we are at our peak come Rio," McAleese said.

New Zealand beat Australia in last year's final after a penalty shootout. The tournament runs from April 7-17.

The Black Sticks games will be broadcast live on Sky, starting on April 7 at 12.30am NZT.

New Zealand squad:

Simon Child, Ryan Archibald, Devon Manchester, Arun Panchia (Auckland), James Coughlan, George Muir (North Harbour), Hugo Inglis, Kane Russell, Blair Tarrant (Southern), Stephen Jenness, Kyle Pontifex, Jacob Smith (Capital), Shea McAleese, Hayden Phillips, Nick Wilson (Central), Shay Neal (Northland), Nic Woods (Midlands), Bradley Shaw (Canterbury).

The New Zealand Herald

Black Sticks men recall veteran Shea McAleese for Malaysia tournament


Shea McAleese is back in the Black Sticks after a nine-month absence. ROBERT KITCHIN/FAIRFAX NZ

Veteran midfielder Shea McAleese has been recalled to the Black Sticks men's squad for the defence of their Sultan Azlan Shah Cup title in Malaysia next month.

McAleese returns to the national squad following a nine-month absence, adding his 221 caps to an experienced core of players alongside Ryan Archibald (306) and captain Simon Child (253).

He will link up with the team in Malaysia from Europe where he has been playing for Belgium club Braxgata.

Following a successful debut series against Korea, Central midfielder Hayden Phillips will get his first taste of international tournament hockey.

Head coach Colin Batch said the tournament was the perfect build-up for the Rio Olympics in August.

"We've given this group the opportunity to test themselves in a tough tournament situation and try to cement a spot for Rio," Batch said.

"However, there is still a chance for all players to stake their claim as we continue to try and discover the best combinations.

"The addition of Shea adds experience and leadership to the group and he also brings a voice and organisation on the field which is something we need.

"Hayden showed some good signs in his debut series and he has been given the opportunity to test himself in a tournament situation. It's a big step up and we're looking forward to seeing what he can do."

The Black Sticks won last year's Sultan Azlan Shah Cup with a thrilling 3-1 win over Australia in a shoot-out and are looking for back-to-back titles at the tournament which runs from April 7-17.

Fresh from series wins against Malaysia in Tauranga and Korea in Auckland, they head away in form and high on confidence.

And McAleese is hoping to continue that momentum in Malaysia.

"I'm really looking forward to getting back out on the turf with the Black Sticks and confident we can put together a good performance at the tournament," he said.

"There is great depth within the group right now and some impressive talent so we are looking forward to continuing our fine tuning to make sure we are at our peak come Rio."

New Zealand open their campaign against the hosts on April 7 at 12:30am (NZ time).

Black Sticks men's squad
Simon Child, Ryan Archibald, Devon Manchester, Arun Panchia, James Coughlan, George Muir, Hugo Inglis, Kane Russell, Blair Tarrant, Stephen Jenness, Kyle Pontifex, Jacob Smith, Shea McAleese, Hayden Phillips, Nick Wilson, Shay Neal, Nic Woods, Bradley Shaw.

Stuff

Pune's Akash set to make India debut

Tushar Dutt

PUNE: A day after goalkeeper Akash Chikte found his name in the squad for Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, he went to the M Chinnaswamy cricket stadium in Bangalore to watch India play their WT20 group cricket match against Bangladesh.

India's one-run win taught him enough about perseverance and hard work. "I went to take inspiration from the Indian team's performance. Having watched them (Indian cricket team) win such a close match will help me calm my nerve when I play ," Akash told TOI. Akash, 23, has been in the senior hockey team camp since last May and he is yet to play a match for India.

But his dream of earning an India cap isn't too far as the Pune boy has been included in the team after Hockey India decided to rest their No.1goalkeeper PR Sreejesh.

Akash, along with another goalkeeper Harjot Singh, will get alternate games to play in Ipoh. Based on the performances of the goalkeepers, a deputy to Sreejesh may be chosen for the Rio Olympics.

When the Bombay Engineering Group (BEG), Pune, recruit makes his debut for the senior team, it will be a unique distinction of sorts for the player.

The Times of India

HTHC and Amsterdam complete FINAL4 line-up



Harvestehuder THC and AH&BC Amsterdam completed the FINAL4 line-up on another KO8 day of high action and intense drama at the Wagener Stadium.

It means they join Atlètic Terrassa and SV Kampong in Barcelona in six weeks time in May in the race to be the champion of Europe.

2014 champions HTHC won an epic encounter with EHL holders Oranje Zwart, coming from 4-1 down to eventually prevail in a shoot-out with Michael Körper proving the inspiration once again.

He opened the scoring from the penalty spot only for OZ to score four times in six minutes around the half-time break. Jelle Galema struck twice while Niek van der Schoot and Benjamin Stanzl, against his former club, racked up an imposing lead.

But Harvestehuder kept the faith and got a lifeline when Körper fizzed home a backhand shot and their momentum upped with Jan-Philip Heuer turned home the third goal.

A Körper drag-flick levelled the game, sending the tie to a shoot-out in which the regulation series ended 3-3. Tobias Walter saved in round eight, giving Körper the chance to eventually prevail.

Speaking afterwards, Körper said his side always has belief: “The team spirit we have, this whole club is like a family. On the pitch, off the pitch, it is the same. We fight for each other until the end.”

Amsterdam followed them into the FINAL4 with a 2-1 win over Real Club de Polo but they were made to work until the final whistle.

Robert Tigges gave the home club a 10th minute lead when he finished off from Justin Reid-Ross’s cross. Valentin Verga made it 2-0 when he read the intentions of Mirco Pruyser perfectly to slide on to his pass at the exact right time to tip in.

The Barcelona club fought back admirably, winning numerous corners as time wore on and, eventually, they got back in the game via Matias Rey’s corner touch. They pushed until the final whistle, hitting the post with the final play as Amsterdam clung on for the win.

“We defended really well in a tough game with lots of nice one-on-one battles. It was pretty physical from both sides. In the end, it was quite tight and I think, in the end, our goalie Laurens Goedegebuure saved us a little bit,” Tigges said of the win.

He added that hosting the tournament was a brilliant experience for him and the club.

“It’s really cool to play at your home pitch with the packed crowds. It’s the best thing to play EHL, I enjoy it very much.”

All eyes now turn to the FINAL4 on May 14 and 15 and the Pau Negre Stadium in Barcelona where Harvestehuder THC and AH&BC Amsterdam join Atlètic Terrassa and SV Kampong in the race to win the world’s premier club hockey competition.

Tickets for the FINAL4 go on sale later this week.

KO8, day two results: Oranje Zwart 4 (J Galema 2, N van der Schoot, B Stanzl) Harvestehuder THC 4 (M Körper 3, J Heuer), Harvestehuder THC win 6-5 in a shoot-out; AH&BC Amsterdam 2 (R Tigges, V Verga) Real Club de Polo 1 (M Rey)

Euro Hockey League media release

Korper wins extraordinary victory for HTHC

KO8 Oranje Zwart 4 (J Galema 2, N van der Schoot, B Stanzl) Harvestehuder THC 4 (M Körper 3, J Heuer), HTHC win 6-5 in a shoot-out



Michael Körper added to his incredible reputation as the match-winner supreme as he fashioned a famous comeback before eventually scoring the winning shoot-out to beat Oranje Zwart in an extraordinary game.

He netted a hat trick and then held his nerve in the eighth round of the shoot-out, ending one a game for the ages.

The action was relentless from the very start with Körper deflecting onto the post from Tobias Hauke’s early drag-pass. Mink van der Weerden was denied by Tobias Walter from three penalty corner shots while Bob de Voogd hit the outside of the post.

Körper put his side in front when George Farrant’s deflected corner move was illegally defended at the left post and the Austrian striker pitted the penalty stroke in the 18th minute. OZ kept out a couple of corners to keep the gap at the minimum before the Eindhoven swung the game in an incredible run of four goals in six minutes either side of half-time.

Jelle Galema levelled in the 28th minute when he took in a simple ball into the circle, muscled away the defender and bunted into the corner. It was not the cleanest strike but was enough to beat Walter.

Moments later, Bob de Voogd assisted for Niek van der Schoot with a great run around the back of the HTHC defence and picked out his team mate to slot the finish.

They carried that momentum into the second half in devastating style. Rob van der Horst’s backhand shot looked to be goalbound before Galema touched in his second.

Benjamin Stanzl then got in on the act when Rashid Mehmood’s run was cut short, the former HTHC man picked up the pieces and rolled home – he courteously did not celebrate against his former club.

Other teams might be dead and buried at 4-1 down but Harvestehuder have an incredible reputation for performing the impossible and they fought back in incredible style.

Körper’s brilliant reverse stick shot beat Vincent Vanasch all ends up from the left of the circle to start the comeback. Vanasch saved Körper’s next shot brilliantly but the follow-up attack fell to Jan Heuer who bundled in for 4-3 at the three quarter mark.

And Körper tied up the game in the 49th minute with a powerful low drag-flick to make it 4-4, setting up a thrilling final 10 minutes. The ball hit the inside of OZ’s post – the fourth time the metalwork got involved in this epic – to cause even more panic.

Vanasch got down low to deny Körper’s next corner flick and he also got down brilliantly to deny Goodfield from point blank range with 120 seconds to go. Galema had a big chance at the far end, samshing into Walter’s pads while a last minute OZ referral was turned away sending the game to the shoot-out.

The regulation shoot-out ended 3-3 leading to sudden death and the next two rounds also ended even. Galema was denied by Walter and Körper, despite an earlier miss and being held up by Vanasch, clipped in the all-important winner.

Euro Hockey League media release

Amsterdam cling on for FINAL4 ticket

KO8 AH&BC Amsterdam 2 (R Tigges, V Verga) Real Club de Polo 1 (M Rey)



Amsterdam produced a backs to the wall defensive performance to see off a huge challenge from Real Club de Polo de Barcelona to complete the FINAL4 line-up.

After they built a 2-0 lead, they spent the majority of the game on the back foot with Laurens Goedegebuure making several important saves while they were almost caught in the last play when Lucas Vila’s touch hit the post.

In the early stages, Amsterdam pushed forward more often but Polo had a knack of creating the bigger chances, forcing Laurens Goedegebuure into two strong saves in the first ten minutes.

The home club, though, took the lead soon after from a corner. It was not initially stopped but was worked around the circle to Justin Reid-Ross on the left and he flung the ball across the face of goal where it hopped up invitingly for Robert Tigges to touch in.

One became two with a breathtaking counter-attack. Its origins started at the opposite end with Alex Casasayas deflecting the ball on to the post. Amsterdam recovered the ball and quickly worked it up the left hand side to Mirco Pruyser.

He looked up a spotted Valentin Verga arriving at top speed. The pass was fast and accurate and Verga slid in to guide past Mario Fernandez. Fernandez was called on to make a couple of big saves to keep Polo’s interest in the game alive, the pick of them from Sander ’t Hart, while Santi Freixa – who came into the panel for Kenny Bain – and Salva Piera took yellow cards as the temperature rose.

Goedegebuure made some more stops for Amsterdam as Polo attempted an onslaught, winning plenty of corners either side of the three quarter mark. It eventually paid in the 50th minute when Matias Rey deflected in a corner to give the Spanish side a big chance.

Polo kept coming and came within centimetres of earning a draw when Vila deflected onto the post with five seconds left. It stayed out and Amsterdam held on to reach the semi-finals.

Euro Hockey League media release

Kampong win ABN AMRO Junior EHL



SV Kampong’s JC1 side claimed the ABN AMRO Junior EHL title as Ivo Visser struck four times to beat Club Egara 4-1 in the final this morning in the Wagener Stadium.

It was a much closer tie than the scoreline suggested, though, as Egara struck back through Jan Clapes and came within inches of equalising with 14 minutes left before Visser truck twice late on to seal the deal.

It capped a brilliant couple of days action at AH&BC Amsterdam with four of Europe’s beat young teams taking part.

Egara topped the initial group with Kampong scraping into the second final place with two draws and a win over UHC Hamburg.

In the final, after a close fought opening, Nico Pau made a great early save from Visser before the ace striker broke the deadlock in the 16th minute with a thunderous shot.

Egara bounced back with Oriol Nart drawing the best from Storm van Dalen in the Kampong goal, keeping the gap at the minimum at half-time. Visser made it 2-0 with three minutes into the second half with a lovely lift over the goalkeeper before Egara got on the board courtesy of Jan Clapes’ goal.

They won a corner moments after with Jan Borras going extremely close to an equaliser. But Kampong finished stronger with Kiet Lukkassen opening the door for Visser to complete his hat trick with a composed finish.

He added a fourth goal for good measure with a thunderous shot from the top with a few minutes to go.

Visser: “We played a great game together, playing as a team which is the most important thing – the team is what makes goals with all the work from your team mates.

“It was a big experience for us and very fun to be a part of. The teams from the other countries play a different type of hockey and its a different experience."

His side were presented with their trophy, above, at half-time of the EHL KO8 game between Harvestehuder THC and Oranje Zwart by EHF President Marijke Fleuren and Kampong and Ireland goalkeeper David Harte.

KHC Dragons claimed third place with a 5-0 win over UHC Hamburg in the other game played today in the Wagener Stadium.

Euro Hockey League media release

Sliders inch closer towards Africa Club Championship


Ndombela Sikwata of Sliders in action during their National Women's Hockey League match against Mount Kenya University at City Park Stadium on November 28, 2015. Sliders beat JKUAT at the weekend to go third on the log. PHOTO MARTIN MUKANGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Sliders Hockey Club beat Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology 2-0 to enhance their chances of finishing second in the Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) women’s national league.

Second half goals from Dorsila Agunda and Dorris Kirui gave the self-sponsored team the three vital points during the match played at City Park Stadium, on Sunday.

The win has seen Sliders move to third place on 38 points, two behind second-placed Strathmore University Scorpions.

Sliders have a game left this season and a win will see them finish second behind champions Telkom Orange to book a slot for this year’s African Club Championship.

The university side have already completed their league matches.

Sliders coach Nixon Nyangaga, who has urged his charges to remain focused in their last match, is optimistic that his team can finish second.
“We don’t need to go get over ourselves, the job is half done. The ball is in our court and we know what we have to do and we are preparing for it,” Nyangaga told Nation Sport.

Sliders, who dominated the match against the university side, should have won by a wider margin were it not for poor finishing.

Agunda struck two minutes after the break to give her side the lead during the encounter which saw JKUAT defend in numbers in the first half as Sliders attacked.

Kirui made sure Sliders picked maximum points in the dying minutes of the encounter after blasting home from a penalty corner.

In the men’s Premier League, Kenya Police thrashed Wazalendo 5-1 at the same venue to keep their title ambitions on track. Two goals from talismanic striker Moses Cheplaiti and a goal apiece from Oliver Echenje, Robert Masibo and Samuel Wokila steered the law enforcers to their emphatic victory.

Nelson Shilaku pulled one back for Wazalendo against Police who also registered a 3-2 victory against Parkroad on Saturday evening at the same venue.

The 2013 champions attacked from the onset and on several occasions tore into the Wazalendo defence with some wonderful displays.

Police coach Kenneth Kaunda, who was pleased with the result, urged his team to play the same way till the end of the season.

“This is the Police I know, dangerous going forward, taking chances and not allowing the opponent to create anything,” the coach said.

In other matches, USIU A beat fellow university side KCAU 3-2 while in Mombasa, home side Mombasa Sports Club lost 4-1 to Sikh Union Nairobi.

Daily Nation

Former National Team players and career rec leaguers alike relish opportunity to wear maple leaf at Masters World Cup

Shaheed Devji



With the 2016 Masters World Cup officially underway, a group of athletes are realizing an opportunity not many athletes ever get to experience: representing Canada in an international competition.

To represent one’s country is rare, but Guy Manwaring got to do it for almost ten years..

A former member of the Canadian Men’s National Team, he played in two World Cups (1986 and 1990) and won a gold medal at the 1987 Pan American Games.

After about 100 international matches, his career ended in 1993. And after that, wearing the red-and-white isn’t something he thought he would ever do again.

“I always felt like my game really rose when I stepped out into a big tournament and I got to wear the colours,” he remembers of his time previously representing Canada.

And almost 25 years later in Australia, he gets a second shot at it as a part of Canada’s Over-50 Masters Hockey team at the Masters World Cup.

He is one of three players on the team who have previous National Team experience.

“It’s not the same as it was when I was in my twenties, I know it’s a lot more social,” he adds. “It’s just the feeling of getting to represent. I love that feeling.”

That feeling is one that Alison McGillivray hasn’t had. Not until this tournament.

Representing Canada playing field hockey was never on the radar as she grew up. In fact, she didn’t take up the sport until later in life.

As a recreational player, wearing the maple leaf for the first time is a big deal for her.

“It is an honour,” says McGillivray, who is also serving as co-manager of Canada’s Women’s Over-50 team at the tournament. “We are going to go out there and try to represent ourselves and our country well.”

McGillivray and all of her teammates will be representing Canada for the first time and they get to do it unexpectedly and later in life, when opportunities to play competitively, let alone internationally can be few and far between.

That notion of lifelong competitiveness and involvement in sport is a key reason Field Hockey Canada launched the Canadian Masters Hockey program.

“Our average age of the team is 56,” she says. “We even have a few of us – who are in our sixtieth year – who could play in the Over-60s.”

But despite their age or their previous experience, both McGillivray and Manwaring, and Canada’s Men’s and Women’s Masters teams have gone to Australia with the same goal: to play well and have fun. And to do so while representing their country.

Keep track of Canada’s teams at the 2016 Masters World Cup here.

Field Hockey Canada media release

Juniors looking to step up to gold


The hard working T&T team is aiming for gold at this year’s Junior Women’s Pan Am Hockey Championship, being held right here on local soil for the first time.

The T&T Hockey Board is gearing up to host the highly anticipated 2016 installment of the Junior  Women’s Pan American Hockey Championship for the first  time in the nation’s history.

The blink bmobile Foundation will sponsor the tournament, which starts on Thursday from 10 am, at the National Hockey Centre, Tacarigua. The tournament features eight teams, including T&T, which will open its campaign against the USA on opening day at 6 pm.

T&T hosted the Junior Men’s Pan Am Championship in 1988 and again in 2008, but it is the first time that the women’s competition will be held on local soil.

Secretary of the T&T Hockey Board, Reyah Richardson, says the team, comprised of 18 players aged 14-21, is ready and rearing to go and will be putting their best sticks forward with the hopes of dethroning defending champs, Argentina, and qualifying for the Junior Women’s World Cup, to be held in Chile this year.

The first Junior Pan American  Championship for women was held  in 1988 in Buenos Aires. T&T finished second place in the championship in Venezuela in 1992 and went on to qualify for the Junior World Cup in Terrassa, Spain, the following year. This time around, Richardson says the team is aiming for gold. 

She is appealing to citizens to come out in their numbers to witness history and support the young players who have been working assiduously to leave their mark on the competition.

“Our women have been hard at training under the directorship of Brian Garcia—a former national player and once they follow his instructions they will do very well,” she assured.

Richardson added that while hockey is not as popular as sports like football and cricket, she hopes that the championship will serve to bring more awareness to the game and help it to reach its full potential in T&T.

“Hockey is one of the more organised sports in the country. The focus, however, has always been on cricket and football, but hockey has done our country proud. We want younger ones to get interested in the sport and for that to happen we need to get the kind of support that other sports receive.” 

The blink bmobile Foundation came in for high praise from  Richardson who thanked the company for doing just that. 

“I am so elated that the blink bmobile Foundation has chosen to support the championship because once people see a big, respected brand behind us, it will attract more people and give the sport more visibility and that’s what we want—to  get our name out there to the grassroots. 

“With all the crime that’s taking place in the country, we need to get our youths involved in something positive and sport is one way out. We sincerely thank blink bmobile for being very gracious in their dealings with us. This demonstrates the kind of commitment they have to the development of our nation’s youth.”

Camille Campbell, acting chief marketing officer, TSTT, said the company is in full support of the championship, as it continues to shine the spotlight on sport, youth and youth development. 

“As the only national telecommunications company dedicated to the country’s growth and development, we are pleased to bring that vision to bare on this tournament and its role in developing our young people.

“This event is a big deal, not only for the players but the country as well, as it is the first time that it is being held here,” she said.

“We wish our young ladies the very best and we know that they have put in the necessary work and will do the country proud.”

Tickets for the championship are on sale at the venue and patrons can also purchase a season pass at $240 to attend all 24 matches throughout the tournament which runs until next Saturday.

The Trinidad Guardian

Final phase of training camp concludes

By Nabil Tahir

KARACHI: The Pakistan national hockey team has completed the final phase of the training camp and is all geared up to feature in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, scheduled to be played from April 6 in Malaysia.

While the team was supposed to play three test matches against Pakistan’s junior side before leaving for Malaysia, the bomb blasts in Lahore led to the cancellation of the matches, informed the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) in a statement.

“Due to the uncertain situation resulting from the attacks on the innocent people in Lahore and the three-day mourning period announced by the government, the three-match series between the senior and the junior sides has been cancelled,” read the PHF statement.

Sultan Azlan Shah Cup: PHF changes coaching staff for tournament

Despite the team lacking match-practice, coach Khawaja Junaid is confident of a strong team performance.

“The team has completed its final phase of training. While the matches would have improved the chemistry of the team, I am satisfied with their form at the moment,” Junaid told The Express Tribune.

The Express Tribune

Hockey series cancelled

LAHORE: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has decided to postpone the three-match series between Pakistan senior and junior teams in view of the terrorist attack in Lahore on Sunday.

The series, in order to give the senior side practice for next month’s Azlan Shah Cup, was scheduled to be played at Sargodha and Lahore.

“Due to uncertain situation as a result of the terrorist attack on the innocent people at the Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park yesterday and the three days’ mourning announced by the Punjab government, the three-match series between Pakistan senior and junior hockey teams is cancelled,” a short press release stated on Monday.

Moreover, no match of the ongoing DCO Lahore International Squash Championships was played on its fourth day as the organisers condemned the blasts which killed 72 people.

Fresh dates will be announced later on, the organisers said.

Also, the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) also condemned the attack and showed the solidarity with the bereaved families.

Dawn

WJHL: UniKL just want to have fun

By Jugjet Singh

UNIKL Young Guns have been told by their coach R. Vivekanandan to 'have fun' in the Malaysian Women's Junior Hockey League quarter-finals against Kuala Lumpur Wipers tomorrow.

For, the experienced coach knows that his charges are not expected to beat Group B champions KL Wipers. UniKL finished fourth in Group A, barely making the quarter-finals cut.

"We only had six days of training for this inaugural WJHL and I am very proud of my girls because they made the quarter-finals. On the other hand, KL Wipers have been training and playing together for many years and I expect them to have the upper hand.

"That is why, I told my my charges to have fun, and don't worry too much about their much superior opponents," said Vivekanandan.

From Group A, League champions SSTMI Thunderbolts are the team to beat. They won all six matches with convincing scores, and will play fourth played Group B team MSNT-SMKPM.

Fourteen teams competed in the inaugural WJHL.

 FINAL STANDINGS

GROUP A

                P  W  D  L  F  A  Pts
SSTMI T'NDER    6  6  0  0  36 1  18
SOUTHERN GIRLS  6  3  1  2  12 7  10
SABAH SS        6  3  1  2  12 9  10
UNIKL           6  2  3  1  9  10 9
SELANGOR GIRLS  6  2  2  2  8  8  8
SMK ZA'ABA      6  1  1  4  4  20 4
SMK HUSSEIN ONN 6  0  0  6  1  27 0

GROUP B

                P  W  D  L  F  A  Pts
KL WIPERS       6  5  1  0  35 6  16
MUTIARA IMPIAN  6  4  1  1  21 9  13
MSN KEDAH       6  4  0  2  33 13 12
MSNT-SMKPM      6  4  0  2  25 12 12
HIGHLANDERS     6  2  0  4  14 20  6
YP-MSP-PHP      6  1  0  5  9  22  3
SULTAN IBRAHIM  6  0  0  6  0  55  0

TOMORROW: Quarter-finals: SSTMI Thunderbolts v MSNT-SMKPM (Pitch I, 6pm), Mutiara Impian v Sabah Sports School (Pitch II, 6pm), Southern Girls v MSN Kedah (Pitch I, 8pm), Kuala Lumpur Wipers v UniKL Young Guns (Pitch II, 8pm).

FRIDAY: MSNT-SMKPM v SSTMI Thunderbolts (Pitch I, 6pm), Sabah Sports School v Mutiara Impian (Pitch II, 6pm), MSN Kedah v Southern Girls (Pitch I, 8pm), UniKL Young Guns v Kuala Lumpur Wipers (Pitch II, 8pm).

Jugjet's World of Field Hockey

USMNT Athlete Tom Barratt's Experience Playing Abroad

USMNT athlete Tom Barratt shares his experiences of training abroad and how it has helped improve his game.

After what can only be described as a somewhat slightly disappointing summer of results in the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, I decided that I needed more hockey. More time on the pitch would be the only way to make sure I am the best I can be for Team USA and future tournaments.

So even though I've been playing my hockey in England my whole life, I decided I needed to go somewhere where hockey is everything. For this reason I instantly chose Holland. Our very well connected coaches at USA Field Hockey helped put me in touch with a club out in Holland, and I haven't looked back since. My club (Rood-Wit) has been incredibly accommodating, helping me out every step of the way and even putting me in touch with the right people to land my first graduate job.

Hockey out here is huge compared to anything I've seen before. My club has 12 U-16 teams and this is just one of three clubs in a 5 mile radius. The facilities are incredible and also come with a terrific club atmosphere, something I'm very fond of. We train three times a week, which includes a team meal after training. We also play every Sunday at 2:45 p.m. I feel my game has improved greatly since being out here, partly due to the amount of time we spend on the pitch but also the fact that I've allowed myself to observe a different style of play.

Results for my club have varied and it has been a difficult year with injuries and transfers however it would not take this year back for anything. I would advise a lot of my U.S. teammates or anybody looking to grow their own game to spend some time here or definitely in Europe, just to experience it. I'm very thankful for the original connection and the friends I have met here. I owe people a lot for the experiences they've allowed me to have this year. Now, moving forward I can't wait to meet up with Team USA to hopefully pass on some knowledge or at least tell them a good story or two!

USFHA media release