News for 29 April 2016
All the news for Friday 29 April 2016
Southern Gauteng sweat as Wits push them all the way
RANDBURG: Southern Gauteng women’s team, the defending IPT champions, were made to sweat until the last moment to make the semi-finals of the South African Greenfields Senior Interprovincial Nationals at Randburg Hockey Stadium on Thursday because Wits, their B side, pushed them all the way in a quarterfinal that went down to a shootout.
Wits took a third-minute lead when Sissy Pieterse rounded off a great run by Nicole Smith, and then defended with incredible commitment as they utterly frustrated their illustrious colleagues.
Southern Gauteng did manage to level the scores four minutes before halftime as Lisa Hawker neatly deflected in a short corner, but they could not get past inspired goalkeeper Zimi Shange in the second half, mostly because their short-corner work was dire and lacking imagination, and their attacking play was similarly one-dimensional and relied too much upon international star Shelley Russell.
With the scores locked at 1-1 at fulltime, Wits made the shock decision to replace Shange for the shootout. Chloe Keeping had performed very well between the posts in the first half, but it was an inexplicable decision because Shange was in the zone, full of adrenaline and still psyched for the battle.
After 30 minutes of chewing her nails on the bench, it was obviously a big ask for Keeping against Southern Gauteng’s array of international stars and Lisa-Mari Deetlefs, Bernie Coston, Russell and Toni Marks all breezed past her, while Sanani Mangisa in the A side’s goal limited Wits to just two successes.
It was almost the biggest surprise of the tournament, but Southern Gauteng have scraped through and will now play the Spar KZN Raiders in the semi-finals on Friday.
They were not the only side to nearly come unstuck against the enthusiasm and desire to prove something of Wits, with the SA U21s also needing a shootout to beat the Southern Gauteng B side in the men’s quarterfinals.
The excellent short-corner work of Wits kept them in touch with the SA U21s, LeNeal Jackson opening the scoring in the 26th minute and Lance Louw providing the equaliser with seven minutes remaining.
Wits suffered a crucial lapse in concentration at the start of the third quarter, however, with the SA U21s scoring twice in three minutes through captain Alex Stewart and Khumo Mokale.
Wits once again lost out in the shootout, going down 3-0.
The Southern Gauteng men breezed into the semi-finals as they brushed aside Free State 9-0 with little difficulty via two goals each for Gareth Heyns, Julian Hykes and Brandon Panther, but the Free State women provided some objections to their more favoured opponents, Northerns Blues, just cruising through.
Northerns eventually battled through 2-0 with goals from the prolific Jacinta Jubb and Kelly Kaulback.
They will play North-West, who came back from the dead to shock last year’s beaten finalists, Western Province, in a sudden death shootout.
The Western Province women discovered in the opening minute how dangerous North-West are as they swept upfield earning a short corner.
Coach Shaun Hulley is clearly a fan of the short-corner variation and a lovely interchange of passes between Danielle de Wet and Martinette Mans saw Mans score the opening goal.
The Western Province penalty corner set-up is also an accomplished one, however, and, in the sixth minute, Bronwyn Kretzman swept the ball in after a good variation saw the ball go wide left from the castle.
North-West dominated the rest of the first half, earning a couple more short corners without reward, and they also piled on the pressure at the start of the second half. Western Province defended tenaciously however, getting through the tough period and then showed that they are also dangerous on the break as they suddenly burst upfield and Natasha Rootenberg buried the goal deep in the net to give the more fancied team a 2-1 lead.
Four minutes later, Gretchin Davids latched on to a loose ball in the D and flipped it into the goal to give Western Province a comfortable 3-1 lead.
But just two minutes later, they were embroiled in a desperate and ultimately hapless battle for survival as North-West scored twice in quick succession to level the scores (3-3).
The first goal came from a short corner that was initially well-saved by goalkeeper Nicole le Fleur, but Stephanie Baxter slammed the rebound into the net with a fine strike.
North-West were soon back in the Western Province D and although a short corner did not work out for them, they were given a hit just outside the circle. Sulette Damons, who played in the 2012 Olympics and is one of the hopefuls to appear in Rio later this year, took the hit quickly and sent a tremendous reverse-sticks shot rocketing into the goal.
Both teams could only notch a single goal each in the initial shootout round of five shots each, so it went to sudden death.
Baxter (NW) and Heather McEwan (WP) both scored going first for their teams, followed by two misses each. But then Sinalo Jafta produced a top-class piece of improvisation, lobbing the goalkeeper after her initial shot had been saved, to put North-West one-up.
Goalkeeper Anelie van Deventer then produced a last crucial save for North-West, blocking Candice Manuel’s attempt at goal, and North-West were in a semi-final for the first time in many years.
KZN Raiders are the other residents of the women’s semifinals after they held sway over the SA U21s in the other early women’s quarterfinal, beating the international juniors 2-1.
KZN Raiders went 2-0 up through a field goal by Kate Koenig and a short-corner scramble completed by Donna Small, but they courted danger for much of the second half as Anneke Beukman scored to bring the SA U21s to within a goal.
Ultimately, it was a case of experience and strength on the ball that won the day for the Raiders, the SA U21s losing composure at crucial times as well as three players injured on duty.
The other big upset of the day came from the Northerns Blues men, who beat defending champions Western Province 3-1.
Province managed to score first in the 16th minute thanks to a Lloyd Norris-Jones field goal and they held their lead right up to the halftime break.
A Matthew Guise-Brown double strike, once from a penalty stroke and the second from a short corner, in the space of nine minutes put the defending champions on the back foot.
They pressed for an equaliser but it never came, and their fate was sealed four minutes from time as Grant Glutz made it 3-1.
The KZN Raiders men set up arguably the pick of the semifinals, against hosts Southern Gauteng, with a 4-1 victory over Eastern Province.
Raiders managed to convert sustained pressure into a penalty corner and it was duly converted by Ross Hetem and barely a minute later the lead was 2-0 as Stephen Wiggett fired one in from left of goal after being given too much space by the Eastern Province defence.
A Dalan Phillips drag-flick pegged one back for EP in the 46th minute, but two quick goals from Raiders killed off the contest which was scrappy at times.
The Kwa-Zulu Natal outfit were guilty of losing possession too easily but once they strung passes together they whipped through the defence and it showed in the goals by Damien Kimfly and the effort from Cameron Mackay. Both players were able to round off brilliant build-up with their strikes in the 51st and 52nd minutes.
Results
Men’s A Section quarterfinals: Northerns Blues 3 (Matthew Guise-Brown [2], Grant Glutz) Tuffy Western Province 1 (Lloyd Norris-Jones); KZN Raiders 4 (Ross Hetem, Stephen Wiggett, Damien Kimfly, Cameron MacKay) Eastern Province 1 (Dayan Phillips); SA U21 2 (Alex Stewart, Khumo Mokale) Wits 2 (LeNeal Jackson, Lance Louw), Shootout – SA U21 3 Wits 0; Southern Gauteng 9 (Reza Rosenberg, Gareth Heyns [2], Brandon Panther [2], Julian Hykes [2], Brynn Cleak, Marc Fourie) Free State 0.
Women’s A Section quarterfinals: North-West 3 (Martinette Mans, Stephanie Baxter, Sulette Damons) Tuffy Western Province 3 (Bronwyn Kretzman, Natasha Rootenberg, Gretchin Davids), Shootout – North-West 1 (Elmien Marais) Western Province 1 (Heather McEwan), Sudden death – North-West 2 (Stephanie Baxter, Sinalo Jafta) Western Province 1 (Heather McEwan); Spar KZN Raiders 2 (Kate Koenig, Donna Small) SA U21 1 (Anneke Beukman); Southern Gauteng 1 (Lisa Hawker) Wits 1 (Sissy Pieterse), Shootout – Southern Gauteng 4 (Lisa-Mari Deetlefs, Bernie Coston, Shelley Russell, Toni Marks). Wits 2 (Sissy Pieterse, Jeanine Granger); Northerns Blues 2 (Jacinta Jubb, Kelly Kaulback) Free State 0.
Men’s B Section quarterfinals: North-West 5 (Themba Twani, Essex Mbekeni, Neo Selehelo, Francois Cilliers, Mitesh Makan) SA Country Districts 2 (Gregg French, Henry Cock); WP Peninsula 14 (Warren McEwan [3], Cameron Ryan [2], Matthew Becker, Brandon Hanekom [2], Luthando Jonas, Reece Arendse [3], Lance de Kock, Timothy Welsh) KZN Inland 0; Zimbabwe 5 (Tendayi Maredza, Cydreck Strach, Newton Mashanyar, Arnold Mpofu [2]) Northerns B 1 (Jacques Klopper); KZN Mynahs 5 (Dale van der Merwe [2], Tanner Bottomley, Brendon Smith, Ryan Bradfield) Eastern Gauteng 0.
Women’s B Section quarterfinals: KZN Inland 4 (Tiffany Jones, Stefania Collette, Amy Greaves, Silindile Mbhele) SA Country Districts 1 (Marelie Devereux); WP Peninsula 7 (Aimee Pote [3], Rosanne Lombard, Danielle Cairns, Kayde Miller, Gabriella de Kock) Southern Gauteng Nuggets 0; KZN Mynahs 3 (Stacey Hiron [2], Carla van Niekerk) Mpumalanga 0; Zimbabwe 1 (Kendal Revolta) Northerns B 0.
Friday’s fixtures
Men’s A Section semifinals: 1.45pm SA U21 v Northerns Blues; 5.15pm KZN Raiders v Southern Gauteng.
Women’s A Section semifinals: 3.30pm Southern Gauteng v Spar KZN Raiders; 7pm North-West v Northerns Blues.
Men’s A Section playoffs: 12pm Wits v Western Province; 3.30pm Eastern Province v Free State.
Women’s A Section playoffs: 1.45pm Wits v SA U21; 5.15pm Western Province v Free State.
Men’s B Section semifinals: 10.15am WP Peninsula v Zimbabwe; North-West v KZN Mynahs.
Women’s B Section semifinals: 8.30am WP Peninsula v KZN Inland; 12pm Zimbabwe v KZN Mynahs.
Men’s B Section playoffs: 10.15am KZN Inland v Northerns B; 12pm SA Country Districts v Eastern Gauteng.
Women’s B Section playoffs: 8.30am Northerns B v Mpumalanga; Southern Gauteng Nuggets v SA Country Districts.
Detailed wrap up
Raiders march on while WP crash out
It proved to be a great afternoon for both the men’s and women’s KZN Raiders sides as they advanced their causes in the A-section of the Greenfields Senior Interprovincial Nationals at the Randburg Hockey Stadium on Thursday.
A 2-1 win by the women earlier in the day over the South Africa Under-21 side was followed up by a 4-1 victory for the men over Eastern Province in the game immediately afterward as both sides continued their march.
The results mean that both sides are likely to take on Southern Gauteng depending on how they go in the respective clashes, the men take on Free State while the women meet Witsies, later on Thursday.
Raiders managed to convert sustained pressure into a penalty corner and it was duly converted by Ross Hetem and barely a minute later the lead was 2-0 as Stephen Wiggett fired one in from left of goal after being given too much space by the Eastern Province defence.
A Dalan Phillips drag-flick pegged one back for EP in the 46th minute but two quick goals from Raiders killed off the contest which was scrappy at times.
The Kwa-Zulu Natal outfit were guilty of losing possession too easily but once they strung passes together they whipped through the defence and it showed in the goals by Damien Kimfly and the effort from Cameron Mackay. Both players were able to round off brilliant build-up wth their strikes in the 51st and 52nd minutes.
But while the KZN sides had reason to cheer it was the complete opposite for both Tuffy Western Province sides as first their women crashed out of contention, losing on penalty strokes to North West, and then the men suffered a 3-1 defeat to Northerns.
Province managed to score first in the 16th minute thanks to a Lloyd Norris-Jones field goal and they held their lead right up to the halftime break.
It remained close after the changeover before a Matthew Guise-Brown double strike, once from a penalty stroke and the second from a short corner, in the space of nine minutes put the defending champions on the back foot.
Tough times for Western Province
The new format for the 2016 Greenfields Senior Interprovincial Nationals is turning into a disaster for Tuffy Western Province as both their men’s and women’s sides were knocked out in the quarterfinals on Thursday at the Randburg Hockey Stadium.
The women, beaten finalists last year, were the first to depart as the young but highly-talented North-West team beat them in a sudden-death shootout after they played to a 3-3 draw in regulation time.
Less than an hour later, the Western Province men, the defending champions, were shocked 3-1 by Northerns Blues.
The Western Province women discovered in the opening minute how dangerous North-West are as goalkeeper Anelie van Deventer saved a short-corner and the Mielieboere immediately swept upfield earning a short corner.
North-West coach Shaun Hulley is clearly a fan of the short-corner variation and a lovely interchange of passes between Danielle de Wet and Martinette Mans saw Mans score the opening goal.
The Western Province penalty corner set-up is also an accomplished one, however, and, in the sixth minute, Bronwyn Kretzman swept the ball past Van Deventer at her near post, after a good variation saw the ball go wide left from the castle.
North-West dominated the rest of the first half, earning a couple more short corners without reward, and they also piled on the pressure at the start of the second half.
Western Province defended tenaciously however, getting through the tough period and then showed that they are also dangerous on the break as they suddenly burst upfield and Natasha Rootenberg buried the goal deep in the net to give the more fancied team a 2-1 lead.
Four minutes later, Gretchin Davids latched on to a loose ball in the D and flipped it into the goal to give Western Province a comfortable 3-1 lead.
But just two minutes later, they were embroiled in a desperate and ultimately hapless battle for survival as North-West scored twice in quick succession to level the scores.
The first goal came from a short corner that was initially well-saved by goalkeeper Nicole le Fleur, but Stephanie Baxter slammed the rebound into the net with a fine strike.
North-West were soon back in the Western Province D and although a short corner did not work out for them, they were given a hit just outside the circle. Sulette Damons, who played in the 2012 Olympics and is one of the hopefuls to appear in Rio later this year, took the hit quickly and sent a tremendous reverse-sticks shot rocketing into the goal.
North-West actually had the better chances to claim the winning goal in the closing stages, including a run of three successive short-corners, but ultimately the teams went into a shootout once the hour of regulation time was done.
Both teams could only notch a single goal each in the initial round of five shots each, so it went to sudden death.
Baxter (NW) and Heather McEwan (WP) both scored going first for their teams, followed by two misses each. But then Sinalo Jafta produced a top-class piece of improvisation, lobbing the goalkeeper after her initial shot had been saved, to put North-West one-up.
Van Deventer then produced a last crucial save for North-West, blocking Candice Manuel’s attempt at goal, and North-West were in a semi-final for the first time in many years.
Spar KwaZulu-Natal Raiders held sway over the SA U21s in the other early women’s quarterfinal, beating the international juniors 2-1.
KZN Raiders went 2-0 up through a field goal by Kate Koenig and a short-corner scramble completed by Donna Small, but they courted danger for much of the second half as Anneke Beukman scored to bring the SA U21s to within a goal.
Ultimately, it was a case of experience and strength on the ball that won the day for the Raiders, the SA U21s losing composure at crucial times as well as three players injured on duty.
WP Pens coast into B-section semis
WP Peninsula earmarked themselves as the favourites for the Greenfields Senior Interprovincial Nationals Men’s B Section title as they strolled into the semi-finals on Thursday with a 14-0 thrashing of KZN Inland in their quarterfinal in Randburg.
Warren McEwan scored a hat-trick of penalty corner goals for the Western Province B side, the defending champions, while there was also a hat-trick for Reece Arendse and a brace for Brandon Hanekom.
They will meet Zimbabwe, who had too much skill and attacking fluency for a defensively-vulnerable Northerns B side, in their semi-final on Friday.
Arnold Mpofu scored the last two goals for Zimbabwe as they cruised to a 5-1 victory, with the first quarter being particularly beneficial for them as they scored twice, through captain Tendayi Maredza’s short-corner flick and Cydreck Strach’s clinical field-goal finish to go 2-0 up.
Zimbabwe goalkeeper Ranga Museki then conceded a 19th-minute penalty stroke to Northerns captain Jacques Klopper, but from that low point they steadily wore down their opposition, scoring three more goals through Newton Mashanyar, who got on the end of a high ball, and Mpofu’s brace.
None of the Men’s B Section quarterfinals were low-scoring, with North-West beating SA Country Districts 5-2 and KZN Mynahs seeing off Eastern Gauteng 5-0.
North-West went 3-0 up through field goals by Themba Twani, captain Essex Mbekeni and Neo Selehelo, but defensive errors then cost them two short-corner goals, by Gregg French and Henry Cock, in the second half. But further goals by Francois Cilliers and Mitesh Makan meant their semi-final place was always safe as houses, and they will play the KZN Mynahs on Friday for a place in the final and possible promotion to the A Section.
KZN Mynahs hit Eastern Gauteng hard in the second half after being held to just a single goal, scored by Dale van der Merwe, in the first half-hour.
Van der Merwe notched his second field goal in the 37th minute and it was followed by further goals by Tanner Bottomley and Brendon Smith, before Ryan Bradfield’s short-corner strike five minutes from time completed the scoring.
Late goal seals Zimbabwe's fate
The picture got a lot clearer with regards to the women’s B-section at the Greenfields Senior Interprovincial Nationals at the Randburg Hockey Stadium on Thursday as KZN Inland, WP Peninsula, Zimbabwe and KZN Mynahs advanced.
For Peninsula and both Kwa-Zulu Natal sides the task was relatively easy with comfortable wins but Zimababwe were made to work hard in their encounter against Northerns Blues B and managed to win by a slim 1-0 margin.
The game, played on the top field, ebbed and flowed and both sides were guilty of squandering chances - especially when it came to their penalty corners - and the sides were locked at nil all at halftime.
The best chance of taking the lead fell to Northerns four minutes after the changeover but a heroic stick save off the line by defender Nicolle Grant cleared danger from the short corner. The deadlock was eventually broken two minutes from time as Kendal Revolta netted a field goal to ensure her side’s progress.
It means that Zimbabwe will meet Mynahs in Friday’s semifinal after the KZN outfit claimed a comfortable 3-0 victory over Mpumalanga earlier in the morning.
For Pens, the road to the semifinal in the B-section was slightly easier as they swept past Southern Gauteng Nuggets with an emphatic 7-0 victory.
First half goals from Aimee Pote, who netted twice, and captain Rosanne Lombard had them up 3-0 at halftime and the Cape side hammered home their advantage after the break.
Danielle Cairns netted a field goal in the 34th minute before Kayde Miller followed up four minutes later with another score from open play.
A strike from a penalty corner by Gabriella de Kock extended the lead and the rout was completed in the 50th minute as Pote rounded off her hat-trick.
In the day’s first game, KZN Inland ran out 4-1 winners over SA Country Districts.
They opened the scoring in the third minute through Tiffany Jones and then doubled up soon after as Stefania Collette netted before SACD pulled one back in the 22nd minute through Marelie Devereux.
The gap was extended to two goals a minute later as Amy Greaves slotted home to make it 3-1 and then Silindile Mbhele added a strike of her own in the 29th minute from a well-worked penalty corner that saw her sneak in a deflection on the back post.
The scoreline didn’t change for the next half hour although SACD pressed hard they couldn’t find a way through a resolute Inland defence.
SA Hockey Association media release
Greenfields Senior Interprovincial Nationals goes live online
The South African Hockey Association is delighted to announce that hockey fans across South Africa, and indeed the world, will be able to watch the final two days of the Greenfields Senior Interprovincial Nationals via live online streaming.
The Interprovincial Nationals are currently underway at the Randburg Astro in Johannesburg and all Friday (April 29) and Saturday’s (April 30) matches, played on the A field, will be broadcast live via a special link on SAHA’s website.
This means that seven matches per day, including the both the Men’s and Ladies A section semifinals and Finals, can be watched live wherever you are.
The first match of each day gets underway at 08h30 (SA Time), with the final match scheduled for a 19h00 (SA Time) start.
Go to http://www.sahockey.co.za or http://antcast.antfarm.co.za/sahockey/April_2016_01/ to view the very best South African Men’s and Ladies hockey players battle it out for the right to be crowned 2016 Greenfields Senior Interprovincial Champions.
See a full list of fixtures to be broadcast below:
Note: Times are subject to change based on weather or other unexpected factors.
Missed a live match? There is no need to panic. Each match will be archived, so you can catch-up on previous matches when it suits you best.
SA Hockey Association media release
Punjab eves enter semis
Chandigarh: Punjab thrashed Delhi 5-0 to enter the semifinals of the senior women’s hockey National Championship (Division A) in Bengaluru today. Punjab, who beat Mumbai 4-2 and SAI 2-1 in their first two matches, topped Pool C with nine points. They will face Odisha, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Bhopal. Odisha won Pool B with seven points, having beaten Jharkhand 1-0 and Madhya Pradesh 3-2 in the first two matches.
Railways stormed into the semis after another one-sided win. The defending champions, who had beaten Uttar Pradesh 8-1 and Karnataka 9-0 in the first two matches, thrashed Hockey Patiala 12-0 today to win Pool A.
The Tribune
Canterbury look to keep U21 momentum
Photo courtesy CMG Sport Photography
Canterbury head into the New Zealand's National Under 21 Tournament finals week on top of the men’s and women’s tables.
ANZAC weekend saw the commencement of the tournament with Rounds 1 and 2 played at various venues around the country.
The Canterbury men came out in control following two wins from two games during weekend.
Sunday saw a 4-1 win over Southern thanks to goals from Jesse Forsyth, Dominic Newman and a double from Sam Lane before a 4-0 victory over Capital with to goals from Luke Cracroft-Wilson and Declean Keaney to go with a goal each to Lane and Newman.
Canterbury captain and Black Sticks National Squad member Dominic Newman is a fan of the new U21 format this year.
“I really like the change to having two opening rounds – it breaks the tournament up with more rest days, which should lead to a higher standard of hockey,” he said.
“We have a core of guys who have had international experience at a high level, but I think the real strength of our team is the depth we have and how long the boys have been playing together.
Meanwhile, the Canterbury Women also went two from two with a 3-1 win over Southern followed by a huge 7-0 result over Capital including a monumental effort from Future Black Stick Phoebe Steele who scored four goals.
A member of the New Zealand Under 21 World Cup qualifying team in Australia last year, Steele was effervescent in praise for her teammates.
“The team has a great mix of experience while also having a number of new players which brings lots of energy to the team.
“Every game will be tough and with the format of the tournament meaning we have to play everyone, we can’t afford to take anyone lightly and we have to perform in each game.”
Far from sitting back and relaxing after her great performance on Monday, Steele will be engaging in her other sporting passion this week – Touch – as she plays for the Women’s Touch Blacks team as they take on Australia in a three test series in Auckland.
“I’ve been lucky enough to have a lot of support from friends and family which has helped make it possible to play both – it can be hectic at times!”
“Although it’s not easy, both sports complement each other well and I’m looking forward to the upcoming weeks and both tournaments.”
CLICK HERE for Under 21 Tournament results, standings and goal scorers
Hockey New Zealand Media release
Ireland’s Olympic bound hockey team in €225,000 funding shortfall
Alan Good
Ireland men's hockey coach Craig Fulton. Picture: Inpho
Ireland’s Olympic-bound men’s hockey team will bid to make up a €225,000 funding shortfall as they ramp up their preparations for this summer’s road to Rio.
Craig Fulton’s men, the first Irish hockey team to qualify for an Olympics in 108 years, learned their fixture fate this week. They’ll play five games in just seven days during the pool stages.
Seventh-ranked India are first up for the Green Machine on August 6 with world top three sides Germany and Netherlands following in quick succession. A result in either of those would generate momentum for a must-win game against Canada before they finish up their pool campaign against Argentina.
The Dutch and the Canadians, plus Korea, are among the visitors to Ireland over the summer for warm-up matches, with UCC’s Mardyke grounds the setting for two rare Munster-based international games against the Netherlands on July 4 and 6.
But with no Irish sports team having qualified for an Olympics since 1948, it has highlighted major funding inadequacies for an amateur side who are €225,000 shy of what they require to face full-time programmes in other countries.
A crowdfunding campaign was yesterday started to try to kickstart that process, attracting over €4,000 worth of support in its opening hours. It is reminiscent of 2012 when the group raised €60,000 in just four days to enable them compete in a tournament in Argentina.
Domestically, it’s a busy weekend with the EY Hockey League playoffs set to decide which Irish club sides will compete in Europe next season. There’s no Munster interest in these but UCC’s ladies do face Belfast Harlequins in a promotion-relegation playoff, with the winner guaranteed national league hockey next season while the loser reverts back to their provincial setup.
The men’s Munster Senior Cup final between Cork C of I and Bandon closes the domestic season this evening at Garryduff while the Masters Interpros sees 19 provincial teams battle it out at Grange Road.
The Irish Examiner
'Obsessed' Crowdfunding Campaign Launched
Hockey Ireland has launched a crowdfunding campaign under the banner ‘Obsessed,’ with the aim of driving awareness of the team’s Olympic quest and the funding needed to fulfill that.
Determination, sacrifice, desire and obsession have been at the heart of the Green Machine’s journey to the Rio 2016 Olympics.
Skill and talent are built up over years of hard work, but what separates a great hockey player from an International hockey player? Obsession!
It’s that unwavering idea or desire that is the dominating focus for the Green Machine. The definition of obsessed is the domination of one’s thoughts or feelings by a persistent idea or desire; this is embodied in every member of the Green Machine.
The ‘Obsessed’ campaign is focused on raising vital funds for the Irish Men’s hockey team to supplement government funding. There is a current shortfall of €225,000 to complete the Green Machines’ programme and preparation for the Rio Olympics. This campaign is your opportunity to support the Green Machine as the first team sport to represent Ireland at an Olympics in over 60 years!
Please help support the Green Machine with their Olympic journey by clicking here!
Please donate by clicking here!
Irish Hockey Association media release
Razak Cup: Selection for Malaysia's Japan Tour.
By Jugjet Singh
THE Senior hockey players can't take this year's Razak Cup lightly, as coach Stephen van Huizen will use it to select his team for the Japan Tour on June 8-15.
And those who played in the recent Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, where Malaysia finished fourth, can't take their place for granted.
Van Huizen will also have to scout for two replacements as he is set to miss to players form the Azlan Shah Cup -- skipper Razie Rahim and midfielder Nabil Fiqri -- who will be reporting for a nine-month Police training from May 8.
"The national players are on leave now and will resume training on May 3 and after 10 days, they will be released to play for their states in the Razak Cup (May 21-29).
"I will select players for the Japan Tour, of six matches including two Tests, based on performance in the Razak Cup. Those who played in the Azlan Shah Cup must also give their best, as there is no 'reserved' spot for anybody," said Van Huizen.
Malaysia had a good chance of grabbing the bronze medal, but after taking a 2-0 lead against New Zealand they crumbled to a 3-3 draw and in the shoot-out lost 5-4.
"We are still at phase one of our training and preparing for the World League Round Two, so I need to keep all the players on their toes.
"We will play six matches in Japan, and two will be Test matches so I will only take those who give their best in the Razak Cup," said van Huizen.
The only international tournament for the senior men this year is the Asian Champions Trophy which Malaysia might host in October, as negotiations are still ongoing with the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) on sanction fees.
The women will also head for Japan on May 1 for a 10-day Tour against the Japan juniors to prepare for the World League Round Two which Malaysia will host in January.
Jugjet's World of Field Hockey
Sallès powered by Corner Groc's inspiration
One of most vibrant band of supporters of all at the KO16 in Amsterdam were the yellow and black horde known as Corner Groc, providing a wall of sound for each of Atlètic Terrassa’s knock-out ties.
And Marc Sallès, the team’s captain and talisman, says that their influence is part of what gives the club it’s special fighting spirit that allows them to upset the odds.
That willingness to dig deep was an awesome feature in Amsterdam in March when Atlètic summoned an over-time equaliser against KHC Dragons before following up with a 3-2 win over KHC Leuven, grabbing their winner with four minutes to go despite being down to ten players.
Speaking about the belief it gives, Sallès told the EHL website: “It’s difficult to say how you feel when you play with Corner Groc cheering for you.
“Many young players supporting the team will play one day on the other side of the fence. As everybody could see, we are a big family and live our hockey with the same passion. Hence, when we score a goal and run to the Corner, it is a stunning feeling!”
It fires their belief and gives them a never-say-die attitude to produce dramatic, late goals, an attitude that goes back through the club’s history.
“Some teams give up in the last few minutes but when everybody has faith and play their best, incredible things may happen.I remember in 2007, my first year in Atlètic Terrassa, Santi Freixa scored a goal against Bloemendaal that brought us into the final of the European Cup just six seconds before the end of the match!
“The whole weekend in Amsterdam was filled with similarly good memories. Maybe the tipping point was after we scored the equaliser in the last second against Dragons.
“Likewise, winning the shootouts and the astonishing goal of Jan Malgosa versus Leuven were amazing moments.We knew it wouldn’t be easy but if you don’t believe it you will never achieve it. And that’s what we did!”
Key to that attitude is coach Roger Pallarols who announced he will step down from the role after seven years at the end of this season. And Sallès says his importance to the club cannot be understated.
“Roger is a hockey obsessive. He analyses everything from our rivals and is always – 24/7 trust me – looking at new ways to take advantage of our strengths.
“Moreover, he is a coach who is very close and gets along with all the players, not forgetting the demanding person that he is. After seven years in charge of the first team with several national trophies and many more with the young teams in Atlètic, winning the EHL would be the best way to finish his glorious period.”
They have a big task in front of them, especially with their FINAL4 game against SV Kampong on May 14.
“Amsterdam, Harvestehuder and Kampong are all amazing teams. Kampong is a very complete team with key players in all of his lines.
“Dutch competition is stronger than the Spanish one and their pace of a top-level match is higher than ours. But we know them better than they know us and the atmosphere is going to be on our side. If they are better than us, they will really have to show it in the game.”
Euro Hockey League media release
Said and done: The Road to Lee Valley
Brooklands 2nd XI
Everyone loves the night before a big match. After dinner you get to packing away your kit ready of the morning, a few last nervous thoughts before drifting off to sleep dreaming of a big win the next day. Those nerves will be heightened for the 50 teams taking part in this weekend as the Men’s and Investec Women’s Knockout Finals get underway first thing Saturday at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre. The chance to play at England’s home of hockey is not one that comes around every day for some, so ahead of their big day at the venue where hockey history happens, we gathered the thoughts of some of those hoping for glory this weekend.
“It’s been tough getting to Lee Valley, with the toughest test yet to come. There is a positive and focussed atmosphere within the squad after successfully defending our North Premier title and all eyes are on Southgate in the final. #championsdomore #roadtoleevalley."
Darius Virabi, Brooklands MU.
"Playing at the Olympic Park is every hockey player’s dream, to do it alongside your 15 favourite teammates is a once in a lifetime experience. The team are more than ready to dig deep and bring home a victory and do HHC proud!”
Lucy Wood, Harrogate HC.
“Our journey to Lee Valley has been an exciting one; our hard work, dedication to the game and great team spirit has been rewarded with a unique and exciting opportunity! The idea of playing on the same pitch as our Olympic hockey team has been a driving force since the very first game! I am immensely proud to captain such a talented and driven team and we are all incredibly excited for the final challenge ahead!”
Claire Newton, Alderley Edge.
Alderley Edge 1st ladies
"What a phenomenal achievement for Ludlow Hockey Club and Shropshire Hockey. We are a small club with a big heart and do posses some wonderfully talented players."
Vijay Chumber, Ludlow.
“Our fifth straight final is an incredible achievement and is a testament to the strength of our squad. The players are thrilled about playing another final at the Lee Valley stadium in the Olympic Park, we hope we can do ourselves justice on the day and claim the trophy.”
Andy Whalley Guernsey HC.
'The girls have been working so hard this season and have seen some amazing results, so to win the final of the cup would be the cherry on top of an incredible season. We all want it so much and definitely won't give up without a fight!' Katie Mason and Claire Wallace University of Birmingham.
"It is exciting for us that Reading Hockey Club have another team at Lee Valley on a finals weekend and that we get to represent them. I cannot think of a better stage to showcase what our club and our ladies can do."
Alys Richards, Reading.
"Norwich Dragons Masters O40's team are absolutely delighted to be returning to the Olympic Park again this year and look forward to playing a great final, trying to go one better in lifting the Shield for the first time."
Jon Price, Norwich Dragons.
Norwich Dragons
"Jersey are really delighted to have reached the Masters O35's final for the second time in succession. This year we've had a much tougher route to the final and hope that we can go one better than last year!"
Becky Henwood-Darts, Jersey HC.
“We are delighted to have reached the finals again, and excited about playing at Lee Valley: it should be a great weekend of hockey. After disappointment at the final stage last year, we are hoping to go one better this year and come away with the cup!”
Diane Bellin, Bowdon Hightown.
"We have had some great games and a lot of fun in getting to the final. The whole team is excited about now playing at Lee Valley."
Jaynie Scott-Kilvert, Canterbury.
“Travelling, meeting and playing other teams has been such an enjoyable experience and has allowed us to renew our love for hockey. The support we have received along the way has been brilliant and we are really looking forward to the final at Lee Valley.”
Shez Coe, Kettering HC.
“After the disappointment of losing in the final last year, the team are very excited that they have reached the final again, and have the opportunity of going one better. We are looking forward to playing at the Olympic Park, which we know will be a tough encounter against Kettering.”
Lianne Shadrack, Cambridge City.
“I am immensely proud of my team mates for their hard work and dedication this season. It's been a real pleasure to lead the team to both league promotion and the opportunity to play in a National Final at Lee Valley. The road to Lee valley has really inspired our players both young and old and we have had great support throughout. #uptheform”
Alex Vine, Formby HC.
And to finish, perhaps our favourite from Taunton Vale’s U18 captain, Jordan Symes: 'Dare to Dream.' All 50 teams will be allowing themselves to do just that.
England Hockey Board Media release
Knockout Finals: Harrogate on the hunt for honours
Harrogate HC
As we approach the Knockout finals weekend teams from across the country are relishing the chance to play on the same pitch as some of the best hockey players in the world, from Alex Danson to George Pinner and plenty more besides. This weekend is their moment in the spotlight at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre; Our Wembley. Our Twickenham. Where hockey history happens.
Yorkshire club Harrogate will be facing Alderley Edge in the Investec Women’s Trophy final on Saturday. Despite finishing seventh in their league they are eager to make an impression on the big stage.
As hockey players know you can come from all walks of life to make up your team so we delved deeper into Harrogate ladies 1s to find out a bit more about this Yorkshire side.
22-year-old Lucy Wood captains the diverse side which features farmers, students, marketing experts, doctors and even a dentist who kindly provided the team with new gum shields!
Carolyn Hurst their goalkeeper is part of the O45 England Masters and in Laura Beardsmore they have a three-time World Champion in Aikido, a form of martial art. Up front is the ‘Usain Bolt’ of Yorkshire, top scorer Shelly Harrison.
In typical Yorkshire fashion they have got a fun bus full of friends and family to cheer them on.
"The commitment of the fans is somewhat like Premiership football – getting up at 8, packed lunches at the ready just to come and support our Harrogate ladies. It’s great to have such a fantastic bunch of supporters; it really does spur us on. We have treated them to a bus with a toilet too!’ jokes Wood.
In terms of the team's preparation for the final they have forced themselves to those extra fitness sessions, knowing every advantage is crucial:
“With it being past the end of the season it’s been tough for us to keep match fit ready for the final. We’ve continued training and have had extra fitness sessions as well as arranging a few friendlies to keep us at match standard.” Wood continues “Jonathan Till our manager has been keeping an eye on our training and given us the extra motivation when we’ve needed it. He’s also been doing a lot of research on our opponents – he’s great at facts and tactics!”
Despite getting stuck in a lift at their own awards evening and missing the all-important flight to their tour, these Yorkshire roses are determined to go back home with the trophy. They are certainly planning to enjoy every moment along the way. Wood and the rest of her team are extremely excited to be playing in the Olympic Park and just oozing passion for the game we all love.
"All of us love the club and are so proud that we get to represent Harrogate in a national final and the club are definitely proud and supportive of us too!"
England Hockey Board Media release
Calgary hawks won the Toba field hockey gold cup 
Calgary Hawks - Blue winner of the Toba Cup with trophy
Calgary: Calgary Hawks(Canada) club put up a splendid show at the Toba warriors Gold cup hockey tournament held in Winnipeg(Canada) recently.
Hawks club had fielded two of its teams to take part in this tournament. Calgary Hawks- Blue secured first place while Calgary Red got third place. The team was accorded a warm welcome after their arrival in the city.
In this championship, as many as eight club teams from different parts of Canada took part. After the league matches, four teams made it to the semi final, that included, Surjit club, Lopon, Edmonton youth club(white), Calgary Hawks(blue) and Calgary hawks Red. In the first semi final played between teams of Edmonton and Surjit club, lopon. The superb performance by Edmonton player Kuljit Sidhu who scored three goals enabled his team in beating Surjit club by 6-3. The second semi final between both the Calgary hawks team of red and blue was a thrilling affair. The match could not be decided due to 0-0 at the stipulated time. Later in the tie breaker, Calgary Hawks Blue emerged winners with a fine 5-3 win over Red team.
In the final played between Edmonton and Calgary Hawks Blue team, the very first half remained goalless. In the second half, two magnificent goals scored by Bikramjit Mann gave Calgary team to get charged. In the dying minutes of the match, Kuljit Sidhu of Edmonton scored a goal to reduce the margin to1-2.
Later, players who excelled in the tournament were honoured. The prominent among them was Manveer Mangat(Rampur). He gave the credit of this performance to his friends based in India and England as well as members of Khalsa Hockey club. In this tournament, Gurinder Singh Dhillon, Goalkeeper of Calgary Hawks- Blue was praised for his excellent show. The winning team players were honoured with trophies and cash prizes.
The team members- Calgary Hawks(Blue)- Kirpal Sidhu,Manveer Mangat, Bikramjeet Mann, Goldy Brar, Sukhdip Singh Manku, Raghbir Dhaliwal (Makhan), Mandeep Singh Deepu, happy Madhoke, Karamjit Dhudhike, Gurinder Singh Dhillon(GK).
Calgary Hawks(Red)- Gurdeep Hans, Sukhdeep Bardeke,Manveer Gill,Kanwar Pannu, Manmohan Gill Manku, Daljinder Happy Hothee, Gurdeep Hathur, Manveer Grewal(GK)
Fieldhockey.com
Umpiring: A global education
International umpire and teacher Kylie Seymour uses her hockey travels and connections to bring the world to her classroom
Like all umpires, Australia’s Kylie Seymour is a hero on the hockey field. She takes responsibility for the big decisions in her role as an international official at events the world over. This summer, the profile of this talented 29-year-old will be raised even further when she officiates at the Hockey Champions Trophy in London, England before going onto take her place on the greatest stage of all, the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil.
“Going to the Olympics is a dream that I have worked towards for a very long time so I am still unbelievably excited about the whole thing”, said the Sydney-based umpire. “At times, I still can’t believe that I am going to Rio. The nerves are also starting to creep in as the countdown continues. My parents, two sisters and my cousin are booked to come to Rio so it will be extremely special to have them there to share the experience with me.”
However, it is not just members of the Seymour family that are excited about the prospect of Kylie’s pivotal role at the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’. As a teacher at Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Primary School in Rosemeadow, Sydney, her pupils are absolutely thrilled that ‘Miss Seymour is going to the actual Olympics’, an ambition shared by millions of children all over the world.
“They are so excited”, said Kylie. “I get asked ‘when are you going to the Olympics again?’ about three times a week! They often say that they cannot wait to see me on TV and ask for me to give them a wave! Some even say that they feel nervous for me!”
With that level of elation, it is clear that Kylie is greatly admired by her pupils. But being a high profile figure in one of the fastest team sports on the planet is not the only reason for the hero worship. Kylie has used her hockey travels and connections to inspire, educate and broaden the horizons of her youngsters in the best possible way, by bringing the world to her classroom.
“I love sharing my travelling experiences with my classes”, continued Kylie. “I used to send emails or update the class blog when I was away, but in 2014 I started the ‘Miss Seymour’s Hockey Adventures’ blog. I update it constantly while I am away at events, and the entire school community can access it, which is fantastic.”
As well as the blog, Kylie regularly makes video calls to her class from wherever she is in the world, allowing her to talk about her cultural experiences and the different time-zones across the world as well as the many nationalities of her umpiring colleagues. Kylie’s fellow umpiring friends are certainly playing their part in this global education, as she explains.
“As part of our ‘Human Society and Its Environment’ Key Learning Area, I thought it would be nice to use my umpiring contacts so that the children could interview people from other cultures. This was done through social media, email, video messages and even handwritten letters. Just about all of the umpires we contacted either wrote back a letter or sent a video message as well as sent pictures to the students who wrote to them. We received a fantastic letter back from [fellow teacher] Miss Amber Church’s class in New Zealand, Fanneke Alkemade from The Netherlands, Emi Yamada from Japan, Ayanna McClean from Trinidad and Tobago but who lives in US, Annelize Rostron in South Africa, Fza Azman from Malaysia, Irene Presenqui from Argentina and a very entertaining video message from Sarah Wilson in Scotland - the kids loved hearing her accent! It was a fantastic way for the students to gain information for the projects from real people all around the world.”
Kylie’s kids are certainly enjoying the benefit of her fantastic life as an international hockey umpire, but none of it would be possible without the constant support of her sporting passion from the school itself.
“This is my seventh year at the school and the school community has been so supportive of my umpiring career, encouraging me to dream big and achieve my goals. The Principal often approves leave during the school term for tournaments. They have been with me on the journey from my very first Australian Hockey League event in 2010 and first international match in 2011 to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014 and now the Rio Olympics in 2016. I really cannot thank them enough.”
This is yet another example of those involved in the game helping generate more followers around the world - a key goal of the Hockey Revolution, FIH's 10-year strategy aimed at making hockey a global game that inspires the next generation. For more information on the strategy, click here.
#LoveHockey
#SambaSticks
FIH site
FIH president Leandro Negre to attend 2016 Masters World Cup
In a major coup for Newcastle Hockey, International Hockey Federation president Leandro Negre will attend the 2016 Grand Masters World Cup being held in Newcastle from May 2-12.
Forty-two teams representing fifteen nations from across the globe will compete for numerous titles on offer in the Over 60, Over 65, Over 70 age groups for both the Grand Masters World Cups and the Tournament Trophy Competition, which is open to National second teams and international combined teams.
The 11-day tournament will be played at Newcastle’s International Hockey Centre thanks to a partnership between Hockey Australia, Destinations NSW, The Australian Masters Hockey Committee and The Newcastle Masters Hockey Association.
Around 1500 people are expected to travel to Newcastle for this event, making it one of the largest international hockey tournaments in the world injecting millions of dollars into the local economy.
“Events like the Grand Masters Hockey World Cup play a hugely important role in the development of our sport,” said Mr Negre, who holds a position in hockey akin to the presidency of FIFA in football, or the IOC in Olympics.
“They provide yet another example of the inclusivity of hockey - the athletes represented are an example of how this is a lifelong sport, open to players of all ages and from all sorts of backgrounds.
“I’m sure that everyone involved will enjoy great camaraderie over the two weeks of competition as they rekindle old friendships and make new ones.”
Mr Negre will also take part in the biennial World Grand Masters congress which will be held in Newcastle during the tournament to discuss developments globally in the game.
Mr Negro’s presence at the Newcastle tournament reflects recognition of the continued growth of masters hockey and how it plays a pivotal part in FIH’s 10-year strategic plan, “Hockey Revolution”, to raise the global status and popularity of hockey, making it a global game that inspires the next generation.
Australia is one of the world’s most successful nations when it comes to Grand Masters Hockey, enjoying a number of outstanding accomplishments in recent years.
At the Seventh Grand Masters World Cup in The Hague, Netherlands in 2014, Australia’s took home gold in the Over 60 and Over 75 and silver in the Over 65s.
In Newcastle, Australia will be up against nations such as England, The Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, Malaysia, Spain, and Germany, plus many others.
The event is conducted by the World Grand Masters Hockey Association (WGMA), which was formed in 2001 to administer and promote field hockey for players age 60- and above at an international level. The WGMA is an official part of the International Hockey Federation (FIH).
For more information visit: www.wgmaworldcup2016.com
The Herald
Hockey hot-shot Sophie hits photographers with off-target ball
The Countess of Wessex showed off her hockey skills - and her fierce shooting ability - during a practice session with the men's national team.
The Countess of Wessex has been showing off her hockey skills - but not all her shots hit the intended target
The Countess of Wessex showed off her hockey skills - and her fierce shooting ability - during a practice session with the men's national team.
Sophie looked as if she had lost none of her sporting talent when some of the England squad put her through her paces during a training session.
With concentration etched on her face, and gripping the stick with both hands, the casually dressed Countess smashed the ball into the net again and again.
But one wayward shot hit a couple of photographers who were behind the goal and thought they were safe.
Sophie put her hand over her mouth in horror at the accident but it was laughed off by the media.
The Countess has been patron of England Hockey since 2006 and met senior men and women players at their base at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre near Marlow in Buckinghamshire.
She travelled to the training facility to meet the new chair of England Hockey, Royston Hoggarth, who replaced Philip Kimberley after he announced he was stepping down last year following more than 12 years in the role.
BT