News for 19 August 2017
All the news for Saturday 19 August 2017
Haner returns to Wagener Euro scene
©: Frank Uijlenbroek/world Sport Pics
Germany’s new captain Martin Häner is returning to the Wagener Stadium scene of his first major tournament in 2009. This time, he is the master rather than the student for the Honamas as the side undergo a similar Olympic overhaul.
“Looking back to 2009, the situation is not that different to today,” the Berliner HC defender reflects. “Big names like Timo Wess or Tibor Weißenborn stopped playing after the Olympics in Beijing 2008 and young players like me got a chance. For me it has been a great experience. Even though we lost the final against England [5-3].
“The Wagener Hockey was a very traditional stadium and the atmosphere was awesome. I´m very excited to see the new look and can´t wait to play there again.”
For the class of 2017, Moritz Fürste and Nico Jacobi have retired while Florian Fuchs is on a break. Häner, meanwhile, is making his first appearance this week having missed the Hockey World League due to his practical working year in a hospital while he had a slight hamstring tear which left him out of the IV Nations tournament in Terrassa. He anticipates that he will be fine for the Euros, though.
Timm Herzbruch and Tom Grambusch are out with injury while Timur Oruz has not recovered sufficiently from his lay off, meaning opportunities for new faces like Anton Boeckel, Max Kapaun and Julius Meyer.
“On one hand It´s always sad if those world class players stop playing and it´s difficult to replace them. But, on the other hand, it´s a chance for other players to step up and take over the responsibility.
“The last decade, our under 21 team has been very successful and that´s why, every year, new young and strong players coming into the team. But we have to find a way to use all the individual strength to build a strong team. We are still in this progress and a really exciting time lies ahead of us.”
All of the changes are being orchestrated by new head coach Stefan Kermas, though his methods are well known to Häner.
“Stefan is not really a new face. He was the tactical brain behind Markus Weise for many years, winning two Olympic Gold medals in 08 and 2012 and two European titles in (2011, 2013).
“Of course it is a difference being the head coach of the Honamas now. It hasn´t been an easy time stepping in as a coach because lots of players stopped after the Olympics or taking a break in 2017.
“He is trying to form a team and a team spirit with young talented players coming up and older, more experienced players. Tactically, he wants us to play different systems and be very variable.”
As for the trust placed in him by Kermas, Häner is looking forward to leading the team out in Amsterdam at his fifth European Championships with the 200 cap mark coming into view, previously winning two golds and two silvers.
He will be supported by another returnee, former FIH Player of the Year Tobias Hauke, and Martin Zwicker while Mats Grambusch – following his stunning club season with Rot-Weiss Köln in the EHL – captained the team earlier this summer
“I'm really proud that he named me as the captain of the team. Unfortunately, I missed the World League in Johannesburg because of my practical year in hospital at the moment.
“But I tried to watch every game and I think Mats has done a great job as captain. To be honest, I don´t try to be like someone who behaves in a special way [as captain].
“I always been a person who says what I think and that won´t change. Furthermore, I´m very happy that I have players like Tobias Hauke next to me, because I can always trust on them.”
Euro Hockey League media release
Men's and women's teams ready for EuroHockey Championships
England celebrate against Korea
With Saturday 19 August marking a year since Great Britain’s women’s historic gold medal at the Rio Olympic Games, England’s women’s hockey team begin their defence of their EuroHockey Championship in Amsterdam.
In addition, England’s men are looking to build on a successful 2017 for their squad so far, having already secured World Cup qualification and winning the Azlan Shah Trophy as Great Britain earlier in the year. They are first in action on Sunday.
Rabo EuroHockey Championship Fixtures:
Sat 19/8, 1:45pm, England women vs Ireland
Sun 20/8, 8am, England men vs Poland
Sun 20/8, 4:45pm, England women vs Germany
Mon 21/8, 4pm, England men vs Germany
Tue 22/8, 11:30am, England women vs Scotland
Wed 23/8, 1:45pm, England men vs Ireland
Thu 24/8 Women’s semi finals
Fri 25/8 Men’s semi finals
Sat 26/8 Women’s finals
Sun 27/8 Men’s finals
All games take place at the Wagener Stadium in Amsterdam, live in the UK on BT Sport.
In the absence of Head Coach Danny Kerry, who is recovering from illness, England’s women will be led by Assistant Coach David Ralph. The former Scotland international will lead England against the country of his birth in Tuesday’s final Pool game.
Bobby Crutchley leads the men’s team and is aided by new Assistant Coach Russell Garcia, Great Britain’s youngest hockey gold medal winner at Seoul in 1988.
England Hockey Board Media release
White previews England v Ireland
Nic White
England women’s defence of their Rabo EuroHockey Championship title begins today in Amsterdam as a feast of hockey begins!
Both our women and men’s sides have travelled to the Netherlands for the championships which will be contested between the 19 and 27 August live on BT Sport.
England’s Nic White is missing from the squad through injury but here she previews England women’s opening fixture in Pool B against Ireland! You can read more from Nic on here website at http://nicolawhitehockey.co.uk.
The girls will be eager to get underway after being at the preparation camp since Monday.
It doesn’t seem that long, but when you travel to competition the majority of work has all been done so you just want to get playing. Although, the week leading up to competition is a tapering phase so the lighter load does come with a warm welcome to refresh the legs!
It will be a tough opening game as Ireland are a very hard working team and they bring a lot of flight and desire to all their matches. They aren’t afraid of the big games and play with confidence, looking to break lines with their quick and skillful players in midfield. They won’t interchange as much as other nations but like to link up with each other and enjoy the attacks.
We recently played them in the World League semi finals, which we narrowly won 3-2. Some players to look out for are Nikki Daly, Shirley McCay and their captain Katie Mullan.
England will certainly need to be wary of their key players and be disciplined in defence, however the opportunity for us when we get the ball on the attack will be exciting. We have an incredibly fast midfield and forward unit that are creative and can eliminate lines meaning we can get in behind the defence.
We will need to balance this part of our game with good elements of control too, if we are poor with the ball and the play becomes disjointed and so called “Ping-Pong” this will kindly play into the Irish hands and make the game more of a struggle and a battle.
I back our varied game, tactical awareness and team understanding and this game will be a great challenge for us to show this.
England Hockey Board Media release
Hungry for Gold
Almost a year on from the 2016 Rio Olympic Games the memories of Great Britain’s golden victory remain fondly in the memory.
For a number of England’s current squad this experience is feeding a hunger to replicate these memories and a thirst for more gold.
Many of the squad are now Olympic and European gold medallists with only a World Cup gold missing from a hat-trick of gold!
It was Hollie Webb who scored the winning penalty in the famous Olympic shootout and she admits that winning feeling is one she is desperate to repeat: “For me on the pitch in Rio I knew I was going to carry on but I knew then that I wanted to do this all over again.
“That feeling will be the same if we win the World Cup as England next year so it definitely makes me more hungry to get more success with this new team.”
Goalkeeper Maddie Hinch saved all four penalties she faced, she said: “Once you’ve had a taste of gold it makes you realise what it’s all about and you get a bit greedy! I want to go through all that euphoria all over again.
“We have the opportunity to win the second biggest title at home, I remember the European Championships and the celebrations were probably greater than Rio, every single person in that stadium bar the odd Dutch fan was just euphoric.
“Can you imagine if we manage to do it in front of a bigger home crowd off the back of Rio?”
Sophie Bray has Olympic and European golden medals to her name, she added: “My first taste of gold was at the Euros and you just want to do it again and again.
“That winning feeling in sport is just incredible and that’s a big motivation of why we train as hard as we can so we can do it all over again.
FIH site
On this day: Argentina conquer Belgium to win 2016 Olympic gold
Argentina men defeated Belgium to win Olympic gold at Rio 2016 Photo: FIH/Getty Images
Was it really just a year ago that the blue and white clad section of the Deodoro Stadium in Rio was rocking to the sound of jubilant fans celebrating as Argentina swept to a 4-2 win over Belgium to make sure a new name was carved into men’s Olympic hockey history?
Argentina’s win was remarkable in many ways. The team had come such a long way in such a short time. In 2012, they left the London Olympics in 10th place, losing in their final match to New Zealand. At that stage they slipped to 11th in the FIH World Rankings. Argentina's Los Leones redeemed themselves with an unexpected bronze medal at the 2014 World Cup but they were still not seen as real medal contenders in Rio.
In the pool matches at Rio they finished third in the pool behind Germany and the Netherlands after losing to India and narrowly scraping past Ireland, earning just two wins from five pool games. Hardly the stuff of Olympic champions.
Belgium were also not considered true medal prospects although the team had been on an upward trajectory for many years. Their Red Lions had won an Olympic medal before but that was back in 1920 and, since then, they won a silver at the 2013 European Championships, finished second in the Hockey World League Final in 2015 and had several near-misses.
In Rio they finished top of the group after beating Australia in a tense 1-0 match; winning against Great Britain in a 4-3 thriller and thumping 12 goals past host nation Brazil.
In the Quarter-Finals, Argentina were made to work hard for their place in the Semi-Finals by a determined Spain. Gonzalo Peillat got the ball rolling with a penalty corner in the 15th minute but that was all that split the teams for the majority of the match as the action flowed back and forth. Pau Quemada hit back in the 57th minute and the match looked to be going to shoot-out until a foul in the Spanish circle gave Juan Gilardi the chance to step up and score with a confident penalty stroke.
Belgium came from behind against India to win by a 3-1 margin. Akashdeep Singh gave the Asian team the lead in the 15th minute but then the traffic became one-way as Sebastien Dockier scored twice and Tom Boon added a third.
The Semi-Finals saw three European teams in action, with Germany looking in ominously good form after their thrilling last minute win against New Zealand in the Quarter-Finals. For many, the German come-back in the final seconds of the match was a highlight of the entire competition.
This time it was Argentina who faced the German team but, despite a late flurry of German goals, there was to be no repeat happy ending for Valentin Altenberg and his men. Peillat got his team off to a dream start with a hat trick of penalty corner goals in the first half. Joaquin Menin and Lucas Vila added to the rout. In the 51st minute Moritz Fuerste scored for Germany and Christopher Ruhr added a second with two minutes to go, but Argentina had done enough to secure a 5-2 win and passage to the final.
The other Semi-Final saw Netherlands face Belgium, with the Dutch team favourites to progress based on world ranking and past meetings between the teams. In the event, Belgium played a near perfect game. Jerome Truyens opened the scoring in the 28th minute, followed by a goal from open play from captain John-John Dohmen. Netherlands struck back before half-time through Mink van der Weerden but Florent van Aubel made sure of the scoreline in the 46th minute.
And so to the final. Neither team had won Olympic gold before and both sides were determined to re-write history. Belgium got off to the better start as their potent attacking game led to Tanguy Cosyns opening the scoring. This spurred the Argentina side into action with two penalty corners from Pedro Ibarra and Gonzalo Peillat and a field goal from Ignacio Ortiz before half time to give Argentina a 3-1 lead.
The intensity wound up after the break with Gauthier Boccard putting Belgium back in contention, but a subsequent failure to put away chances meant the Red Lions resorted to removing their goalkeeper deep in the fourth quarter. Agustin Mazilli was able to capitalise as Belgium lost possession and raced the other end of the pitch to seal the win.
Speaking to Reuters News agency after the match, Belgium captain John-John Dohmen said: “We had so many opportunities today, we should have done better, if you don't score your opportunities you cannot win. It's simple." He added: "But one year ago nobody would bet on us and now we are here," grinning and holding up his silver medal.
On the key to their famous win that day in August 2016, Argentina’s Facundo Callioni said: “We are a perfect team. Everybody knows their role, everybody knows what they have to do on the field. We just wanted that gold medal so desperately."
#Rio2016
#SambaSticks
FIH site
On this day: Great Britain prove great defence is the way to win gold
Great Britain won a memorable Rio 2016 Olympic gold medal match against Netherlands Photo: FIH/Getty Images
The women’s Olympic gold medal match was an all-European affair between then reigning Olympic and World champions Netherlands and Great Britain who, when playing as England, had beaten the Netherlands in the EuroHockey Championships the previous year. On that occasion, the match had gone to shoot-out after the Netherlands had dominated for large periods of time but had been unable to break down the opposition’s defence. Surely history couldn’t repeat itself?
Both teams played their pool matches with near perfection. The Netherlands topped their pool with four wins and one draw – the stalemate against a feisty New Zealand side. In the other pool, Great Britain had sailed through registering five wins from five.
In the Quarter-Finals, Netherlands faced Argentina, the South American's performing unexpectedly badly in the pool games, losing to USA, Great Britain and Australia. But Las Leonas would never bow out of a major competition without a fight and the 3-2 thriller had everything a top-notch hockey match could expect.
The Netherlands took a 3-0 lead through Lidewij Welten, Laurien Leurink and Kelly Jonker but then Florencia Habif and Delfina Merino led an Argentine fightback. The Netherlands came close to imploding as they were reduced to eight players for a short time as Eva de Goede, Naomi van As and Margot van Geffen were all dismissed temporarily from the field within the space of three minutes. The Dutch held on, but didn’t look their usual unassailable selves.
Great Britain also took a 3-0 lead in their Quarter-Final match against Spain. Georgie Twigg opened the scoring and was joined on the score-card by Helen Richardson-Walsh and Lily Owsley to open a sizeable lead by half-time. Georgina Oliva reduced the deficit in the final quarter but Great Britain were in the driving seat and moved smoothly into the Semi-Finals.
The first Semi-Final pitched Netherlands against their European rivals Germany, a team they had beaten 2-0 in the pool games. But Germany are a side that get better as a tournament progresses and so it proved as they held the Dutch to a 1-1 draw in regular time. The ensuing shoot-out was heart-breaking for Jamilon Muelders and his side as they came within a post’s width of winning. The eventual score was 4-3 to Netherlands after each side had taken seven shoot-out attempts. Ellen Hoog got the winner after Marie Mavers saw her attempt saved by Joyce Sombroek.
Great Britain faced New Zealand in a near repeat of the bronze medal match at London 2012 – a match Great Britain had won 3-1. Unfortunately for the Black Sticks, Great Britain were on a roll and the 3-0 scoreline reflects a performance in which Great Britain dominated large areas of play. Alex Danson scored twice and Helen Richardson-Walsh also got on the score-sheet.
And so to the Final. The Netherlands were favourites by virtue of world ranking and as the match wore on, most spectators were expecting an Oranje victory as Great Britain were forced to defend for large chunks of time. Against the run of play Lily Owsley scored the opening goal in the ninth minute before Kitty van Male and Maartje Paumen put Netherlands ahead. Crista Cullen made it 2-2 before van Male scored her second. Nicola White popped up to score in the 52nd minute and so the game went to shoot-out.
“I knew if we went to penalty shoot-out we could win,” said Great Britain's Head Coach Danny Kerry after the game whilst his Assistant, Karen Brown, recalled: “You could see just how nervous they [the Netherlands] were. It is never easy doing two consecutive shoot-outs and they also had the memory of losing in the EuroHockey final at the back of their mind.”
And so the shoot-out began, with Maddie Hinch proving why she was voted FIH Hockey Stars 2016 Goalkeeper of the Year. Four Dutch attempts were saved and it came down to Hollie Webb to score the decisive and medal clinching goal. As she turned and faced her team mates the joy in her face as she leapt in the air became a defining image of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games hockey competition.
#Rio2016
#SambaSticks
FIH site
Pure Hockey Gold: How our sport continues to grow
Alex Danson celebrates
With Saturday 19 August marking a year since Great Britain’s women’s historic gold medal at the Rio Olympic Games, and with five years having now passed since the team’s bronze at London 2012, England Hockey can announce a significant, continued growth in the sport both on and off the pitch.
• 10,000 more players in hockey clubs straight after the Rio games.
• Since the eve of London 2012, the number of young girls playing the sport has doubled.
• In that period there has also been an 80% increase in the number of boys and girls in clubs, as well as a 54% increase in players over the age of 46.
• 10,000 tickets sold for Hockey Women’s World Cup 2018 in London in first hour of priority window, leading to England Hockey’s first ever public ticket ballot, starting this Saturday 19th August 2017.
• England Hockey were named 2017 National Governing Body of the Year
• England’s women’s team begin their EuroHockey Championship title defence in Amsterdam on Saturday, and the men look to build on their recent World Cup qualification when they get underway on Sunday.
Hockey is clearly benefiting from a double Olympic legacy; after the Great Britain’s women’s team won bronze in front of a home crowd in London in 2012 and an historic gold in Rio in 2016, this has inspired the nation to get active and play hockey. Thanks to the outstanding work of the network of clubs across the country, England Hockey has seen unprecedented growth at both ends of the age range.
England’s hundreds of hockey clubs continue to offer inviting, easy access, aided by projects such as HockeyFest and Back To Hockey which help create an open door policy for all ages. As a result, the average club size has grown 54%.
The growth in the sport since the eve of London 2012 has been seen across the country, examples being a 110% increase in under 16s club participation in London, and a 111% growth in the North West in the same age bracket.
Chief Executive Sally Munday said, “When London was awarded the 2012 games, we saw it as a huge opportunity for the sport, and I believe our strategy has taken full advantage of the platform that we have been given with this double Olympic legacy. In particular I am of course delighted to see the growing numbers of both young girls and boys because they are the future of our sport. Hockey is hugely accessible to both genders and all ages, as also shown by the rise in number of players over 46. With participation growth, back-to-back Olympic medals and a home World Cup on the horizon, there are a great number of reasons to be very optimistic about hockey’s future.”
Development Director Rich Beer commented, “Across the board we are seeing excellent growth, which is the result of a concerted, sustainable strategy. Through Quicksticks we have assisted primary schools’ access to hockey, and our clubs & volunteers continue to provide fantastic experiences. New people are joining the sport, and crucially we are seeing people return to hockey, often the parents of a young player which makes for an outstanding family experience. With the invaluable assistance of Sport England, the results are even more pleasing given that the sports marketplace is becoming much more competitive than ever before. All concerned have done a fantastic job in bringing this growth to fruition, and now we have a great opportunity to sustain it for years to come.”
Rio gold medallist Alex Danson said, “These numbers genuinely come as wonderful news to me and every one of my teammates. We set out to Inspire The Future, and to learn that there are so many more boys and girls playing since before London is absolutely amazing. Nothing makes me quite as proud as winning a gold medal – but honestly these figures come pretty close! With a home women’s World Cup in London next summer, the opportunity for sustained growth has never been greater.”
If you wish to pick up a stick, either for the first time or as a route back into the sport, find out where to play near you at: http://englandhockey.co.uk/playhockey . Starting this Saturday, clubs are also running HockeyFest open days – find your nearest location at http://hockeyfest.hockeynation.club/hockeyfest-events
The Hockey Women’s World Cup 2018 ticket ballot will open on Saturday 19 August, fans can register here to receive information: http://fih.ch/events/world-cup/world-cup-2018/events/ticket-sign-up-form. The World Cup takes place at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, from 21 July to 5 August 2018. With just three England pool matches, tickets to see the England team will be like gold dust.
England Hockey Board Media release
The Women's Hockey World Cup public ballot is OPEN
Next summer the biggest hockey event ever to be held in the UK comes to London and your chance to secure tickets to see Pure Hockey Gold is now here!
Follow this link to sign-up for the ballot! http://eng.hockey/WorldCupBallot
This massive event will be held at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and will see England’s women take on the very best in the pinnacle of the sport.
How can I secure my tickets?
Due to the incredibly high demand for tickets, we are running a ballot system to ensure everyone gets a fair chance to get the tickets they would like. This ballot is now live and will close at 6pm on Wednesday 6 September.
You simply need to register, select which sessions and tickets you’d like and give payment details. You will not be charged at this point. The ballot will then be drawn after the 6 September and if successful you will be notified and charged for your tickets by the end of September. Please note, once you have entered the ballot you can log back in and amend your order up until 6pm on 6 September.
What has happened so far?
A Hockey Family priority ticket sale was launched in April 2017 where an unprecedented 21,000 tickets were sold in the two weeks the window was open, a gold rush to see Pure Hockey Gold! This demonstrates the huge demand there is for tickets, so make sure you enter the ballot now!
How can I ensure I see England play when applying for tickets in the ballot?
Whilst we don’t know the full schedule as some teams still need to qualify, we have plotted when England will play each game so you can ensure you select these tickets in the ballot.
You can have a look at the schedule here, and remember – the England sessions are going to be very oversubscribed considering applying for another match as well to give yourself the best opportunity to be at this once in a lifetime event.
I’ve never been to an international hockey event before, will this be a good day out?
In short, yes! Hockey is a brilliant sport to watch live, and this tournament will showcase just how fast-paced, action packed and highly skilled the game is. You’ll be able to see English members of the Great Britain Olympic squad battling for gold to go alongside their Olympic Gold medal and we are planning the biggest fan zone we’ve ever staged for a hockey event ensuring there will be something for all the family to enjoy.
Which teams will be playing?
As well as England, the Netherlands, Argentina, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, China, Korea and South Africa have all qualified so far and will be going for Gold in London next year. With the top 9 teams in the World all qualified, England will need all the home support they can get so make sure you are ready to cheer them on!
Can I wait until general sale to buy England tickets?
General sale will be at a later date to be announced, but if you want England tickets then we suggest entering the ballot! We anticipate all England tickets to sell out in the Public Ballot so if you want to watch England on home soil then make sure you apply in the Ballot.
England Hockey Board Media release
Youth brigade upbeat post impressive Europe tour
NEW DELHI: Brimming with confidence after a successful European hockey tour, India's youth brigade said the experience of playing under pressure at the highest level will help them in the long run.
Forwards Gurjant Singh, Armaan Qureshi, midfielder Nilkanta Sharma, full-back Tirkey, Varun Kumar and goalkeeper Suraj Kerkera made their debut in this tour.
Five out of this six players were part of last year's junior World Cup winning team and the debutants conceded that the level of pressure in the senior level is very different but they wanted to make a mark on this tour.
"We played together at junior level so our co-ordination was excellent. One has to be mentally and technically strong to perform at this level and victory in three games has given us that boost," Armaan said.
Varun, who has been playing the sport for the last 12 years, said: "No one had imagined that we will beat The Netherlands. It was like a dream for us and we can never forget that moment. It was like a tonic for us which will have long-lasting effect."
India had begun the tour with defeats in their first two matches to Olympic silver-medallists Belgium but they finished off with three successive victories, which included twin wins over The Netherlands.
Goalkeeper Suraj, who idolises Real Madrid star footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, said he was little tensed initially but slowly learnt to handle the pressure.
"I was nervous in first match but gradually learnt to handle pressure. This tour will play a major role in shaping our careers," said the Mumbai lad.
While India fielded a young squad, all their opponents fielded their best sides as European championship is set to start from Saturday.
Defender Tirkey feels the fact that everybody is competing for a place in the team augurs well for Indian Hockey with Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and Senior Hockey World Cup coming up next year.
"Its good to have healthy competition. We have experienced the difference between playing at junior and senior level and now we will try to minimise the mistakes and become more mature," he said.
Manipur boy Nilkanta said winning Junior World Cup did wonders to their confidence and credit goes to Hardendra Singh.
"Harendra sir taught us to stick to the basics and we did that. He also deserves credit for our performance," he said.
The Times of India
Experience in Holland will help Indian eves: Coach Sjoerd Marijne
BENGALURU: The Indian women's hockey chief coach Sjoerd Marijne said the upcoming tour to the Netherlands would provide his team an invaluable experience and a chance to work under legendary Dutch coach Toon Seipman.
Apart from playing a four-match series in Holland, the Indian eves will also get an opportunity to work with Seipman.
"We will have nine training sessions with Seipman, who is a drag-flick expert. Many drag flickers across the world work with him and I am sure our drag flickers can learn a great deal from him," said the 43-year-old Dutch coach.
"This is an aspect we need to improve upon and I believe the exposure in Holland will help in our preparations for the Women's Hockey Asia Cup," he added.
After a two-week break post the Women's Hockey World League Semi-Final in Johannesburg, the Indian women's team is back at SAI, Bengaluru for a three-week national camp.
On August 14, the 33 core probables reported for the camp, which will conclude on August 31 ahead of the team's departure for a four-match series in the Netherlands.
"While we will work on bringing different variations in goal scoring and keeping ball possession, we will pay more attention to basics such as trapping and better passing during this camp.
"On the fitness front, I would like to see the girls get faster on the field," said the coach.
Marijne will put the squad under grind with 10 sessions a week that includes matches against the junior boys' side on Thursdays and Saturdays.
India captain Rani said that the team would be focussing on playing consistently.
"There are quite a few aspects we need to learn from our outing at the World League Semi Final. While we did well against USA in the first two quarters, we could not carry on the momentum into the third and fourth quarters.
"Similarly, against Argentina too we put up a good fight but it's important to play consistently through the match and we are working on it," said Rani.
"We need to bring more energy into our attack and I am sure playing against Holland, who are very good with attack, it will be a learning experience," said the India forward.
Meanwhile, Marijne lauded the men's team, which won against an experienced Netherlands team with as many as nine players from last year's junior core group in its ranks.
"I was there during the matches India played in Holland and the energy they brought into the matches was exceptional. The women's team makes it a point to follow the men's matches and they are inspired by the team's recent performance," Marijne said.
The Times of India
England men U21 squad announced
The England men U21’s squad to compete at the EuroHockey Junior Nations Championships in Valencia has been announced.
The Championships run from the 23 August to the 4 September and England will face the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal in Pool A.
The squad will compete in two warm-up matches before the tournament before facing Portugal on the 28 August, Netherlands on the 30 August and Spain on the 31 August.
Full squad:
Will Calnan (Hampstead & Westminster)
Will Carter Keall (Exeter Uni)
Jack Clee (Birmingham Uni)
Will Hewer (Bath Buccs)
Nick Page Loughborough Uni)
Nick Park (Reading)
Toby Reynolds-Cotterill GK (Loughborough Uni)
Duncan Scott (Southgate)
Peter Scott (Bath Buccs)
Harry Skinner (Bath Buccs)
Rhys Smith (Durham Uni)
Tom Sorsby (Beeston)
James Sutcliffe (Brooklands MU)
Jack Turner (Durham Uni)
Zach Wallace (Surbiton)
Jack Waller (Durham Uni)
Eddie Way (Birmingham Uni)
Chris Wyver GK (Old Georgina)
England Hockey Board Media release
England women U21 squad announced
The England women U21’s squad to compete at the EuroHockey Junior Nations Championships in Valencia has been announced.
The Championships run from the 23 August to the 4 September and England will face Ireland, Germany and France in Pool B.
They will play Ireland on the 28 August, Germany on the 29 August and France on the 31 August.
Full squad:
Katie Axford (Cambridge City)
Esme Burge (Beeston)
Charlotte Calnan (Surbiton)
Charlotte Childs (Durham Uni)
Meg Crowson (ISCA)
Tess Howard (Cambridge City)
Holly Hunt (Uni of Birmingham)
Lydia McDonell (Uni of Birmingham)
Harriet Mitchell (Uni of Birmingham)
Holly Munro (Uni of Birmingham)
Lizzie Neal (Canterbury)
Olivia Paige (University of Birmingham)
Miriam Pritchard (Oxford Hawks)
Erica Sanders (University of Birmingham)
Kath Somerville (University of Birmingham)
Eloise Stenner (Beeston)
Alice Wills (University of Birmingham)
Lily Wolstenholme (Bowdon)
England Hockey Board Media release
Colombo are Solomon Islands hockey champs
By CROFTON UTUKANA
Paul Luiramo of Colomobo celebrates after scoring the only goal in the grand final.
THE Colombo men’s hockey team has won the 2017 club league grand-final yesterday.
Colombo claimed the title after defeating top contenders Wantoks hockey club, which comprised of experienced hockey players led by Allan Temoa and Gary Edward.
Paul Luiramo was the hero for the Colombo club for scoring the only goal of the grand-final.
In fact Colombo club was equipped with mostly U18 players eyed for the 2018 Youth Olympic qualifiers.
The country’s Hockey Development Officer and coach Allan Temoa told Star Sports he was proud of the Colombo’s victory over his team.
“Even though they beat us I am proud of their victory,’’ he said.
“Because most of the players playing for Colombo are our U18 players eyed for next year’s Youth Olympic Qualifiers set for April in Papua New Guinea.’’
He said their victory will give them a good experience in preparation for the qualifiers.
Luiramo scored a quick goal while Wantoks were yet to settle down in the opening minutes of the game.
Wantok did came back strong after being trailed as well as in the second half but could not find the back of the net with their handful of chances.
Meanwhile for women’s club league, Wantoks are the champions after beating Parrots 3-2 in the grand final played on Thursday.
The Solomon Star
NCAA Final Four Predictions
The field hockey version of the race for the roses is already underway as players and coaches alike have set their sights on Louisville, Ky. and started their summer preparations for what promises to be another exciting fall season.
Division I:
Depth and breadth is very prevalent in Division I, where a host of talent is poised to make the trip to the Midwest for the final weekend. Reigning champion Delaware are happy to welcome back Greta Nauck as the Blue Hens look to repeat the magic from 2016. They will face stiff competition, starting in the Colonial Athletic Association from the likes of James Madison’s forward/midfielder Hannah Hall.
The New England/Northeast area will be another hotly-contested scene, with a classic Boston College, Syracuse and Connecticut three-headed monster brewing. These once, future and always rivals have produced several classic games, and with current personnel returning, 2017 promises to be more of the same. Frederique Haverhals is back for BC’s Eagles, along with Ymke Rose Gote. UConn welcomes back Karlie Heistand, Casey Umstead and Charlotte Veitner for their senior seasons, and all three want to bookend their college careers with another national championship. Syracuse returns Lies Lagerweij, Laura Hurff and Roos Weers as the Orange also look to get back on top.
Boston College and Syracuse lead yet another deep Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), with the rivalry on Tobacco Road just as hot as the one up north. Alyssa Chillano looks to lead Duke back to a No. 1 ranking, and while the Tar Heels might be without a true home field this year, that won’t deter them on their march into the final weekend. Virginia’s Tara Vittese helped the Cavaliers to their first ACC title in 2016, and that momentum bodes well for the Hoos, who look to return to the national semifinals. The Louisville Cardinals want to be more than just the hosts of the final weekend; they are looking to play on home turf as well, and behind the likes of Ayeisha McFerran in the goal and Minout Mink and Nicole Woods on the field. They very well could not have to leave home to win the title.
Not to be outdone, the Big Ten looks to establish itself as the premier conference, and with the likes of Maryland, Penn State, Northwestern and Michigan, the charge is on. Aurelia Meijer and Moira Putsch are back for the Nittany Lions, while Linnea Gonzales and Lein Holsboer return for the Terrapins.
DI Predicitions:
UNC
PSU
Delaware
Duke
Division II:
There is no question that Pennsylvania holds the Key(stone) to the participants in the final weekend for Division II, with the Pennsylvania State Athletics Conference as deep as it is. Shippensburg, who won the championship last year, might have the biggest hole to replace in the form of head coach Bertie Landes, who retired after winning two NCAA titles with more than 300 wins in her career. But with Ally Mooney returning in goal and Brooke Sheibly back on the field, the Lady Raiders aren’t about to relinquish the trophy any time soon. They will have to try to contain West Chester’s Rachal Toppi, who looks to lead the Rams back to the top of the podium. Another former champion in Millersville is also looking to reclaim the gold as Aliza Mizak returns for the Marauders, while East Stroudsburg also wants to keep the trophy in the conference. They will have to face off against the Northeast-10 (NE-10) representative, with a quartet of contenders ready to return to the final weekend. The junior class of the NE-10 is a strong one, with a host of individuals ready to lead their teams. The Skyhawks of Stonehill welcome back forward Kacie Smith and look to her to keep up her goal-scoring prowess. Merrimack’s Mary McNeil at midfield makes a return as well, as does LIU Post’s Emily Miller; both look to get their respective squads back into the NCAA title game. St. Anselm, who launched an incredible campaign in 2016, looks to build on their success from last year behind Erin Collins.
Division II field hockey is growing rapidly, and that positive growth is evident in the strength of Lindenwood, who could mount a serious challenge this season on the national scene. Bellarmine would love to compete in their own territory for the title, and with the depth of the Knights, that possibility is not too far off.
DII Predictions:
St. Anselm
LIU Post
Shippensburg
East Stroudsburg
Division III:
With the onset of summer, there is no question that Messiah and Tufts are reminded about that epic national championship game played in the snow. Both the Falcons and the Jumbos are well poised to return to the season’s final stage, which this year will take place at Trager Stadium. The Bluegrass State is ready to welcome several teams that very well could feature blue: besides Messiah and Tufts; Middlebury, Trinity, Franklin & Marshall (F&M) and The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) are all well positioned to book their flights to the Midwest for a final weekend of hockey. By no means is the dress code for this dance limited. Representing the gold are Salisbury and Ursinus, while Babson is also ready to tango.
The road to Louisville from New England will be as colorful as a northeast autumn. With Tufts returning defender Ellexa Thomas and forward Mary Travers, the Jumbos are looking to stomp back into the finals. They will face some stiff competition, not just in the New England Small College Athletic Conference, but really throughout the entire region. Past champions Middlebury and Bowdoin are ready to step back up to the top behind Grace Jennings (Middlebury) and Juliana Fiore (Bowdoin), while Kelcie Finn from Trinity looks to put the Bantams in the mix. Babson had a breakthrough season in 2016, and with Ashley Tango and Lauren Drakeley returning, the Beavers could ride that experience back to the final weekend.
A trip to the Garden State showcases a traditional rivalry between Trenton State and Glassboro—excuse me, TCNJ and Rowan—that could impact the dance card in Kentucky. With Jacqui Rosati leading the way for the Rowan Profs, these past champions could also return to glory. Just over the river in Pennsylvania, Carissa Gehman leads the reigning champion Messiah Falcons in their quest to keep the gold. The Diplomats of F&M will be hawkish on the field in their chase to return to the top of the Centennial Conference, with Ursinus looking to hold the trophy in a bear hug. The Capital Athletic Conference will have its own version of jockeying for position as the Seagulls of Salisbury look to hold off charges from Mary Washington, CNU and York.
Division III is always a very exciting path to take, and the field hockey rivals will show. The teams are deep and talent is spread out, which promises a sensational trip to the big show.
DIII Predictions:
Middlebury
Messiah
Tufts
Bowdoin
There is no question the season is going to be a hot one – we just hope it’s hot enough to keep the snows at bay in the ‘Ville through November before we head down to sunny Palm Beach Country, Fla. For the National Hockey Festival, to start the 2018 season in earnest.
USFHA media release
Dar Academy starts Holland Tour with an Impressive Win
By Ijaz Chaudhry
Pakistan's Dar Hockey Academy began its fifth tour of Holland with a convincing 4-1 victory over MOP club in Eindhoven.
Dar Hockey Academy won its opening match of the two week tour of Holland with a convincing 4-1 win over MOP club in Vught near Eindhoven.
MOP club have hosted Pakistan's biggest reservoir of hockey talent on all the four previous tours as well. Their side for this match included first team players plus emerging youngsters who are on the verge of breaking into the club's premier side.
Dar HA were quick off the blocks and forced a penalty corner in the second minute. Usman Nazim's strong and high flick gave the goal keeper no chance.
MOP settled down after the early jolt and next 10 minutes saw a midfield game. But in the 12th minute, Ajmal Butt from top right of the circle found the far corner of the board with a superb angular strike.
The hosts tried to comeback and had some good chances including a penalty corner but the Lahore based academy defended well.
In the second quarter, the visitors from Pakistan repeatedly entered the opponent's circle but they were denied goal by some excellent goal keeping.
Half time: 2-0
The Pakistani lads didnt take the foot off the gas on resumption; chances came and went.
But a rough unforced tackle by Naqqash Abbas yielded a PC to MOP in the 38th minute. Christian Oyen's strong push hit the net off line stopper's stick. With the 1-2 scoreline, the match came alive.
Dar HA regained the control of the proceedings and in the 43rd minute, Ajmal Butt finished a wonderful move initiated by himself with a spectacular diving reverse hit from the top of the circle.
With the two goal cushion restored, the Dar HA went all out in attack. The fourth goal was scored by a diving Zulqarnain positioned close to goal in the 47th minute. The short pass was sent by Mohammad Usman from right side of the circle. Despite completely dominating the play, the Dar HA couldn't add to the tally. Nevertheless, it was a good beginning of the 2 week tour.
Dar Hockey Academy: 4 (Ajmal Butt 2, Usman Nazim & Zulqarnain)
MOP Club, Vught: 1 (Christian Oyen)
Ijaz Chaudhry writes on hockey & other sports. For more about him and his work, visit: www.sportscorrespondent.info
Fieldhockey.com
Dar Academy edged past Rosmalen 2-1 in Netherlands
By Ijaz Chaudhry
It was their second game of the tour in as many days. Dar Academy youngsters(under 19) faced quite a strong Rosmalen side with almost all the players from their first team with ages ranging from 24 to 26.
One of the umpires for the match, Rob Lathouwers is the most renowned whistle blower in hockey's history.
Thought the scoreline suggests a narrow win but it was a fully merited win on the run of play.
In the first half, the Pakistani lads dominated the possession. Their attacks came in waves through mesmerising moves as well as individual thrusts. But they failed to make the chances count.
Rosmalen rarely entered the circle though they had the only penalty corner of the period. An excellent deflection off a long ball into circle was saved by the well positioned Dar HA net minder Awai.s
The second half was more competitive. The very first minute saw Mohammad Usman missing a sitter. With only goal keeper to beat, his delayed shot was well stopped by the charging shot stopper.
Soon Rosmalen wasted two penalty corners. In the 30th minute, the goal which had been coming ever since the match started eventually arrived. M. Usman made amends. Given a clear run off a long pass from Dar HA's 23 m area, he sprinted into the circle and beat the goal keeper with a angular shot.
After wasting another PC, the Dar HA doubled the advantage. A cross by Ajmal Butt parallel to goal line was tapped in by Farhan showing superb opportunism.
Rsmalen came back into the match in the 47th minute when Koert Stovers' PC flick went into the net off the line stopper's stick. Last 13 minutes were really thrilling as up and down game ensued. Both the sides got opportunities but it remained 2-1 in favour of the Lahore based academy.
SCORERS:
Dar HA: M.Usman & Farhan
Rosmalen: Koert Stovers
Ijaz Chaudhry writes on hockey & other sports. For more about him and his work, visit: www.sportscorrespondent.info
Fieldhockey.com
Kearsney hosts first major 5s hockey tournament
Deshni Ramkissoon
The new format, introduced by the Federation of International Hockey to grow the sport, is based on a new international hockey format offering a fast-paced, high-intensity equivalent of the game.
19 hours ago
THE inaugural Belgotex Sport Kearsney Hockey Fives Tournament, which gets underway this weekend (18-20 August), is the first major 5s tournament on the South African schools’ calendar.
Based on a new international hockey format offering a fast-paced, high-intensity equivalent of the game, this new format has been introduced by the Federation of International Hockey to grow the sport. It’s a simplified version of the traditional eleven-a-side game, fielding five players a side, on half the regulatory sized hockey pitch, with an addition of boundary walls.
Hockey 5s is based on the format of the highly successful T20 cricket and Sevens Rugby, and it’s hoped that these modifications will provide a more exhilarating and enjoyable game for both players and spectators.
High school teams which will demonstrate their skills at Kearsney College in Botha’s Hill this weekend are Clifton College, Crawford North Coast, DHS, Glenwood, St Andrews (Bloemfontein), Westville Boys High, hosts Kearsney and an invitation team.
Participating primary schools are Bonisanani Senior Primary, Ashton, Chelsea Prep, Curro HCA, Glenwood Prep, Highbury, Hillcrest Primary, Pelham, Reddam Umhlanga, Umhlali Prep, Westville Senior Primary and Winston Park.
A number of South African hockey stars will be on hand to offer coaching session to tournament participants. They include Bili Ntuli, a Kearsney old boy who was SA hockey captain in 2014 and is a SA men’s outdoor player; Ross Hetem, SA men’s outdoor player who has played club hockey in England; Richard Curtis, SA men’s indoor and outdoor goal keeper who has also played in Germany; and Dan Sibbald, SA men’s outdoor player who has played in Australia.
Hockey 5’s has gained considerable traction around the world in recent years, making its debut at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games. Following the success there, it will be played at the upcoming Olympic Games next year.
In South Africa, the game has been gradually growing and gaining attention as more and more schools, clubs and franchises now offer Hockey 5’s.
Sponsor Belgotex is one of the country’s leading synthetic sports turf manufacturers.
Highway Mail
Hockey world mourns death of Ute Conen
Germany's Ute Conen was known throughout the world of international hockey and, with her winning smile, vivacious energy and warm personality, was a breath of fresh air wherever she turned up with her whistle. So it was with a collective feeling of great sadness and regret that the hockey world learned of Ute’s death last week after a long illness, shortly before her 54th birthday.
She attended three Olympic Games (Sydney, Athens and Beijing), three World Cups and gained a total of 178 international umpiring caps earned over a range of events that included Junior World Cups, Champions Trophy tournaments, European Club Championships, 4-Nations events and a wide range of test matches.
Ute earned her golden whistle in July 2002 – the only female German umpire to have received the award to date – but it was presented a year later at the KT Cup, held in Seoul, Korea, in 2003. She continued to umpire at the highest level for another five years, ending her international umpiring career at the Beijing Olympics in the role of video umpire.
One of her umpiring colleagues and close friends was Renee Cohen, herself a well-known figure on the umpiring circuit. Speaking about Ute, Renee said: “On the night of 8 to 9 August my great friend for 25 years and my roomie for more than 10 years at various major international tournaments, Ute Conen passed away.
“Slowly but surely it is sinking in and I realise that our meeting at her home only five weeks ago was our final gathering on earth. We started our joint careers, exactly 25 years ago in 1992 at the Under-21 European nations in Edinburgh and from that moment on we were inseparable, umpiring together at the Junior World Cup in Barcelona, many Champion Trophies, two European Nations, two World Cups, two Olympic Games and many more events. Thank you Ute for being a great friend and a wonderful support at so many tournaments.”
FIH CEO Jason McCracken, who was part of the umpiring team with Ute at the Athens Olympics, added: “Ute was an exceptional person inside the Hockey Family and she will be sorely missed. Her performances in three Olympic Games were outstanding. She was a joy to have at a tournament.”
The affable German, said in an interview posted on the DHB website, that her favourite singer was Barbara Streisand. For Renee and Ute’s other friends from the international umpiring community and the wider hockey family, the words from 'The Way We Were' will have a special resonance: “It’s the laughter, we will remember. Whenever we remember, the way we were.”
FIH site