Women put on a brave front

19/07/2002

THE national women's hockey team were deemed not good enough for the Busan
Asian Games, but they have been fielded for the Manchester Commonwealth
Games.
Common sense will tell that the Asian Games is where the young and
inexperienced hockey players should head for, and not the Commonwealth
Games where they are going to get mauled.
But nothing can be done right now. The Commonwealth Games ticket fell on
Malaysia's laps when Jamaica withdrew, so the women put on a brave front
and trained like crazy. On days when they had university examinations,
they trained at night.
And eventhough they know that the best that they can do is try and
finish sixth in the eight-pool tournament, a fierce determination is
painted on all the girls faces.
The bonding in the women's team is there for all to see, and they hug
and kiss each other, even with team officials, to console and consolidate
their quest not to turn into a whipping side.
The squad, with an average age of 19, will be charting the future of
women's hockey in the country which badly needs results.
From the sixteen selected, only eight have played in the Sea Games and
the World Cup Qualifier in France last year - the rest are under-18
players who will be spreading their wings for the first time on foreign
soil.
But even before the first whistle, they received the unkindest cut by
being grouped with Scotland, South Africa and Australia. Australia are
their last group opponents and the Commonwealth Games defending champions,
World and Olympic champions are expected to have a field day against our
girls.
At the `98 Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games, the Malaysians lost 11-0 to
Australia.
Their opening match is against Scotland and it is their best bet for
goals, and victory will be considered a big upset. At the KL Games,
Malaysia lost 2-1 and at the World Cup Qualifier, Malaysia lost 4-2. South
Africa are the dark continent because Malaysia have never met them.
Malaysian Hockey Federation (women's section) secretary S. Shamala,
always busy as a bee, feels that the exposure will do the team a great
favour.
"Since this is a young side, I feel that the exposure in Manchester will
prepare them to put up a challenge in the 2006 Asian Games," said Shamala.
(END)