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News for 11 August 2018

All the news for Saturday 11 August 2018


2018 Test Matches : CAN v FRA (M) - 3rd Test
Burlington (USA)

CAN v FRA     1 - 6

France lead the 4 match series 2 - 0 with the 2nd test ending in a draw

2018 Test Matches:THA v HKG (M)
Pathumthani (THA)

10 Aug 2018     THA v HKG     3 - 1
11 Aug 2018     THA v HKG     2 - 0

Thailand lead the 3 match series 2 - 0

FIH Match Centre



2018 PSi International Test Matches: ZIM v NAM (M) - 1st test
Harare (ZIM)

ZIM v NAM     2 - 6 (1 - 3)

2018 PSi International Test Matches: ZIM v RSA (W) - 1st test
Harare (ZIM)

ZIM v RSA     2 - 4 (2 - 3)

FIH Match Centre



SPAR South Africa ready for historic Indoor test series against Zimbabwe



It was almost poetic that on National Women’s Day, the SPAR South Africa women’s hockey team gathered together to travel to Zimbabwe for the first ever International Indoor Hockey test series played in the country.

On the back of the launch of the ever-popular Pro Series Indoor in Zimbabwe, the SPAR South African ladies will take on the hosts in a five-match series at Hellenic School in Harare. It is the first senior international hockey of any form played in Zimbabwe for about 8 years and a great sign for the development of African Hockey.

This is the first indoor hockey for SPAR South Africa since their victorious participation in the Croatia Cup in January and offers a small taste tester for the remainder of the year. There is a five-match series against Namibia planned for October, while a four-match exhibition series against a World All-Stars will meet the team in December.

SPAR South Africa will once again be led by 62-cap skipper Cindy Hack, who was player of the tournament in Croatia, and features Jessica O’Connor as the other senior player, having amassed 60 caps for the national team. The team also features two exciting new caps. 18-year-old Edith Molikoe, a prodigious talent from the Eastern Cape, will make her International debut and is a name that you will hear a lot about going forward. Zimi Shange has been around the squad for a while but will earn her first cap in this series as the alternate keeper with Cheree Greyvenstein.

“We are so incredibly excited to be here for the first ever indoor test series in Zimbabwe,” shared captain Cindy Hack “it’s a great opportunity to get back into the swing of indoor hockey and to introduce a few younger players to the international stage. We would like to thank SPAR for continuing to support our indoor hockey journey.”

In a warm up game yesterday, SPAR South Africa emerged victorious with a 7-1 victory over the super spirited Zimbabwe “A” side, young star Tegan Fourie netting four of the goals, with Cindy Hack, Jess O’Connor and Edith Molikoe getting the others. It was a great warm-up to get used to the venue, put together for this weekend specifically, and the incredibly quick floor provided by Belgotex.

With more than 200 kids playing in the Psi series, the SPAR South Africa side will be sure of a vociferous crowd supporting the home side and creating a challenging environment. What more could you ask for!

South Africa vs. Zimbabwe Test Series Fixture

10th August (16:00) – First Test RSA 4 ZIM 2
11th August (10:00) – Second Test
11th August (18:00) – Third Test
12th August (16:00) – Fourth Test
13th August (16:00) – Fifth Test

SA Hockey Association media release



Pakistan hockey squad off to Indonesia



KARACHI: Pakistan hockey squad left for to Jakarta in the wee hours of Saturday here to feature in the upcoming Asian Games which kick off on August 18. The players, who reassembled in the camp on Wednesday following a short break, concluded their training on Friday at the Islahuddin-Dr M. A. Shah Hockey Stadium. Meanwhile, according to sources, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) had paid part of the outstanding dues of the Jakartabound players the other day following hue and cry by them.

The Daily Times



Nothing less than hockey gold will do for India’s Sardar


Indian sports minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore gives a kit to Indian hockey player Sardar Singh during the send-off ceremony to the Indian contingent for the Jakarta-Palembang 2018 Asian Games in New Delhi yesterday. (AFP)

Anything less than the gold medal will be a disappointment for the Indian men’s hockey team at the Asian Games in Indonesia, veteran midfielder Sardar Singh said yesterday.

Former hockey giant India won the last of their eight Olympic golds in 1980 but remain a strong continental force who won the men’s title at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon. Australia denied them via shoot-off in the final of this year’s Champions Trophy but India’s strong run in the elite tournament has convinced Sardar of their Asiad credentials.

“Gold medal,” the former India captain told reporters when asked about the team’s prospects in Indonesia.

“I’ll be absolutely disappointed if it’s anything else. And I believe (being a senior player), I have a bigger role, to make sure the team fights together and we win the medal.”

Harendra Singh was appointed coach of the men’s team following their fourth place finish at the Commonwealth Games and Sardar admitted it was not easy adapting to a new style.

“It’s never easy because every new coach brings new ideas, new style. I have worked with several coached in the last 10-12 years and each of them preferred a different strategy,” said the 32-year-old.

“But now we have a new coach, who knows the Indian culture. He has grown a lot as a coach and has done well with the women’s team. He knows the strength and weakness of this team.

“Besides, I believe communication in that two-minute period after every quarter is crucial and he speaking to the players in Hindi easily gets the message across. It’s a clear advantage.”

Sardar did not hide his disappointment at being dropped from the Commonwealth Games squad but insists he has moved on. “They pointed out certain areas they wanted me to improve on. I took it positively and worked on it. I thank the selectors for showing trust in me again.”

Having played 300 matches for India since making his international debut in 2006, Sardar is now looking forward to drive India’s campaign for their fourth hockey Asiad gold in the men’s competition.

“I have received certain instructions about my role in the midfield,” he said. “We need to keep it simple. We have some outstanding forwards, who are real fast and eye contact is important.

“The aim is to feed them long passes, which is my strength, as quickly as possible. That would help the team. I have to ensure we don’t easily lose the ball to opponents. These are small areas but we need to work on them.”

Gulf Times



Sardar back where he belongs

Drafted in as midfielder to feed forwards with quick, long passes

Vinayak Padmadeo

For obvious reasons Sardar Singh, the most experienced player in the men’s hockey team, is reluctant to dwell on why he was dropped ahead of this year’s Commonwealth Games.

Sjoerd Marijne, then the men’s team coach, was very keen on getting younger players in the team. The selectors too agreed and a few of the seniors including Sardar and Ramandeep Singh were kept out of the side.

The justification given then was that the veteran was slowing down the flow of play. However, the team failed to reach the podium at the Commonwealth Games. After his rehabilitation under the new coach Harendra Singh, Sardar said he was looking forward to helping the team in his new role as a midfielder. Ever since he made his senior national debut as a right inside in 2006, the 32-year-old has been handed different roles in the team. At the Rio Olympics, he was played as a withdrawn forward. After the Games, he was employed in the sweeper-back role.

The Sirsa ace is the second Indian after former captain Dillip Tirkey to be selected on the FIH’s All-star team. He was selected as a full-back in 2010, but his role changed to that of a centre-half in 2011. At the 2017 Asia Cup he was played as a defender, a role he is more comfortable with. But ahead of the 2018 Asian Games, the veteran has been asked to play the key role in the midfield.

“I have been asked to play as a midfielder with specific instructions,” Sardar said on the sidelines of the official sending off of the Indian contingent on Friday.

“Key is to keep the play simple. We have speedy forwards in the team with whom I have a terrific coordination. The target is to feed them with quick, long passes, which is my strength. This will help the team. We have also been asked to avoid giving easy turnovers in the centre of the pitch. These are some of the things that we are working as a team,” he added.

Limelight

Sardar’s new role has once again brought him in the limelight. His positional plays, link-ups with the forwards and general passage of play will all be minutely scrutinized. More importantly, it is a make-or-break tournament for the veteran. A slip-up or a bad day may impact his selection for the season-ending World Cup later this year.

“It is important to be quick in your movements. Our trainer at the camp has specifically planned a session for me and a few others twice a week. And we are doing all we can to address the issue,” he said.

But the axe still bothers him. “All of us knew that 2018 was a very important year and our preparation was going well accordingly. Then we got a new coach before the World Hockey League and he wanted to try out a few youngsters. So I was given rest for that tournament. In fact, most of the core probables (32 players) were given a chance. For me the last tournament was Azlan Shah. Then I thought I will be part of the CWG team but they said they had selected the best team. I have taken the drop in a positive way and now they have given me another chance, so I want to thank the Hockey India selectors,” he said.

“But now when I am back I will try to keep the bunch together and help each other so that we come back with the gold medal.”

The Tribune



Thanks to Indian coach, words are not lost in translation anymore: Sardar Singh


Sardar Singh - File Photo, PTI

Senior players Sardar Singh and Manpreet Singh say having an Indian as the national team's head coach has broken all communication barriers and tactically too Harendra Singh is no less than any of his foreign counterparts.

Harendra, who was appointed in May, coached India to a second straight runners-up finish at the Champions Trophy last month.

"I still remember Harendra paaji had called me to a national camp 15-16 years ago. We go back a long way. I played under him even when he was assisting Jose Brasa in 2009," Sardar told PTI. "It is a different feeling working with an Indian coach. We can discuss anything with him under the sun. He also openly advises us and knows that as senior players we can't change our game completely," he added.

There is still time to explain things during training but absorbing coach's advice during the two-minute break between quarters can be tough. That is where Harendra has made a massive difference. "If you see he has given results whether it is with the women's team or the men's junior side which won the World Cup. He has worked with the best of coaches. One big positive (after his arrival) is that we all communicate in Hindi now.

"With foreigners, even if you miss a single point during those two-minute breaks it can create confusion in the minds of the players. The coach is observing the game from the outside and he can tell you right away (what needs to be done) in your own language. There is not much time anyway to absorb anyway, so a language that all understand helps immensely," said the 32-year-old midfielder.

Sardar's long-time India teammate Manpreet concurred with his view on Harendra. "Whenever a new coach comes, he has to make sure that we don't change our styles of play. Our strength has always been attack and counter-attack. Harendra paaji knows how to make best use of speedy forwards like S V Sunil and Akashdeep," said Manpreet.

"He is a very positive person. In short time, he says the right things. He has improved a lot tactically, having worked with the best coaches in the business, though he says 'he is still learning'." So, has the time come when India can end their obsession with foreign coaches? "I think we can put an end to that practice. You saw how we performed in Champions Trophy," said Mandeep.

India will be defending their Asian Games title in Jakarta later this month. A gold again will secure them a spot at the 2020 Olympics. Both Sardar and Manpreet are aiming for an encore which will lessen the pain of a medal-less performance at the Commonwealth Games in April. "We all are thinking about the gold. That secures our Olympic qualification and gives us more time to prepare for Tokyo," said Manpreet.

Sardar said the the current Indian team doesn't settle for anything less than a gold anymore. "When I started playing, we used to be 12th or 13th in the rankings. Now we are fifth. You must have observed even during the Champions Trophy that we were not happy with the silver medal at all. We had gone there to win gold. So the mindset has changed completely.

"We lost the final in the shoot-off but in the 60 minutes we had the ball, more possession and the other statistics were in our favour. We faltered in the shoot-out and that is something we have been working on after every training session," he said. "The Asian Games will not be as tough as the Champions Trophy but you can't take any team lightly. In modern hockey, it is very important to read the game of your opponents."

Sardar is on a comeback trail after being dropped from the Commonwealth Games. Back then, the thought he may not play for India again but he overcame that phase to earn a recall for the Champions Trophy. "I did feel the pressure when I came back. My mindset was to give my best. My role in the team has also changed a bit. If you noticed, it is all about quick passing now, I don't hold the ball for long anymore," he concluded.

The Star of Malaysia



Counting on our veteran

By Aftar Singh



KUALA LUMPUR: Goalkeeper S. Kumar (pic), regarded as one of the best hockey goalkeepers in the world, wants to help Malaysia win the elusive Asian Games gold medal in Jakarta.

The Tampin-born player played a pivotal role in the World League Semi-Finals in London in June last year to help Malaysia finish a creditable fourth place and also to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Bhubaneswar, India, from Nov 28-Dec 16.

The 38-year-old was named the best goalkeeper in the tournament for making a number of excellent saves.

For Malaysia, winning the gold medal will earn them an automatic berth for the 2020 Olympics.

Malaysia have not featured in the Olympics since in 2000 in Sydney.

The 38-year-old Kumar said that this would be his fifth and last Asian Games.

“We came very close to win the gold in Guangzhou eight years ago but eventually lost to Pakistan in the final.

“We want to go one better and create history by winning the gold and qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

“We have not featured in Olympics for the past 18 years,” said Kumar, who has represented Malaysia 299 times since 1999.

For the Asian Games, Malaysia are drawn in Group B with Pakistan, Oman, Bangladesh, Thailand and Indonesia while Group A comprises defending champions India, South Korea, Japan, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong.

“We can expect a torrid time in the group matches.

“We need to finish top two in our group to qualify for the semi-finals.

“Our toughest challenge will be in the semi-finals as we will face either Asia Cup champions India or the speedy South Koreans for a place in the final.

“I hope my teammates can play well like they did in the World League Semi-Finals in London last year to defy the odds and win the gold medal.

“It will be tough but not impossible,” said Kumar, who was named the best goalkeeper in the 2009 Asia Cup in Kuantan and the following year he was also named the best goalkeeper at the Guangzhou Asian Games.

Kumar was the first Malaysian player to be named the best Asian player in 2011 and was also drafted into the Asian All-Star team in 2011 for his efforts at the Guangzhou Asian Games.

The Star of Malaysia



USA Field Hockey's Junior USMNT Inspires Young Players

David Fierro, Greenwich Time


Image by Matthew Brown / Hearst Connecticut Media

There was instruction, a game and excitement at Sacred Heart Greenwich on Thursday.

Sacred Heart Greenwich was the site where USA Field Hockey’s Under-19 junior national team played a friendly game against Chile, after a group of youngsters learned the skills of the sport from national coaches.

USA Field hockey in an effort to promote the sport in the nation, held three free field hockey clinics at Sacred Heart, the last of which took place Thursday and judging by the number of kids that turned out, it was indeed, a success.

“This is great, especially for Connecticut field hockey,” said Abdel Elkettani, who is the junior varsity field hockey coach at Sacred Heart and helped coach the youngsters and the U-16 U.S. national squad at the clinics. “It’s great for the kids, we are really honored to be hosting this program here at Sacred Heart.”

Elkettani said 20 children attended the opening clinic, followed by 25 the second day and more than 30 turned out on Thursday. Girls and boys competed in each clinic.

“Having that amount of kids is a really good signal for field hockey,” Elkettani said.

Sacred Heart’s water-based turf, which is used for field hockey, helped draw the clinic to the school. The clinics took place Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 3:15-4:30 p.m.

“The field is amazing, it’s the best field we can have,” Elkettani said. “You can do things on this turf that you can’t do on other turf fields. It helps players work more on their skills.”

The U.S. junior national under-19 team is playing four exhibition games against Chile this week at Sacred Heart. After losing their first two games, the U.S. beat Chile, 4-3, on a penalty corner after time expired on Thursday. They have their final game on Friday against Chile.

Will Holt, a member of the United States men’s national team, was present to help instruct the U-19 and U-16 squads this week at Sacred Heart.

Holt has played on the national team since 2007.

“It’s awesome, I’ve had some cool life experiences and have competed against the best players in the world every day,” said Holt, who is on the coaching staff of the men’s U-15 team as well. “I’ve competed in Pan Am Games, Olympic Trials, World Cup qualifiers and World League events. Field hockey is a big sport. A lot of people in the U.S. don’t know it, but it’s the third biggest sport in the world.”

USA Field Hockey is trying to grow the sport in the country and clinics like the one that was held this week at Sacred Heart is one of the ways they are trying to get the message out — that the sport is for both girls and boys.

“I’ve played on the U.S. men’s national team when I was 17 in 2010, and it’s been one of the best experiences of my life,” Mike Barminski said. “It’s taken me around the world and I have made lasting friendships from being on the team. Clinics that we had this week are great. It shows how fun the sport is to play and it’s great for developing skills in a fun atmosphere.”

Said Rutger Wiese, the U.S. junior national team coach: “The facility here at Sacred Heart is great, we are so happy to be here. Our team worked hard and has improved every game against tough competition.”

USFHA media release



EuroHockey inspiring young female coaches


EuroHockey speaks to three aspiring young female coaches Photo: EuroHockey

This week's Global Project comes from the EuroHockey Under-18 Championship, Santander.

It was a historic EuroHockey Championship for Belgium women as they claimed their first ever slot in the Championship final, led by Head Coach Emily Calderon.

Indeed two of the other teams - England, who finished third, and Spain who stayed in this tough division, finishing fifth, were also led by female Head Coaches, Sarah Kelleher and Mar Feito respectively.

As an unusual but salient fact and an indicator that whilst the majority of coaches (clubs and schools) in Europe are female, it is a small, but growing number that pushes through to take the top job as Head Coach.

"I’ve been coached by a lot of female coaches, the difference is the number of female coaches as soon as you get to high performance - I think there should be more! As the world is changing, there is a greater recognition of creating environments where people can flourish and be themselves."
Sarah Kelleher, England Under-18 Head Coach

Emily, Sarah and Mar took time out of their busy week to chat with us about their route to coaching, their experiences and possibly most importantly what wise words they have to other female coaches who want to achieve at high-performance level.

Mar’s route to coaching was not exactly planned, like a lot of things in life, when no one is there to do something, someone has to step up!

She said: “I did not decide to be a coach, I was directed towards it due to the lack of coaches in my club as a player!”

As a young woman, she was exposed to different kinds of training for different sports and then specific to hockey when she made the Spanish national team. Her belief is to develop the player well before a tournament and to make sure they believe in themselves.

Asking her if she believes that women have a different approach to male coaches she said: “I’ve been trained by both sexes.” Her experience is that: “Women contribute in women’s hockey with more empathy than men towards their players for the simple fact of being a woman.”

Emily’s route was a bit different as she was always, even as a player, drawn to the tactical side of the game. She said: “As a player, I already enjoyed the tactical part of the game. I loved the feeling of giving training and seeing kids evolve at every training session, and seeing their faces after they played a good game or scored a nice goal.”

Not untypical of most hockey players she started her coaching in her club. “From the age of 15 I started giving training at my home club and I have always enjoyed it. After my studies, I gave myself a year to try to be a full-time hockey coach/performance analyst. I told myself that I would continue for as long as I was making steps forward every year.”

Her advice to female coaches who want to achieve at a high level is not to be shy. She said: “Dare to share your opinion. As (coaching) is a man’s world you will often surprise and impress by having a different view on things.”

On whether men or women coach differently she didn’t agree, saying: “I was lucky enough to have female coaches as examples throughout my career. For me, the skills don’t really differ.”

Sarah, England’s Head Coach, a former Irish International, on what made her take the coaching path, said: “I played for a number of years at a high level and became interested in a different way of coaching. I went and did a lot of studies around high potential and how we get players to be their absolute best.”

She found that she loved coaching as much as she did playing, which surprised her “There is some joy in working with a group of people and having an end goal in mind and actually really achieving their goals. That sense of togetherness and to enjoy ourselves and play exciting, attacking gritty hockey. I got hooked.”

On gender “I’ve been coached by a lot of female coaches, the difference is the number of female coaches as soon as you get to high performance. I think there should be more! As the world is changing, there is a greater recognition of creating environments where people can flourish and be themselves. So whether coaches are male or female, players are now treated as people in a very holistic way.”

Her words of wisdom for younger coaches who want to achieve at high performance? “I think the key is to set a goal to be the best coach you can be. When a door opens feel ready to accept the challenge, even though you might feel nervous. Know that you have the capability. You don’t have to be the loudest person in the room. Absolutely be ‘on it’ when it comes to helping people develop and you know what it’s ok to not know everything! In fact, I always say I’m going to have an 'L' on my back as a coach, I’m always learning, and that’s ok, we are all on this journey together.”

“As a young female coach, I would say, back yourself, when the opportunity comes, walk in the door with your head up and share your view in a confident way. Have enough humility to ask questions and that is just as good as thinking you have all the answers.”

There's plenty of advice for young female coaches who see a career path in high performance. As and 'Equally Amazing' sport, it is fantastic to see how these coaches have achieved their goals and are still on their own personal coaching journeys. The EHF offers many educational pathways for coaches, for more information click here.

COURTESY OF THE EUROPEAN HOCKEY FEDERATION

#GlobalProjects

FIH site



ABN AMRO Cup raises the curtain on the new Hoofdklasse season



The preliminary rounds of the ABN AMRO Cup will take place on Thursday, August 16 with HC Rotterdam looking to defend the title they have won for the last two years.

Now in its 11th season, the ABN AMRO Cup sees the 12 Hoofdklasse clubs divided into four regional groups of three who play off in a round-robin over one night.

This leads into the finals weekend on August 18 and 19 at Rotterdam with the competition raising the curtain for the new Hoofdklasse season.

Pool 1 will take place in Amersfoort with Kampong, SCHC and Almere battling it out; Pool 2 is in Alliance with Bloemendaal, Amsterdam and Pinoke in a top class group. JOKE host Pool 3 with HC Oranje-Rood, Den Bosch and Tilburg and the fourth group sees newly promoted Klein Zwitserland involved with HGC and Rotterdam at Victoria.

Entry to the ABN AMRO Cup is free on all days. The schedule can be found on www.abnamrocup.nl. The Hoofdklasse will begin a week later on August 26.

Euro Hockey League media release



Emotional Alyson Annan reveals tough day at Hockey World Cup final

By The Hockey Paper


Holland beat Ireland 6-0 in final PIC: England Hockey

Dutch coach Alyson Annan has admitted to a tough day watching Holland defend their World Cup title at the weekend.

Annan’s brother died of a heart attack at the age of 39, seven years to the day that she oversaw victory with the Dutch women’s team in London.

On the morning of the match, Annan posted a message on Facebook: “Great dear brother. Seven years ago. I miss and love you so much.”

After Holland’s 6-0 victory over Ireland, she said: “It wasn’t the easiest day. I looked up a few times. I tried to squeeze it all day.

“I sat alone for a few moments. You want him to be there. If I’m very honest and I can exchange one for the other, I’ll trade this world title for my brother.”

Victory was Annan’s third world title after winning hockey’s showpiece as a player with the Hockeyroos in 1994 and 1998.

Adding of her late brother, she told reporters: “He would be proud of me. He made me who I am. I used to play against him for hours. One against one. He was a good hockey player. He was always hard, but had a big heart. He was a sweet man.”

Annan was confident her team would add the London title to their 2014 victory in The Hague.

“I knew in advance that if we would play good hockey, we could win big, but you still have to make it happen”, Annan said.

“It feels like a well deserved victory, and we have shown the best hockey from all the countries that compete, and we are simply the best.”

The Hockey Paper



Fatima Moreira de Melo: Success wherever she goes



Fatima Moreira de Melo is a name you probably know already, with her three Olympic medals as well as success in the Women’s Hockey World Cup and Women’s Hockey Champions Trophy. As the winner of Rotterdam Sportswoman of the Year in 2006, Fatima has seen plenty of success on the hockey pitch.

It is quite clear that Fatima is naturally gifted in the sport of field hockey, with success right from the beginning of her career. Since her first international outing as a striker for the Netherlands Women’s national field hockey team in 1997, she played 257 official hockey games, scoring 35 goals for the Dutch team. The Netherlands has the world’s most successful women’s national field hockey team, thanks to Fatima and her teammates.

However, hockey is not Fatima’s only sport; she’s also a professional poker player, achieving much success in the most popular variant of poker known as Texas Hold ‘em. Almost immediately after finishing her hockey career, Fatima began playing professionally in the Master Classics of Poker and European Poker Tour events.

Success in hockey and poker haven’t been enough for Fatima. Wherever she focuses her attention, she finds success. In 2006, she demonstrated how hard she works by acquiring a master’s degree in law in the same year as taking part of the World Cup, winning for the Netherlands’ Women’s national field hockey team.

Fatima is no stranger to television either, with appearances in several TV advertisements, including a three-year stint for the Dutch banking firm Rabobank. Following the TV ads, Fatima appeared on several reality TV shows, including a singing competition called ‘It Takes Two’ where she made it to the finals with her singing coach, Glennis Grace. She was also the winner of the Dutch equivalent to “Survivor”, where she was left on a deserted island for 33 days.

Fatima’s list of current jobs includes her working as a model for Zinzi, an international fashion jewelry brand that was founded in 2003. And alongside Kim Feenstra, Fatima is described as one of Zinzi’s ‘best friends’ and has been part of nearly all the company’s advertisements. This work has seen Fatima featured in magazines and on billboards, with her travelling across Europe for photo shoots to locations such as London, Monaco, Valencia, Marbella, Venice and Paris.

Working alongside her partner and ex-professional tennis player, Raemon Sluiter, Fatima has also worked with Autohaag Zeeuw, a Holland-based car dealership brand that saw them promoting several Renaults.

Although it is quite evident from her success in several different spheres, Fatima discussed her confidence, open-mindedness and willingness to learn during an interview with poker journalist, Lee Davy, stating that proving to people she was more than a little woman has been helpful in bluffing in poker games

In addition to her professional careers, Fatima is a prominent advocate of Right To Play, a global organisation that educates and empowers little ones that face adversity by allowing them to play sports and games. Through this play, they can build life skills to improve their lives and drive social change within their communities. Fatima believes that playing sports allowed her to succeed in life and feels that Right To Play is an excellent way to help the little ones in disadvantaged areas of the world.

The Hockey Paper

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