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News for 30 March 2016

All the news for Wednesday 30 March 2016


African teams qualify for Hockey Junior World Cups as Trinidad & Tobago prepares for women's qualifier

South Africa and Egypt men and South Africa and Zimbabwe women qualify for Junior World Cups


Photo: Hockey Association of Zimbabwe

While the best senior teams in the world are preparing for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, the next generation of hockey stars will have their own moment in the spotlight at the end of the year when the Hockey Junior World Cups get under way.

Over the past few months a number of continental qualifiers have taken place which have decided who will compete at these Junior World Cups, the women's hosted in Santiago, Chile from 24 November to 4 December and the men's in India from 1-11 December. With several coveted places still to be won, the attention turned to Africa over the past few days, before the focus shifts on to the Pan-American region this week.

On the African continent, the men’s and women's Junior African Cup was held in Windhoek in Namibia between 18-28 March.

In the men's event, Egypt demonstrated once again why they are a nation that is on the rise when it comes to hockey. The north African side reversed an earlier 2-0 loss at the hands of South Africa in the pool matches to win 3-2 in am exciting final.

In that game, the Egyptian team rushed into a 2-0 lead with goals from Mohamed Ali and Ahmed Arafa in the 14th and 22nd minute. South Africa fought back with a goal from Nqobile Ntuli just after half time.

It was all South Africa for the next quarter and Ntuli struck again to even the scores. However, with five minutes left on the clock, Egypt once again seized the initiative and Mohamed Nasr was on hand to shoot home the winner from open play, giving Egypt their first gold medal in this event.

Zimbabwe beat Namibia 5-3 in the bronze medal match while South Africa's Ntuli and Egypt’s Ahmed Elganaini were top scorers with 14 goals a piece.

The women’s Junior African Cup was a clear-cut victory for South Africa. They beat Namibia, Zimbabwe and Tanzania in a round-robin format to emerge as the gold medal winners. Zimbabwe finished in second place to take the only other automatic qualification spot for the Junior World Cup in Chile.

South Africa's Marie Louw was top scorer with 14 goals, closely followed by Tarryn Glasby on 13. In all, the South Africa team scored 63 goals and conceded none.

Who will be representing the Pan American region will be decided through two events: the women’s event gets under way on Thursday 31 March in Trinidad and Tobago, while between May 20-28 the men are off to Toronto in Canada.

Eleven women’s teams will be competing at this year’s Junior Pan-Am Championship and with the Rio Olympics taking place on the continent just a few months later, there is bound to be increased interest in this event, especially with Hockey Junior World Cup places at stake.

The Junior Pan-Am Championships started in 1988 for the women and in that time, it has been an almost total Argentinian domination. The South American side has been beaten only once, by the USA in 2008.

Going into this year’s event, Argentina women will hope to continue winning ways. Their coach, Agustin Corradini said: “The young players who are selected at junior international level are already well on their way to being the ‘finished’ article. When they get selected for the national team, they have already been part of very good development programmes within their own clubs. We make sure that they have all the elements in place and then work with those qualities to make them even better – as a result our players have very good technical skills, they are perfectly physically trained, and they have a professional mindset.”  

Canada’s coach is Steph Andrews and she makes no bones about Argentina’s ability. “Argentina, historically, have always been classy. Their ability to be creative and play with flair makes it hard for teams to match up against them and stop their flow. Any team that is going to beat Argentina will need to be good defensively and take their opportunities when it counts.”

However, Andrews also believes that Canada is catching up on their South American rivals at junior level. She pinpoints developing depth within the junior squad as being key to this. She said: “I believe we are establishing a good group under our senior team both at a junior national squad level and the development squads below that, all of which will aid in closing the gap between us and Argentina.”

The opening day’s matches of the women’s Junior Pan-Am Championship will see the reigning champions Argentina open their defence against Uruguay. Chile take on Barbados, Canada face Mexico and the 2008 winners USA will compete against the host nation Trinidad and Tobago.

For more information about the Pan-America Junior Championship (women), visit the Pan-American Hockey Federation website by clicking here.

FIH site



England U21s edged out by Germany


England's Josh Pavis in action

Match one was a very even and well-contested affair with the Germans, unusually content to defend deep with a half court press and England trying to break this down. This left the Germans to threaten on the counter attack, and this was how their goals came about, (one in each half) with turnovers on the half way and an overload of numbers on quick attacks.

England’s patient approach led to good goal scoring opportunities in open play and from penalty corners, but they lacked the cutting edge to finish the opportunities created and the German goalkeeper, Lennart Kuppers, was outstanding, especially at penalty corners, denying England repeatedly from their six set piece chances.

England improved their penetration of the German defence in the second half and created numerous circle entries and with the Germans defending deeper and deeper and at one stage in last 7 minutes down to 9 players with two yellow cards, England found a goal from Peter Scott, but it came too late to press for the equalizer.

Kwan Browne, England Coach:
Our execution today overall was below our expected standards. Having created numerous circle entries and penalty corner opportunities we will have to be more clinical as we progress through the programme. It is not unlucky that we lost, as it was in our own hands today and it will be in our hands tomorrow to rectify.

England U21 1         -    2      Germany U21
Peter Scott 70 FG                    Christan Von Ehren 17 FG
                                             Malte Hellwig 58 FG

England started very brightly and troubled the German defence repeatedly with excellent one-on-one eliminations by the forwards and midfield players. Although frequently achieving circle entries during this period, and one penalty corner, they failed to capitalise or create enough clear goal scoring opportunities.

The Germans recovered from the early onslaught and started to threaten themselves with quick counter attacks. England coped with these better than the previous day and managed the threat more effectively. A period of pressure at the end of the first half saw the Germans control territory high up in the England half and a series of penalty corners were awarded. Just on half time they scored from their second penalty corner with Aichinger flicking high into the net.

The Germans maintained their dominance early in the second half but England defended resolutely and gradually fought their way back into the game. In the 53rd minute James Albery advanced down the left touchline before delivering a long diagonal pass, behind the German defence, from just over the half way line, and Ed Horler was on hand to slide in and deflect it past the German goalkeeper. This energised the England side and a period of domination followed through to the end of the game. One penalty corner induced a save followed by a rebound that hit the post but the German defence survived this period. The game ended one a piece and is nicely set up for a final game.

Kwan Browne, England Coach:
One of the key focuses for today was to establish a winning culture, even when things are not going for us, and to a large extent we achieved that today. The boys showed good character to come from behind to deservedly earn a draw. Still many improvement areas to come in the attacking areas of the field but a much improved overall performance.

England U21 1 -1 Germany U21
Ed Horler 53 (FG)   Kai Aichinger 35 (PC)

Once again a very even and physical contest with both teams experiencing periods of ascendency and pressure. Germany started brightly and had the best of the early exchanges and went ahead through a penalty corner flicked high left in the 6th minute by Alexander Inderthal. England got back into the game in the middle sector of the half and, whist gaining circle entries, they found creating clear cut chances difficult and lacked precision in this area. Germany finished the half strongly and had a sequence of three penalty corners in a row that the England corner defensive unit thwarted with brave running and good goalkeeping from Toby Reynolds-Cotterill.

The second half saw England pressurise the German defenders more effectively and created turnovers and counter attacking opportunities, however Germany also carried a serious threat on the break when ball was given away by England’s midfield and attack. England created further scoring opportunities but had shots blocked and saved by German defenders and the goalkeeper. As the half progressed England committed more numbers forward and the game opened up, with Germany threatening on the break and England attaining periods of territorial domination. It was from one of these periods that the equaliser came, with James Sutcliffe advancing from half back down the right flank before delivering a flat backhand cross in to the circle that Peter Scott jumped in front of his defender to deflect into the goal.

With England back at 1-1 the Germans stepped up their intensity and had a chance strike the post before they re-gained the lead after a midfield carry into the top right of the circle and a backhand shot was deflected in at the right post by Nicolas Proske. England continued to bounce back and created further pressure all over the field. This was rewarded in the 65th minute with the award of a penalty corner. This was flicked low right by Josh Pavis and found its way in off the outside of the German goalkeepers kicker.

At 2-2 England pushed forward to try to take the win and removed their goalkeeper to improve the chances of this. To an extent this was successful and possession was recovered repeatedly in the German half, but in their enthusiasm England tried to force passes into the German D and this allowed them to absorb and relieve the pressure. The game finished 2-2 and these teams meet again in two weeks time in Moers, Germany for two more matches.

Kwan Browne, England Coach:
A pleasing performance today and progress throughout the camp, with a new U21 group, with several players experiencing this level of hockey for the first time. There is still much to work on in preparation for a World Cup in India in December, but positive signs within the squad of good skill levels, improving strategic understanding and a will to win that has seen us come from behind in all three of these test matches.

England U21 2            -        2       Germany U21
Peter Scott 52 FG                             Alexander Inderthal, 6, PC
Josh Pavis 66 PC                             Nicolas Proske 55 FG

England Hockey Board Media release



Steep learning curve for England U18 boys


England U18 Boys 2016

England U18 Boys were hosted by their Dutch counterparts over the Easter period in Rotterdam for a demanding 3 match test series that marked the start of their preparations for the EuroHockey Youth Championship being held in Cork, Ireland later in the year.

This three match series proved to be a stern test for the England side, which was selected following Futures Cup and HiPAC last October, falling to the strong Dutch team in all three games.

The first game saw the Dutch score first followed by a good goal from Duncan Scott showing a calm first touch and 3D skills to bring England level during the first half. Some poor defending saw England concede two quick goals before the break to go into half time 3 -1 down.

Holland came out strong and scored a 4th within minutes of the start of the second half, England then hit back with a strike from Evan Kimber in open play. Holland then closed out the game with 3 strong finishes from counter attacks. The game ended with a win for the hosts, 7-2.

A positive for England though was that they maintained a strong penalty corner defence throughout while U18 debutants Sam Hooper and Matt Steventon showed great promise.

Match 2 proved a much closer affair, with both teams battling for midfield control and creating scoring chances. Holland were first to break the deadlock and went into the half time break 1-0 up from a well taken penalty corner goal.

The second half continued at pace with England winning a penalty corner minutes after the restart, Simon Claris converted well to score his first international goal to bring England level 1-1. England continued their pressure on the Dutch which resulted in another well earned penalty corner which Eddie Way converted to give them a 2-1 lead.

England continued their strong pressure until the final minutes of the game which saw Holland convert 2 from 4 penalty corners to win the game 3-2. Though they showed significant improvement from the previous game the result ultimately came down to penalty corner conversion, a skill in which Holland excelled on this occasion.

England began the final match of the series with the same gusto as the weather. Captain James Oates scored from open play after 3 minutes. They continued strongly in search of a second goal but a mistake in defence gave Holland the chance to score from open play, which they did following a good attempt to save by Alex Cook in goal.

England continued to press in search of a second goal but a lapse in concentration in the dying second of the first half saw another well taken Dutch penalty corner to give Holland a 2-1 lead going into the break.

The second half continued in the same vein with England controlling play well but still struggling to convert their chances, not helped by some great saves from the Dutch keeper. Eddie Way managed to break through and score England’s second goal but the strength of Holland eventually came through as they scored a third goal from open play towards the end of the game.

Head Coach Jody Paul commented on the series, “This series has given the squad a good base to work from as we prepare for European’s later in the year. We have progressed through each game both in terms of our defensive play and the intensity of our attack. Overall I am pleased with the team and individual performance of our players, in particular the development that has been made against a quality opposition”.

The U18 Squad that travelled to Holland:
1 Simon Claris
2 Alex Cook (GK)
3 Thomas Crowson
4 William Hewer
5 Sam Hooper
6 Daniel Jackson
7 Evan Kimber
8 Tim Nurse
9 James Oates
10 Oliver Payne (GK)
11 Matthew Ramshaw
12 Ollie Rogerson
13 Duncan Scott
14 Ben Stevenson
15 Matthew Steventon
16 Lucas Ward
17 Eddie Way
18 Jack Whelan

England Hockey Board Media release



Plenty of positives for U16 Boys


England U16 Boys defend a PC

The recent Easter weekend gave the newly selected U16 Boys England team the chance to travel to Rotterdam and test their skills against a strong Holland side.

The team started positively with much intent and looked to impose themselves on the game which was a huge step up in intensity for a team mostly new to international hockey. This lead to England opening the scoring with an open play goal from Rohan Bhuhi showing great skill to eliminate multiple players before finishing strongly on the reverse.

Holland quickly responded with a goal from a penalty corner, followed by another from a penalty stroke to lead 2-1.

England were keen not to go into half time on the back foot and their attacking efforts were rewarded with penalty corner. Captain for the game, Daniel West, saw his flick charged down by the first runner but he did well to hit the rebound into the right-hand corner to score England's second and draw level before half time. The second half of the game saw England drop in their intensity and ability to maintain their tight defence resulting in a number of open play goals for Holland who scored 3 with no reply to end the game 5-2.

Match 2 saw a well rested and much improved England side come out with a similarly high intensity to the first game. Despite this Holland opened the scoring from a penalty corner late in the first half to go into the break leading 1-0. The team came out fighting in the second half however and were quickly rewarded with an excellent open play goal coming after a strong drive down the left wing from Thomas Russell and a cross into a diving George Waller to equalise. Rohan Bhuhi then scored his second goal of the series to give the England side the lead for the first time, 2-1. Sadly, a last minute penalty corner goal for Holland meant that England had to settle for a draw following a terrific performance leaving the players keen to progress further in their final game.

The final match of the series begun with England scoring in the opening minutes after Finley Newton’s reverse stick shot hit the post allowing the Captain for the day, Elliot Killington, to follow up with a top left hand corner strike. Holland managed to equalise going into the half time break with a well worked penalty corner leaving it all to play for.

England came out strongly creating multiple chances and quickly took the lead after some individual skill and a deceptive pass from Bhuhi eliminated a number of the Dutch defence allowing Newton to score on the reverse. Not content with only a single goal to his name Killington then scored his second with a high right hand flick from a penalty corner to double England’s lead.

England were again rewarded after some intense attacking play when Russell scored a terrific reverse stick shot from wide on the left wing that screamed past the keeper into the far right netting. Holland were again without reply and the game ended in a win for England, 4-1.

Head Coach Jerome Goudie commented on the series, “I’m really proud of how the team have performed and progressed over these three games. The players put in huge amounts of effort to defend with excellent intensity and purpose. In attack our small unit play was effected and I was pleased that we created regular circle entries. The players have gelled very well as a team over the course of the weekend and you could see from their performance that it was a whole team effort which produced a well-earned result against a skilful team, away from home”.

England U16 Boys
1 Callum Bell
2 Rohan Bhuhi
3 Toby Bruce (GK)
4 Adam Buckle
5 Max Carter-Keall
6 Max Denniff
7 Harry Gough
8 Ethan Hoddle
9 James Hunt
10 Elliott Killington
11 Jonathan Lankfer
12 Finley Newton
13 Benjamin Nicholson
14 Thomas Russell
15 Taylor Seager-Green (GK)
16 George Waller
17 Daniel West
18 Murray Whitaker

England Hockey Board Media release



Azlan Shah Cup will be a good preparation for Rio: Oltmans


Roelant Oltmans. (TOI Photo)

BENGALURU: With their eyes firmly focussed on 2016 Olympics, Indian men hockey team's chief coach Roelant Oltmans feels the upcoming Sultan Azlan Shah Cup will be an ideal preparation for his boys ahead of the Rio Games.

The team, currently training at the SAI Centre in Bengaluru, will face New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan, Japan, Canada and hosts Malaysia in the 25th edition of the Azlan Shah Cup to be held in Ipoh, Malaysia starting April 6.

With a good mix of youth and experience players up his ranks, the Dutchman feels the squad has what it takes to go all the way.

Oltmans has been laying emphasis on having specialists in the team and the implementation of the same has paid rich dividends in the previous season.

"We have specialists in each department now and that is helping the boys understand their role better. Hockey India League has definitely helped us tap some good talent but now it's all about showcasing their mettle in the international stage," Oltmans told reporters here.

India has had a good run in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, winning the annual event five times in 1985, 1991, 1995, 2009 and 2010, earning bronze on six occasions and finishing runners-up once in 2008.

"We don't want to put extra pressure on ourselves right now, we just want to focus on one game at a time and then take it forward from there," Oltmans said.

The team has undergone intense training sessions and Oltmans feels they are in good shape leading to the event in Malaysia.

"Sultan Azlan Shah Cup will be a testing ground for all the youngsters of the squad to prove that they are ready for the big stage in Rio this year," said Oltmans.

With 2016 being the Olympic year, tournaments leading to the Games will act as a perfect platform for the squad to blend together and work on their strengths.

Oltmans feels it will also allow him to test his bench strength and find the best possible combinations on ground before the quadrennial showpiece begins in August.

The Times of India



Road to Rio: Hockey team gears up for first big test

BENGALURU: Starting with the Sultan Azlan Shah tournament which gets under way at Ipoh, Malaysia on April 6 the Indian hockey team will began its tune-up in match situations for the Rio Olympics. A healthy blend of young blood and seasoned campaigners makes up the squad and chief coach Roelant Oltmans believes the seven-nation event will be an ideal plat form to test the Men in Blue Apart from India, the event features New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan, Japan, Canada and hosts Malaysia and will be played on a round-robin format.


"We will face three opponents who have qualified for the Olympics (New Zealand, Canada and Australia).We want to set certain results, at least the same as last year, where we finished third. More importantly , we want to try out the strategies we have been practising here and see if we are ready to try them out in match situations. We need to have tournaments to improve. For me, the outcome of the tournament is not the most important thing. We want to show to each other that the strategies we have been working on, we understand them and that we are able to execute them against the best in the world," Oltmans said.

The Times of India



Unrealistic to expect a gold from India in Rio: Oltmans


(TOI Photo)

BENGALURU: Indian men hockey team's chief coach Roelant Oltmans said it would be unrealistic to expect a gold medal-winning performance from the past masters of the game in this year's Rio Olympics.

Oltmans said a top-six finish is what they are eyeing and anything above that would be a bonus.

"In last Olympics, India finished 12th and stood sixth in the World Cup a couple of years back. So, how realistic will it be to expect a medal? If we reach top six positions and manage to achieve even more, that could be a bonus," he told reporters after a training session at the SAI Centre here.

Oltmans said his approach of winning a tournament is very different from the Indian approach where people aim for medals.

"Our approach is different from Indians who dream of winning gold, a silver or the cup. Unlike I approach a tournament to win one match after match," he said.

The Dutchman said he is not worried about the outcome in any tournament as for him the important thing is to execute plans successfully.

"For me, the outcome of the tournament is not the most important thing but executing our plans well against the best sides in the world," he said.

Talking about the current Indian team, Oltmans said the players are very keen to learn all aspects of the game.

"This current Indian side is really eager to learn - the technical, the physical and mental aspects of the game everyday. We are together every moment and they are able to change the mindset and looking to play like improved players," he said.

Asked which areas he was focusing on to improve, Oltmans said, "We always make sure that we have the right balance in the side. Of course we focus on improving goalkeeping. In fact our goalkeeper is one of the best goalkeepers in the world, but still we bring specialists to work with him."

"We also have four penalty corner specialists, and we are working on them too. The most important thing, however, is to adapt to the match situations," he said.

Oltmans said Indian players will not find it tough to play in Rio as the weather there would be fine.

"The playing condition in Brazil will be fine. It is really not hot and it is not really cold. It is somewhere in between. So, the condition there will be fine for us to play games. The heat will be somewhere around 18 to 20," he said.

Oltmans feels next month's Sultan Azlan Shah Cup will be an ideal preparation for his boys ahead of the Rio Games.

India will face New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan, Japan, Canada and hosts Malaysia in the 25th edition of the Azlan Shah Cup to be held in Ipoh, Malaysia starting April 6.

With a good mix of youth and experience players up his ranks, the Dutchman feels the squad has what it takes to go all the way.

Oltmans has been laying emphasis on having specialists in the team and the implementation of the same has paid rich dividends in the previous season.

"We have specialists in each department now and that is helping the boys understand their role better. Hockey India League has definitely helped us tap some good talent but now it's all about showcasing their mettle in the international stage," Oltmans said.

India has had a good run in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, winning the annual event five times in 1985, 1991, 1995, 2009 and 2010, earning bronze on six occasions and finishing runners-up once in 2008.

"We don't want to put extra pressure on ourselves right now, we just want to focus on one game at a time and then take it forward from there," Oltmans said.

The team has undergone intense training sessions and Oltmans feels they are in good shape leading to the event in Malaysia.

"Sultan Azlan Shah Cup will be a testing ground for all the youngsters of the squad to prove that they are ready for the big stage in Rio this year," said Oltmans.

With 2016 being the Olympic year, tournaments leading to the Games will act as a perfect platform for the squad to blend together and work on their strengths.

Oltmans feels it will also allow him to test his bench strength and find the best possible combinations on ground before the quadrennial showpiece begins in August.

The Times of India



Hockey Australia partners with USA

Hockeyroos to play reciprocal series against USA women from 2017



Hockey Australia has reached an agreement with USA Field Hockey for their respective women’s national teams to participate in an annual series for four years, beginning in 2017. 

The Hockeyroos, ranked third in the world, will compete in annual events against the seventh-ranked U.S. Women’s National Team (USNWT). The contests will alternate location every year, with the first series taking place in the USA in the third quarter of 2017 and the Hockeyroos hosting Team USA the following year.

In the U.S., matches will be staged at the USNWT’s Home of Hockey in Lancaster County, Pa. Hockey Australia will work with interested parties to determine the location of the games in Australia in 2018 and 2020.

“We have made it a priority to develop strategic relationships with a number of our international counterparts in recent years and this partnership with USA Field Hockey represents another significant step for us,” said Cam Vale, Chief Executive of Hockey Australia.

“Hockey Australia is committed to creating exciting and innovative new content in Australia and being part of great events overseas. In the U.S. National Women’s Team we have secured the involvement of a team that is making waves as they progress up the world rankings with an exciting brand of hockey.

“This relationship will play an important commercial role for Australian hockey, as well. The profile of women’s sport is growing rapidly on both sides of the Pacific and the interest we anticipate from broadcasters and commercial partners will contribute to the increasing profile of our athletes.”

Both national associations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will see the two organisations work closely together to develop hockey in their respective countries. Each series will include between four and six matches with the games available for broadcast on television in both the USA and Australia as well as streamed live globally.

“We are delighted to partner with Australia, who are a force in international hockey,” said USA Field Hockey’s Executive Director Simon Hoskins. “By committing to an annual series for the next four years we can guarantee world class hockey to spectators at Spooky Nook Sports, and broadcast viewers across America.

“Our women’s national team contains an incredible set of athletes and we now will benefit from the long term planning as we look to share our sport and our Olympic team with America to ever larger audiences,” said Hoskins.

The MOU with USA Field Hockey is the fifth such arrangement between Hockey Australia and an overseas federation. It follows similar agreements signed in the past 13 months with Hockey India, Hockey New Zealand, the Malaysian Hockey Confederation and Singapore Hockey.

Hockey Australia media release



U.S. Women’s National Team Enters a Four-Year Competition Agreement with Hockey Australia

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Field Hockey has reached an agreement with Hockey Australia for their respective Women’s National Teams to participate in an annual International Series for the next four years. The 7th FIH World Ranked U.S. Women’s National Team will compete in four series against 3rd FIH World Ranked Australia. These international events will alternate location every year, with the first series taking place in the USA in the Fall of 2017, with the Hockeyroos hosting Team USA in the following Fall of 2018.

“We are delighted to partner with Australia, who are a force in international hockey,” said Simon Hoskins, USA Field Hockey Executive Director. “By committing to an annual series for the next four years we can guarantee world class hockey to spectators at Spooky Nook Sports, and broadcast viewers across America.”

Both squads signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will see the two organizations work together to develop hockey in their respective countries. Each series will include four to six matches with the individuals games available for broadcast on television in both the USA and Australia as well as streamed live globally. This multi-year reciprocal arrangement will provide excellent hockey to the USWNT’s Home of Hockey based in Lancaster County, Pa. area, tickets will be made available in the months prior to each series.

“Our women’s national team contains an incredible set of athletes and we now will benefit from the long term planning as we look to share our sport and our Olympic team with America to ever larger audiences,” said Hoskins.

“We have made it a priority to develop strategic relationships with a number of our international counterparts in recent years and this partnership with USA Field Hockey represents another significant step for us," said Cam Vale, Hockey Australia Chief Executive."Hockey Australia is committed to creating exciting and innovative new content in Australia and being part of great events overseas. In the U.S. National Women’s Team we have secured the involvement of a team that is making waves in world hockey as they progress up the rankings with an exciting brand of hockey.

“This relationship will play an important commercial role for Australian hockey as well. The profile of women’s sport is growing rapidly on both sides of the Pacific and the interest we anticipate from broadcasters and commercial partners will contribute to our increasing profile.”

USFHA media release



Breaking news… Candela reveals secrets of a Communications Officer

Candela Diaz Bustos (Argentina)

Sarah Juggins


Candela Diaz Bustos   

There are many behind-the-scenes roles at major events such as the Pan American Junior Championships. Some are sport-related jobs, such as team manager or medical support staff, other people work on the operational side, ensuring the pitch is watered, the ice is ready, and the ticket gate is manned. But a third group of workers are concerned with getting our sport out into the wider public eye. It is a crucial role because without stye support of spectators, hockey could not survive.

One such person is Candela Diaz Bustos, PAHF Communications Officer at both the women’s event in Tacarigua and the men’s event in Toronto. Here she crosses the line and turns from interviewer to interviewee.

Question: Can you describe your role at the Pan American Junior Hockey Championships?

I will be working at the Pan American Championships as Communications Officer for the Pan American Hockey Federation (PAHF). I will be sharing this wonderful experience with Damian Gordon from Trinidad & Tobago at the Women Junior Pan American Championship in Tacarigua and Kaelan Watson from Canada for the men’s event in Toronto. As a team, we will be responsible for the communications during the competitions for the PAHF. Our mentor, Yan Huckendubler, will join us as a photographer in Canada.

Q: What are your biggest challenges during the competition?

My job is to get the best from the athletes during the competitions, so the public get to know them. This is a challenge because they are junior players and most of them are playing for the first time in a big tournament like this. The prize is a place at the Junior World Cup and I want to capture their excitement and reflect it in the match reports, interviews and pictures that are posted on the PAHF web site and streamed through PAHF's different social media channels.

The other big challenge is the technical side of things. We want to spread the news as fast as possible: it is a priority for all the communication teams. As people responsible for the communications, we work to tight deadlines, sharing the best quality work as quickly as possible, and we always work as a team. Digital hockey consumers are very demanding. People watch us from all round the world so we need to work as fast as possible and keep them tuned in to our digital channels.

Q: Which part of the role do you enjoy the most?

During the last few years, after attending many international tournaments, I think I can now say that I have three top favourite things.

Travelling: It has opened my eyes to a new hockey world. At the same time it has taught me a lot of things about new cultures, hockey development and it has given me a lot of good friends from all around the world. 

Interviewing: I think it is priceless when you get an answer that you have never expected or when players tell you that they really enjoyed the interview and they leave the mixed zone with a smile.

Analyzing the impact of our work on social media: This is the most surprising part so far. Pan American hockey is being followed by thousands of hockey fans around the world. Part of our work is getting the information out there in the most accessible form. I am beginning to understand why hockey is one of the top five sports around the world.

Q: How did you get into being a Communications Officer?

I have played hockey since 1993 and I love watching and playing. The first international hockey match I saw was Argentina vs Australia at the Jockey Club in Córdoba, Argentina, in 2000. I was 11 years old, in the middle of the journalists as they were trying to record their interviews and take pictures. I rushed home to ask my mother to lend me her camera. I started to write my own journal, where I posted pictures and reports.

It became real when I attended the Four Nations Tournament in 2004 and started to write for some national teams like Belgium and Australia for the World Cup Qualifier 2010. In January 2014 I received a phone call from PAHF where I was asked to work at the South American Games (ODESUR). It was then I realized this could become serious! I specialized in social media and digital communications and since then I have been officially traveling around the continent as a Communications Officer for PAHF.

Q: How do you prepare for player/coach interviews?

This is one of the most important parts of our job, so I do research and practice as much as possible. I am always trying to learn from the other communications officers.

When I do the research, I try to understand how hockey works in their countries, what's the particular tournament means to the players and coach, and of course, I watch the match intently so I can ask relevant questions. I try to keep abreast of the latest FIH Regulations and Rules Manual, and the PAHF Communications Guideline is always a useful document. 

Q: How do the players react to your questions?

I always try to break the ice before starting an interview so the player feels more relaxed –remember they just have finished playing a hockey match. A funny question always helps. After that you can start the interview about the match. There are very professional players who give very professional answers but there are also players that open their hearts and talk with a lot of passion... smiles, sadness, disappointment, joy, tears.

Q: How does a typical tournament day look?

We think we are the very first people to wake up and get into the venue and the very last to go to bed! Seriously, we arrive at the venue two hours before the match, and we leave when the work is done, this can take many hours after play finishes. We depend a lot on the speed of the internet at the venue to get our reports sent. It is also a question of how fast we get the players to the mixed zone to do the interviews. Then, we edit the interviews, upload them to our digital channels, write reports in Spanish and English, upload pictures, and finish with a daily feedback meeting.

Q: What has been your best tournament so far, and why?

The Pan American Games in Toronto without a doubt. We had an experienced communications team with Ali Lee, Rebecca Kanter and Yan Huckendubler. It was almost perfect, the accommodation, the venue, the high speed internet, the good environment.

I also had the chance to cover the finals of the Champions Trophy in Mendoza in December 2014 and observe a full stadium for the last match of Luciana Aymar. That was big!  My answer might change after the Olympic Games in Rio next August…

Q: Have you ever asked a really dumb question and been embarrassed?

Yes, of course! I was in Veracruz for the CAC Games and started to interview Leigh Sandison from Guyana and started to ask questions about the match... but from the day before! Thankfully, she tactfully pointed out my mistake and we started the interview again... My sticky note after that: “Always remember to write the title to your questions in your notebook.”

Q: What would your advice be to a person wanting to do a similar role?

If you have the chance to do it, do it with passion! Study another language (English, Portuguese, Spanish, etc.), read and keep yourself updated on the trends in the sport. Take courses in social media, communications and protocol. Learn to listen, this is very important.

Q: Where do you feel your role sits - are you a media person, are you an official or are you a bit of both?

I think our role as Communications Officer sits a bit in both of them. We (and I include all my media team mates) are part of a bigger team, that includes judges, umpires, umpire managers, doctors, managers, directors, representatives, competition coordinators. Our work reflects that balance. And I love being part of the big team.

Pan American Hockey Federation media release



Olympic champions reunite for book launch



Almost 40 years after they won gold at the Montreal Olympics, the 1976 New Zealand Men's hockey team will come together for a special celebration this weekend.

The reunion of the Olympic champions coincides with the release of the book Striking Gold, the compelling story of these largely unsung sporting heroes, written by award-winning journalist Suzanne McFadden.

The book will be officially launched at a gala dinner at the Transitional Cathedral in Christchurch on Saturday night. The team will then gather at Nunweek Park on Sunday morning, so kids and adults alike can rub shoulders with these great Olympians and see their gold medals.

Striking Gold recalls the Montreal summer of 1976, when a band of tenacious Kiwis triumphed against all odds to be crowned Olympic champions.

They were a formidable team of men from diverse walks of life: a boilermaker and a Rhodes Scholar, a water-sider and an architect, an upholsterer and an engineer, teachers and students. All united in one goal - to beat the world's best and win gold.

Together they overcame a series of challenges and crises: from the threat of a boycott, and the unknown of artificial turf, to the bravery of goalie Trevor Manning playing with a shattered kneecap, the agony of two players refused gold medals, and the mateship that glued them. 

The dramatic recount is as much about social history as sport - examining the effects of terrorism, boycotts and international politics which marked the Mexico, Munich, Montreal and Moscow Games.

Striking Gold weaves together each man’s story with the team’s epic quest, rising to a dramatic and heroic final that lives on today in New Zealand sporting folklore.

Fifteen members of the team who were in Montreal will be reunited at the dinner, MCed by legendary Kiwi broadcaster Brendan Telfer, who was the TV commentator for the final 40 years ago.

The Olympic champions will be at Nunweek Park on Sunday from 11am. Books will be able to be purchased and signed at the event, and there will be a free BBQ.

The members of the 1976 New Zealand hockey team who won gold are:  Paul Ackerley, Jeff Archibald, Tur Borren, Alan Chesney, John Christensen, Greg Dayman, Tony Ineson, Alan McIntyre, Neil McLeod, Barry Maister, Selwyn Maister, Trevor Manning, Arthur Parkin, Mohan Patel, Ramesh Patel, Les Wilson. Coach: Ross Gillespie. Manager: Tony Palmer.

Striking Gold will be on sale from April 1, at bookstores throughout the country and online at www.justhockey.co.nz

Hockey New Zealand Media release



Superstars shine at EHL KO16 Amsterdam

Atlétic Terrassa, Kampong, Harvestehuder & AH&BC win through to May’s FINAL4 showpiece in Barcelona


Amsterdam H&BC players celebrate sealing qualification for EHL FINAL4. Photo: EHL / Frank Uijlenbroek

Following four days of thrilling knock-out action in what is widely regarded as the world’s best club hockey competition, the line-up for the FINAL4 competition of the 2015-16 Euro Hockey League (EHL) season has revealed itself.

Between Friday and Monday (25-28 March), the EHL KO16 event took place at Amsterdam’s historic Wagener Stadium in the Netherlands, with 16 teams from eight countries all doing battle for the four available tickets to May’s FINAL4 competition at Barcelona’s Pau Negre Stadium.

The competition semi-finals will see Spain’s Atlétic Terrassa taking on SV Kampong of the Netherlands, while fellow Dutch side Amsterdam H&BC will go head-to-head with Germany’s Harvestehuder THC, the EHL champions of 2014. 

Atlètic Terrassa booked their ticket to Barcelona thanks to victories over two of Belgium’s finest teams, seeing off KHC Dragons in a shoot-out on Friday before a stunning late strike from Jan Malgoza gave them a 3-2 triumph over KHC Leuven on Sunday. With Terrassa being less than 30 kilometres from host city Barcelona, Atlétic are certain to have a big fan presence at FINAL4. 

“It’s unbelievable”, said a delighted Malgoza after the match. “To be honest, to score the decisive goal like this, I cannot put it into words. It’s the first time we’ve reached the FINAL4. Doing it this way – first against Dragons and then Leuven – is the best way to do it.”

Inspired by Netherlands aces Robert Kemperman, Quirijn Caspers and Sander de Wijn, Kampong joined Atlétic in the EHL semi-finals by claiming a 6-1 victory against Racing Club de France in the KO16 phase before overpowering German champions Rot-Weiss Köln - a team containing 2015 FIH Young Player of the Year Christopher Rühr - 5-1 in KO8. 

De Wijn, who was named man of the match against a Rot-Weiss team that had eliminated triple EHL champions UHC Hamburg, also of Germany, in the KO16 round, said: “The score didn’t look like it was that hard but our opponent was the German champion, a great team. It was a complete team effort which showed how fully focussed we were.”

With UHC Hamburg and Rot-Weiss Köln eliminated on Sunday, Germany’s last remaining hope of success in this year’s EHL suddenly rested on the shoulders of 2014 EHL champions Harvestehuder THC. Following a 5-1 win over Russian outfit Dinamo Kazan on Saturday, the team driven by Germany legend Tobias Hauke faced the task of taking on reigning Dutch giants and Euro Hockey League champions Oranje Zwart, who needed a late strike from 2015 FIH Player of the Year Robert van der Horst to edge past Belgium’s Royal Leopold 2-1.

Monday’s meeting between HTHC and Oranje Zwart was one of the stand-out games of the weekend, with Austrian international Michael Körper scoring three times as the team from Germany battled back from 4-1 down before winning an epic contest in the shoot-out.

Speaking afterwards, goal-scoring hero Körper said his team always have belief in everything that they do. “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.”

The FINAL4 line-up was completed by KO16 host club Amsterdam H&BC, who were given a scare by Spain’s Real Club de Polo de Barcelona. Early efforts from Robbert Tigges and Valentin Verga put the Dutch side in control before a goal from Argentina international Matias Rey completely changed the balance of the match. However, cheered on by a packed stadium, Amsterdam survived the test and kept alive hopes of winning their first EHL title.

“We defended really well in a tough game with lots of nice one-on-one battles”, said Amsterdam’s Tigges, who captained the Netherlands to glory at the Indoor World Cup 2015 in Leipzig, Germany. “It was pretty physical from both sides. It was quite tight and I think, in the end, our goalie [Laurens Goedegebuure] saved us a little bit.”

If you missed any of the action from the Euro Hockey League KO16 weekender in Amsterdam, there is still the chance to catch up on all of the results and relive the key moments. Video highlights, photos, reports and much more are all available on Euro Hockey League’s official website: www.ehlhockey.tv.

#lovehockey

FIH site



Kampong and Atletic set up FINAL4 date


Picture: Koen Suyk

Sander de Wijn described his SV Kampong’s form as “really amazing” as the Utrecht club bounced back from a rough first half of the season to show their true self at the KO16 and KO8.

They swept to a 6-1 win over Racing Club de France before beating Rot Weiss Köln 5-1 in one of the performances of the weekend, beating the German champions with plenty to spare.

“The score didn’t look like it was that hard but our opponent was the German champion, a great team,” he told the EHL website. “But we did a complete team effort, won every 50-50 and one-on-ones which shows how fully focussed we were. Finally in the FINAL4, we are really glad that we are where we want to be.”

It earned them a FINAL4 place where they will meet Atlètic Terrassa on May 14 in Barcelona, something that they might not have envisaged before Christmas when the side dropped to seventh in the Dutch league amid a spate of injuries.

“Since the winter break, we have played eight matches like finals and won all eight. That gives us a lot of confidence and shows we are a really good team with a lot of quality. Now, we have to move on to the Hoofdklasse andhopefully reach the playoffs so we can play on this platform once again.”

As for Atlètic, they were perhaps the surprise package of the EHL weekend. Sitting third in the Spanish league and knocked out of the Copa del Rey on a 4-0 scoreline by Polo, they came into the KO16 with something to prove.

They squeaked passed a fancied KHC Dragons, nicking a last minute goal to equalise before winning a shoot-out. And their combative, defensive style kept them in the mix against KHC Leuven in the KO8 before Jan Malgosa produced a moment of inspiration in a 3-2 final result.

“To score a goal like this, it is just unbelievable,” he told the EHL website. “It’s the first time Atletic is going to the FINAL4 and to do it in this way, first against Dragons and then against Leuven, it’s just the best way to do it.”

They were one of the best supported sides with a passionate Corner Groc crew singing their way through each game and playing a massive role in the team’s wild post-match celebrations.

Jan was joined in the team by his brother Dani as well as cousins Quim and Oriol and the goalscorers said this is “the beauty of the EHL”, representing your region and famiyly

“It’s definitely the beauty of the EHL. At Atlètic, we have a really strong feeling that we are a big family and we will fight until the last minute for our friends.”

The sides will meet at 2.30pm in the FINAL4 on May 14; tickets for these games will go on sale on March 31 via the EHL website - http://www.ehlhockey.tv/tickets/.

Euro Hockey League media release



Police guard League lead

Team opens five-point gap in men’s hockey league race

By Elizabeth Mburugu


Kenya Police Oliver Echenje (r) with the ball as Nakuru Evans Sitati blocks when they played premier league at Citypark. Police scored 4-2. ON 19/07/15 PHOTO; JENIPHER WACHIE

It will take something special to wrestle hockey league leadership from Kenya Police’s tight grip.

To prove their hunger for glory, the law enforcers extended their lead to five points as battle for honours in men’s premier league took shape.

It was yet another picture-perfect outing for the 2013 champions. They defeated Parkroad 3-2 and silenced Wazalendo 5-1 to bag six points and with that, consolidated their lead.

Police have 63 points, five more than defending champions Butali Sugar Warriors, who are second on the log. However, Police have played three matches more than Warriors, who defeated Greensharks 1-0 at the weekend to remain on course to retaining their title.

Police captain Brian Saina said they will not give up on reclaiming the title and will fight to the end.

“We are not giving up easily and the fight is still on. What happens at the end of the season relies entirely on what we do and the results we post in our remaining matches,” Saina said.

Police have four rounds of matches to go, one of which will be against rivals and champions Warriors. On their part, Warriors have seven matches left and should they win all the fixtures, they will retain the title.

After 24 rounds of matches, Police have won 20, drawn three and lost one, while Warriors have played 21, won 19, drawn one and lost one (to Police).

United States International University of Africa remain third with 48 points following their 3-2 win over Kenya College of Accountancy University and a 3-3 draw against Wazalendo.

They have played 26 matches, won 14, lost six and drawn six. Parkroad, who bounced back from their loss to Police, beat Greensharks 2-1 and are fourth. Sharks are fifth on the log.

Johnstone Chatia and Andrew Kamau scored Parkroad’s goals in the sixth and 66th minutes, while Godfrey Nyangaga scored Shark’s goal in the 12th minute. Parkroad have been the most improved side this season, after spending most of the time fighting relegation in previous years.

Elsewhere, Chase Sailors intensified their chase for a promotion to men’s premier league with a 3-0 victory against Parkroad Tigers in the second division matches. Sailors, who have been very impressive in their debut season, remain unbeaten and have already secured a playoffs slot. They are top of pool A with 40 points, while Tigers, who are second, have 23 points from 14 outings.

In pool B, Bay Club lead with 32 points from 13 matches, while Kisumu Youngsters are second with 22 points. The top two finishers in each pool will meet in the playoffs in battle for promotion.

In the women’s league, Strathmore University are on the brink of losing their second spot, which guarantees qualification to the Africa Club championships.

Scorpions will cross fingers and hope that third-placed Sliders lose their last league match for them to retain the slot.

Sliders have 38 points and victory will put them second on 41 points.

The Standard Online



State team for Indian senior Nationals

Dismissing whispers that the Tamil Nadu men’s hockey team (for the senior Nationals in Saifai, UP from April 8 to 21) was selected based more on quota system and less on merit, Chelladurai Abdullah, President of the Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu, reiterated that this is the “best available talent and we have done our best.”

Chelladurai, who was in the city on Tuesday to see the on-going State camp, further said there will be no pruning of players and the list is final. “We don’t want to do that as that will give rise to needless complications,” he said.

“Six-hundred and forty players from 32 districts took part in the inter-district tournament in the newly-laid turf at Ramanathapuram District in the first week of March. Out of that, we selected 50 players and then pruned it to 23 with five stand-byes,” said Chelladurai.

The notable players who have been left out from previous Nationals are V. Raja, Vinod Rayer, Arul Stalin David, Shanmugam, Damu and Allen Rajesh. And their omission has caused heartburn in hockey circles. Chelladurai, however, said the team does have players with some experience in Kiran Raj, Gnanavel and Aravinth to guide the team, comprising mostly of youngsters.

The President revealed that Mohd. Riaz and C.R. Kumar were approached for the coaches’ job, but they declined citing prior commitments. “We even thought about Olympian V.J. Philips, but since he is with the women’s team, we decided against it,” said Chelladurai.

Tamil Nadu is paired with J&K, Bihar & Madhya Bharat in Pool A of the ‘B’ division. TN will play its first match against Bihar on April 14.

The team: Goalkeepers: L. Manikandan, V. Vineeth Raj; Defenders: Gnanavel, A. Aravinth, P. Nambi Ganesh; Midfielders: R. Raj Kumar, R.T. Raghu Ram, R.S. Sunil Moorthi, M. Mani Maran, M. Deepa Ganesh; Forwards: Anand, S. Silver Stalin, M. Kannan, M. Hassan Basha, S. John, Selva Kumar, S. Niranjan Sai Ganesh, E. Kiran Raj; Stand-byes: Goalkeeper: T. Arun Gandhi, Defender: S.T. Muthu Kumar; Midfielders: R. Kalidos, R. Gokul Raj, Forward: S. Sounder Pandi. Coach: Raj Kumar; Manager: Senthil Raj Kumar.

The Hindu



For the love of hockey


Silver Stars Hockey Club boys senior team.

DIEPSLOOT – On Saturday, 12 March, two teams from the Silver Stars Hockey Club based in Diepsloot, were invited to take part in the annual Hockey Wars pre-season tournament held at the Randburg astro turf in Johannesburg, South Africa

Sioban Brown, administrator of the club said, “This tournament is always well attended and is loads of fun. The children always participate with much enthusiasm and they appreciate the chance to be away from the daily issues of living in Diepsloot.”

The games were played against Northcliff High School and saw the boys draw 1–1 and the girls lose 2–0.

Each child was given a cap and goodie bag donated by Nedbank Wealth and one lucky boy and girl was each given a new TK hockey stick, donated by Baseline Sports, for being the player of the match.

Established in 2001, the Silver Stars Hockey Club is a non-profit organisation based in Diepsloot Ext 6, and caters for children aged seven to 18. Brown explained that the club was started by Silver Malele, an unemployed resident of Diepsloot, and has grown from just six children to more than 120 children, who attend practices weekly.

The aim of the club is to equip the children with life skills while establishing long-lasting friendships through the wonderful game of hockey as well as keep them off the streets.

The younger children take part in round robin tournaments at various clubs in Gauteng during the hockey season and the older children play league games on Friday nights against various southern Gauteng hockey clubs.

Brown thanked Ryan Folster, founder of Hockey Wars, who ensured the children were given lunch and kept well hydrated on the day. “This event is always a definite on our calendar and we look forward to participating once again in 2017,” Brown concluded.


Silver Stars Hockey Club girls senior team.

Fourways Review



Dwyer helps launch Rio uniform

Jamie Dwyer among athletes to launch Olympic opening ceremony uniform



On Wednesday, Jamie Dwyer joined the likes of Jessica Fox (canoe slalom), Lou Bawden (beach volleyball), Annette Edmondson (cycling), Josh Dunkley-Smith (rowing), Penny Taylor (basketball) and Ed Jenkins (rugby 7s) to help launch the Australian Olympic Team's Rio 2016 opening ceremony uniform.

For the seventh time in their 102 year history, iconic Australian lifestyle brand Sportscraft is incredibly honoured to once again partner with the Australian Olympic Committee as the Official Supplier of Opening Ceremony and Formal Uniforms to the 2016 Australian Olympic team.

On 30th March at Australia’s Bondi Beach the design of the symbolic sporting apparel was revealed for the first time, worn by 11 outstanding athletes.

Sportscraft worked closely with the AOC, athletes, and Australian Olympic Uniform Committee for over two years to design the uniforms, ensuring that the look not only reflects our Australian heritage and lifestyle, but that form and functionality is carefully considered and applied to suit the best interests of our athletes who will spend hours wearing the outfits.

The design project began with the Sportscraft team working to three leading priorities; honouring our Australian Olympic Heritage; designing fashionable, but wearable uniforms that meet the wants and needs of the athletes; and outfitting the team in a look that represents the Australian lifestyle, and is also fitting for the climate and the festive spirit of the host city Rio.

Kitty Chiller, Chef de Mission, 2016 Australian Olympic Team, says the uniform design exactly meets the brief and the Team will be proud to wear Sportscraft again when we march into the Main Stadium on the 5th of August. The design superbly reflects the Australian lifestyle and Rio environment while also being comfortable for the athletes. Kitty says it was a pleasure to again work with Sportscraft and see their commitment to the Australian Olympic Team.

Jamie Dwyer (pictured right with rugby 7s athlete Charlotte Caslick), three-time Olympian and 2004 Athens Olympics gold medallist, said: "The uniform is awesome! I really like it. The blazer, which has the names of every Australian Olympic gold medallist inside it, is always special, and it's nice to see my name in there with so many incredible Australian sportspeople."

Adrian Jones, CEO APG & Co. said, “It is with great pleasure and pride that Sportscraft have the opportunity to work together with the Australian Olympic Committee in dressing some of Australia’s most incredible sporting talent for the 2016 Olympic Games. The uniform created for London was branded one of the best by the 2012 Australian Olympic team; so it was important for us to listen to what the athletes loved, adding new exciting elements of surprise and a fresh update that is perfect for Rio.”

The athletes will enter the Opening Ceremony wearing sharply tailored green seersucker cotton blazers, finished with a gold embroidered coat of arms badge and burnished gold Australian Olympic coat of arms buttons. Sportscraft have once again created a special ode to our past gold medallists by creating unique lining inside the jacket with each athlete’s name. Other key design details include the ladies silk scarf printed with the Southern Cross, beautiful 100% extra fine Australian Merino wool knits, and a green and gold knitted men’s tie.

Athlete Alex Croak (Olympian 2000 (Gymnastics) and 2008 (Diving)), and Uniform Committee member, says: “The Olympic Games is the pinnacle for many athletes’ careers and taking athlete input into consideration is an important element of the development of the uniform. This is to ensure comfort and practicality is married with the fashion and design in an outfit that can enhance the performance of an athlete.”

Sportscraft Brand Ambassador Naomi Watts spoke about the uniform, “It’s fantastic, as we all know in Rio it will be hot in August and so lightweight fabrics are very suitable for summer, very comfortable for the athletes, and very traditional, and I happen to be a fan of the seersucker, so a nice little bit of a stripe is a good detail.”

TOMS, the One for One company in business to improve lives, is proud to be providing the official shoe for the Australian Olympic Team. TOMS now gives in over 70 countries around the world, including Australia, and has given over 50 million pairs of shoes to children in need to date. Australia’s athletes will be stepping out in socially conscious style, wearing the specially designed TOMS in Rio. As always, for every shoe purchased, a new pair of shoes is given to a child in need. One for One.

ADAPTED FROM SPORTSCRAFT AUSTRALIA MEDIA RELEASE

Hockey Australia media release

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