POWER PACKED: Song Quing Ling of China and Anneke Boehmert of Germany in action during the Women's Champions Trophy in Germany. The German ladies won 2-0. 23/05/08
THE National Under-16 hockey tournament starts today in Alor Star, with defending champions Perak starting as the early favourites.
Perak beat Johor 2-1 in the final last year, and the Silver State has Selangor and Negri Sembilan for company in Group A this year.
The top two teams from each group advances into then quarter-finals, and Perak will have it easy, because their group has only three teams.
Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) coaching chairman C. Paramalingam said scouts will be on the lookout for new talent from the Under-16.
"We need more goalkeepers from this age group, because we do not want to be stuck like the present situation, where there is a limited choice for national call-ups.
"Shahid (Ali Khan) will be on the look out for goalkeepers, and we hope to select as many as possible and start training them from now," said Paramalingam.
Shahid, from Pakistan, is the national goalkeepers coach, and has been retained by the MHF until the Asia Cup next year.
"I have also appointed a few development coaches, and they will select a pool of talent from the Under-16," said Paramalingam.
Group A: Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan; Group B: Johor, Perlis, Terengganu, Kedah; Group C: Kuala Lumpur, Pahang, Singapore, Sabah; Group D: Penang, Kelantan, Malacca, Sarawak.
TODAY: Group D -- Penang v Kelantan (8am); Group C: Kuala Lumpur v Pahang (3pm); Group B: Johor v Terengganu (5pm).
TOMORROW: Group D: Malacca v Sarawak (7.30am); Group C: Singapore v Sabah (9am); Group A: Perak v Selangor (3pm); Group B: Perlis v Kedah (5pm).
THE National Under-16 hockey tournament starts today in Alor Star, with defending champions Perak starting as the early favourites.
Perak beat Johor 2-1 in the final last year, and the Silver State has Selangor and Negri Sembilan for company in Group A this year.
The top two teams from each group advances into then quarter-finals, and Perak will have it easy, because their group has only three teams.
Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) coaching chairman C. Paramalingam said scouts will be on the lookout for new talent from the Under-16.
"We need more goalkeepers from this age group, because we do not want to be stuck like the present situation, where there is a limited choice for national call-ups.
"Shahid (Ali Khan) will be on the look out for goalkeepers, and we hope to select as many as possible and start training them from now," said Paramalingam.
Shahid, from Pakistan, is the national goalkeepers coach, and has been retained by the MHF until the Asia Cup next year.
"I have also appointed a few development coaches, and they will select a pool of talent from the Under-16," said Paramalingam.
Group A: Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan; Group B: Johor, Perlis, Terengganu, Kedah; Group C: Kuala Lumpur, Pahang, Singapore, Sabah; Group D: Penang, Kelantan, Malacca, Sarawak.
TODAY: Group D -- Penang v Kelantan (8am); Group C: Kuala Lumpur v Pahang (3pm); Group B: Johor v Terengganu (5pm).
TOMORROW: Group D: Malacca v Sarawak (7.30am); Group C: Singapore v Sabah (9am); Group A: Perak v Selangor (3pm); Group B: Perlis v Kedah (5pm).
