Jalil gets two years

11/11/2002

THE Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) have entrusted Datuk Jalil Abdul
Majid to chair the all-important Schools Committee, though he failed to
make headway when he was the previous chairman of the Competitions
Committee.
The appointment did take many by surprise, as the Schools Committee was
barely alive when it was led by Datuk Seri Manap Ibrahim, and only a
mammoth effort can bridge the broken link between the Federation and
schools.
The Schools Committee report that was submitted by Manap for the
Biennial General Meeting stated that the committee only met twice during
the last term. But he did not find it necessary to mention in his report
when the committee met and who attended the two meetings.
Manap blamed the low frequency of meetings to the 2002 Kuala Lumpur
World Cup, and went on to say that the programmes for schools were
conducted through the other sub-committees (Technical and Development,
Competitions, Coaching and Umpires Board).
Manap, who was the only vice-president to be ousted in the MHF
elections, went on saying that the Schools Committee must assist the
Malaysian Schools Sports Council, Teachers Training Divisions and
Universities Sports Council in providing technical, material and advisory
assistance and support.
Manap's BGM report under Activity Report, Plan and Proposal was
completely void of any activity that
the committee conducted in the last term but instead, was full of `ifs'
and `buts'.
Extracts from the report: The Schools Committee is working on a three to
five year development plan...
* A sub-committee, within the Schools Committee will be set up to
monitor the progress of the development plan...
* There are about 2,000 schools that are active in hockey. Efforts must
be made to increase this number...
* The MHF is prepared to provide technical assistance to schools to
introduce and promote Indoor Hockey...
* The MHF will assist in organising Annual Training Camps during school
holidays ...
The Schools Committee report went in a roundabout way to say what should
and can be done, but nothing was mentioned of what was implemented in the
last term, suggesting that the committee only existed in name.
Jalil, when he was the chairman of the Competitions Committee, could
never find time to attend meetings, and the hectic competition period of
2000-2002 was run by the MHF Standing Committee.
He has been given a second chance to prove himself, and Jalil owes it to
the future of hockey to put his head into the matter.
Hockey at the school level is almost non existent and the recent
National Under-15 tournament in Terengganu was a mockery as far as skills
and basics were concerned.
Chief coach Paul Lissek was in Terengganu to talent scout and returned
disillusioned. Not a single player in the Under-15 tournament had the
basics and skills to make the age-group training squad.
The blame lies not on the players but the coaches who received a
dressing down from Lissek when he conducted a clinic during the Under-15
tournament.
Jalil has two years to put things back in order.
(END)