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All the news for Saturday 25 May 2019

2019 FIH Pro League (Women) - 25 May

25 May 2019     CHN v BEL (RR)     3 - 3 (Shootout 4 - 5)    Wujin Hockey Stadium, Changzhou

Unofficial Pool Standings

The FIH inexplicably and confusingly use a system not used in any other sports League in the World, of making the Percentage more important than Points until the end of the League when they will revert to Points only. Fieldhockey.com prefers to use the conventional Points and so the Unofficial Pool Standings on this site are reflected in this manner.

FIH Match Centre

India lose 0-4 to S Korea, but win series 2-1

The series already in its pocket, the Indian women’s hockey team lost 0-4 to hosts South Korea in the inconsequential third and final match of the series here today. India had registered back-to-back 2-1 wins over South Korea in the first two games to pocket the series.

India’s defence was put under pressure right from the start as the hosts made successful forays into the striking circle. They earned five penalty corners in the match and converted one in the 29th minute. Jang Heesan opened the scoring followed by quick goals in the 41st minute from Kim Hyunji and Kang Jina. Lee Yuri’s goal in the 53rd minute sealed the match.
“The learning process is always with ups and downs and today was one such experience where we had to deal with setbacks early on and could not recover,” said India’s chief coach Sjoerd Marijne. “But I am happy with our performances in the first two matches. And now we know what we must improve upon to be fully prepared for the FIH Series Finals,” he added.

The Tribune

2019 Test matches RSA v NAM (Women - 1st Test
Randburg, (RSA)

Fixtures (GMT +2)

24 May 2019     RSA v NAM     1 - 0
25 May 2019 11:15     RSA v NAM
25 May 2019 19:30     RSA v NAM

Live stream on https://www.facebook.com/ShoOTTSA/

FIH Match Centre

2019 Test match CAN v FRA (Women)
Ghent (BEL)

24 May 2019     CAN v FRA     6 - 0

FIH Match Centre

Ireland men beat USA 5-0 in Olympic qualifying tournament warm-up match in Dublin


Eugene Magee scored the last of Ireland's five goals

Ireland's men's hockey team beat the USA 5-0 in the first of two Olympic qualifying tournament warm-up games between the sides in Dublin on Friday.

Shane O'Donoghue put Ireland in front and Matty Nelson doubled the lead with a superb deflection from a Eugene Magee cross to make it 2-0 at half-time.

Nelson drove towards the circle and laid off to Sean Murray who beat the keeper with Conor Harte nicking a goal.

Ben Walker added the fourth and then Magee tapped in from two yards.

The teams meet again on Sunday.

BBC Sport

Experimental Scots lose to clinical French in Le Touquet training match



Scotland men lost 6-1 to France in the first of two uncapped training matches in Le Touquet. The experimental Blue Sticks were in the contest but for the third quarter, where a quality French outfit took advantage and scored some clinical goals.

The first half was a good contest and ended 1-1 at half time – Rob Harwood scored for Scotland after a great run and setup by Lee Morton.

The third quarter was where the damage was done. Scotland changed its system to try something new and the French quickly sensed the opportunity. Scotland also went a man down and it ended up 5-1 going into the fourth quarter.

The final quarter saw Scotland play their way back into the contest but it was France who added to their score line and took the win.

Scotland men’s Head Coach Derek Forsyth said, “These are good training games so we’re experimenting and we learned a lot from it. It’s a really good space for us to try things out and add things to our game as we prepare for the Hockey Series Finals.

“The third quarter was difficult for us. We completely changed our system to try something new and it showed us there’s a lot to work on. In the final quarter we went back to our original system and we settled, but were always playing catch up at that point.

“We’re disappointed to lose the match, and with the score line, but it is great learning for us. We’re getting the players together again and playing catch up against a well prepped team, but it’s not about now – it’s about four weeks from now. That’s what we’re working towards.”

Scottish Hockey Union media release

June is a huge month for Scotland U21 men



Scotland U21 men are building towards EuroHockey Junior Championship II (men) in July and have a jam-packed June to prepare them for the drive for promotion.

As part of their preparations a Club All Stars team will take on Scotland U21 men in an action-packed three-match series.

The Club All Stars team has been selected based on nominations from all the Men’s National League clubs and will be coached by All Star coaches David Knipe, Grange’s treble winning coach, and Mike Leonard, who retained Watsonians’ National League 1 status for back-to-back seasons for first time in recent history.

It’s a very strong Club All Stars squad who will take to the pitch and push the Scotland U21s hard as they work towards representing their country in European hockey this summer. The series also offers an opportunity for all players to catch the eye of the Scotland senior men coaching staff who will be at all three matches to view the talent on show.

Scottish Hockey would like to say a huge thank you to all the Club All Stars players; coaches; and their clubs for supporting these matches.

Scotland U21 Men Head Coach Graham Moodie said:

“We’re really looking forward to the Club All Stars series. These are our first matches of an exciting summer and they play a big role in our development and preparation for the European Trophy in Czech Republic in July. We’ve had some training camps so far, but we need to be playing games and the series gives us an opportunity to assess all the squad in competitive matches.

“The reality is, although we have been invited to play other international matches, with limited funding available we just can’t afford to do it. Therefore the opportunity to play tough, competitive games at home is of real benefit and we would like to thank the Club All Stars players and coaches, as well as the clubs for their support in nominating players and hosting the series.

“The boys’ attitude and approach at training has been excellent so far, and I know they will be desperate to show what they can do in these games and get our campaign for the summer off to a positive start.”

Mike Leonard said, “As coaches, David and I are looking forward to the matches. We look forward to providing a real test for the Scotland U21 side in preparation of their European Qualifiers, but also are keen to provide an opportunity for our ‘All Star’ young players, to be seen by National coaches.

“The quality on display will be excellent.”

The series will be held across three National League 1 venues:

Saturday 1st June – 3:30pm Scotland U21 v Club All Stars (Auchenhowie)
Tuesday 4th June – 7:30pm Scotland U21 v Club All Stars (Clydesdale)
Saturday 8th June – 3:30pm Scotland U21 v Club All Stars (Uddingston)

Entry for each match is free.

Also part of the Scotland U21 preparation for the Euros this summer are upcoming challenging series’ against Wales and Ireland.

The Scots will play Wales U21 at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre on 14th-16th June and then go onto play Ireland U21 in Belfast on 28th-30th June.

It all builds towards the EuroHockey Junior Championship II in Plzen Litice, Czech Republic, where Scotland will play in a Pool with Portugal; Russia; and Italy in July.

Scotland U21 Men’s Squad for the three games

Douglas Gourlay (Grange) GK
Martin Rose (University of Edinburgh) GK
Henry Emmett (London Wayfarers) GK
James Nairn (Grange)
Robbie Croll (University of Edinburgh)
Andrew Lochrin (Uddingston)
Ali Richmond (Loughborough University)
Andrew McAllister (Western Wildcats)
Andrew Webb (Loughborough University)
Ewen Mackie (University of Edinburgh)
Sam Weissen (Durham University)
Ben Pearson (University of Edinburgh)
Joe Waterston (Beeston)
Alex Batstone (Bath Buccaneers)
Jamie Golden (Grove Menzieshill)
John Stephen (Grove Menzieshill)
Owen Jenkins Garcia (Western Wildcats)
David Nairn (Clydesdale)
Hamish Roberts (Loughborough University)
Alan Johnston (Grange)
Struan Walker (Clydesdale)
Jack Jamieson (University of Edinburgh)
Andrew McConnell (Western Wildcats)
Fraser Moran (Western Wildcats)
 
All Stars Squad for the three games

Jamie Carnegie – Grove Menzieshill
Albert Rowling – Grove Menzieshill
Paul Martin – Grove Menzieshill
Ben Wilson – Grove Menzieshill
David Bond – Western Wildcats
Nikki Homfray – Western Wildcats
Matt McGinlay – Western Wildcats
Rhury Smith – Western Wildcats
Connor Evans – Uddingston
Jacky Tran – Uddingston
Chris Boyle – Uddingston
Stuart Allan – Hillhead
Matt McIntyre – Hillhead
Graeme Campbell – Hillhead
Fraser Ward – Hillhead
Michael McKenzie – Grange
John McCluskey – Grange
Cammy Fraser – Grange
Frank Ryan – Grange
Tom Swarbrick – Watsonians
Fraser Heigh – Watsonians
Jock Beckenridge – Edinburgh University
Ian Moodie – Edinburgh University
Leo Meinhold – Edinburgh University
Andrew Allan – Clydesdale
Patrick Lonergan – Clydesdale
Gordon Amour – Clydesdale
Dan Coultas – Grange

EuroHockey Junior Championship II (men)

    When: 14-20 July 2019
    Where: Plzen Litice, Czech Republic

14 July | 11:15 | Scotland v Portugal | Pool B
15 July | 18:00 | Russia v Scotland | Pool B
17 July | 11:15 | Scotland v Italy | Pool B
19 July | TBC | TBC
20 July | TBC | TBC

Scottish Hockey Union media release

Alex Danson: England captain and Olympic champion on head injury recovery

Recovering from head injury has been my biggest challenge - Danson

By Becky Grey


Photo: Koen Suyk

Nine months ago, Alex Danson laughed at a joke made by her boyfriend.

It was a seemingly insignificant moment, something that happens often in a relationship.

But for Danson it led to what she describes as the "most challenging part" of her life.

Two years on from winning Olympic hockey gold with her Great Britain team-mates, Danson was on holiday with her now fiance Alex.

He, she says, is "really not that funny". This time he was, and when she threw her head back to laugh, it hit a concrete wall.

The impact gave her what she describes as a mild traumatic brain injury. She has not yet fully recovered.

"It was hard but equally it wasn't a car crash," the 34-year-old tells BBC Breakfast's Sally Nugent. "I didn't fall from a great height. There was no seemingly huge trauma at the time but I knew something wasn't right.

"I remember getting back to the apartment that night and I woke up every hour. I'm an athlete. We spend our life pretending we're fine because you want to compete. We did lots of things wrong. The next day we went running.

"We were on holiday for another couple of days and getting home was a nightmare. I was very unwell. I had my hands on my head at the airport, I was crying.

"By the time I got home, I wasn't well. I had terrible headaches, light sensitivity, noise. I came back and I was in bed in a dark room for a month."


Danson and her fiance on safari. Danson was on holiday in Kenya with her fiance Alex when she hit her head

'I lost the ability to speak'

Danson had captained England at a home World Cup shortly before her holiday in Kenya.

Six weeks after coming home, she joined her team-mates on an away day - doing nothing more strenuous than pottery painting.

"I persuaded the doctor that I'd be able to go," she says. "I went for an hour and all I remember was talking to my team-mate next to me and I lost the ability to speak. I just couldn't say any words.

"Obviously I was frightened but I didn't want to cause a scene so I went back to painting my egg cup. I went home as soon as that session was done.

"I was very sick. I don't remember much. I went to hospital, I was very unwell."

'Noise can make me feel unwell'

When Danson left hospital "sometime later" she was excited, thinking it meant she was better.

But even the journey home was a challenge - Danson made her dad drive slowly, and describes going over bumps as "horrendous".

"That is when the hardest part of this began," she says. "The realisation that head injuries can take time. You have to be aware of that.

"The next few months were really challenging. I was in bed 24 hours a day. I could hardly walk to the bathroom.

"I couldn't bear light, sound, touch, anything. It was almost like my sensory dials had been whacked up. Even holding a conversation, I'd have to talk very slowly.

"I've improved hugely and headaches are my predominant problem. Light is still quite bright and noise can make me feel unwell."


An Instagram post explaining about Danson's injury. Danson told her Instagram followers about the injury in March

'In sickness and in health'

Things are getting better for Danson, but she says she could not have got this far without the support of her family and fiance.

"If you have a head injury there is one person that physically goes through it, but anyone you speak to who's had a head injury would say they're not the only person whose life it affects," she says.

"Their lives overnight were different. When I was still unwell, Alex proposed. He just said, in sickness and in health, he wasn't going anywhere.

"Now I see the magnitude of what he did and the timing in which he did it. It was back in December. We told friends and family who visited us regularly.

"We said then we'd get married in September. We were still saying every week that I'd be better next week. September's coming round and we're not going to change our plans.

"I still believe by September hopefully I'll be 100% better and we'll enjoy our wedding day fully. If not, we'll just alter a little bit."


An Instagram post showing Danson with a ring. Danson got engaged in December

'I can feel your hugs'

More recently, Danson has returned to GB Hockey's training base once a week to spend time with her team-mates.

Helping them understand what she is going through is challenging, so Danson wrote them a letter.

She says: "I said things like: 'Short conversations for me are good. Flood me with positivity. Speak to me about positive things because negative things at the moment for whatever reason, my brain can't process. I can feel your hugs, I can converse but the reality is I have an invisible illness that means I'm not able to live to my capacity.'

"It was making them aware of some of my symptoms and asking for their help in saying: 'Please trust me that I will tell you when I'm better.' I will tell the world when I'm 100% because there will be no stopping me."

'I'm told I'll make a full recovery and I absolutely believe that'

As well as her team-mates, Danson wants others with head injuries to learn from her experience.

"I underreported and I learned the hard way," she says. "If this helps people who have it to be honest about what you're feeling and what you're going through... we'll have days when it's relentless and you think it won't go, but underneath just believe it will."

That belief is one thing Danson has.

"I'm doing everything in my power to be positive and behave as though I'm going to get better," she says. "I'm not playing my sport, I'm nowhere near physically able to do that yet.

"I'm still the same person. I'm still incredibly competitive. I've had the most amazing career. I never thought it would be taken away so abruptly. I still hope to return.

"I'm told I'll make a full recovery and I absolutely believe that."

BBC Sport

Alex Danson reveals brain injury trauma and aims for ‘100%’ recovery

By The Hockey Paper


GB Hockey captain Alex Danson aims to make full recovery PIC: WORLD SPORT PICS

Alex Danson has spoken in further depth over the mild traumatic brain injury which has halted her career as she aims to make a “full recovery”.

Danson, speaking to the BBC, revealed that she hit her head on a concrete wall after tilting her head back to laugh with her now fiance Alex. The couple were on holiday at the time in Kenya when the incident happened after last summer’s World Cup in London.

“We were on holiday for another couple of days and getting home was a nightmare,” she told the BBC. “I was very unwell. I had my hands on my head at the airport, I was crying.

“By the time I got home, I wasn’t well. I had terrible headaches, light sensitivity, noise. I came back and I was in bed in a dark room for a month.”

Describing moments since the incident, it is understandable why her recovery has taken so long and the process she has had to undergo, as well as attempting to understand head trauma.

“The next few months were really challenging. I was in bed 24 hours a day. I could hardly walk to the bathroom,” she added.

“I couldn’t bear light, sound, touch, anything. It was almost like my sensory dials had been whacked up. Even holding a conversation, I’d have to talk very slowly.”

She says that headaches are the crux of the problem, while noise also makes her feel unwell.

Danson, 34 this week, hopes to be “100 per cent better” by September when her wedding is scheduled.

She has also recently visited her GB team-mates at Bisham Abbey in a bid to help them understand the challenges she faces.

She added: “I’m still the same person. I’m still incredibly competitive. I’ve had the most amazing career. I never thought it would be taken away so abruptly. I still hope to return.

“I’m told I’ll make a full recovery and I absolutely believe that.”

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The Hockey Paper