NSC snubs academy

20/06/2003

THE Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) academy delegation received a cold
shoulder from National Sports Council (NSC) director general Datuk Mazlan
Ahmad yesterday.
Led by MHF deputy president Tan Sri P. Alagandra and vice-president Dr
S.S. Cheema, they went back looking dejected as their plans went out the
window because, according to Mazlan, it was not feasible.
MHF secretary S. Satgunam said Mazlan was not receptive to the idea,
contrary to what they have been reading in the press.
"We went to see Mazlan today (yesterday) with the academy propoasl but
he was not receptive to the idea. He said it was similar to the other
sports academy proposals and will not get off the ground.
"But he gave us the green light to use the Tun Razak Stadium to develop
hockey," said Satgunam.
The academy proposal was to train and coach young, talented players in
modern hockey techniques while at the same time rejuvenate the game at a
grassroots level.
Mazlan was of the opinion that since hockey is already being developed
at the Bukit Jalil and Bandar Penawar Sports Schools, as well as the
centres of excellences nationwide, the academy will only be a waste of
time.
"We cannot go ahead with the academy plans without backing from NSC. So
we will put in another proposal to renovate the Tun Razak Stadium and use
it as our centre of excellence," said Satgunam.
MHF selected 70 players after the Malaysia Schols Sports Council
tournament in Kuantan recently, but it looks like they will have to scrap
their idea of placing the boys in the academy.
The MHF is partly to be blamed for the proposal being thrown out the
window, because despite coming up with an elaborate plan in March to set
up the country's first hockey academy, they placed the idea in cold
storage and kept the NSC waiting.
Mazlan was to meet up with the MHF top brass to discuss the setting up
of the academy but the first meeting was called off by MHF.
The idea of an academy was mooted by Terry Walsh when he was the
national coach, but it failed to get off the ground. The idea was tossed
around in 2000 but it failed to gather momentum, however, the MHF
Technical and Development Commit-tee, chaired by Cheema, tried to make a
concerted effort to get it off the ground, but it looks like it has been
buried for good.
(END)