2009: On a high: Bukit Jalil Sports School players celebrate with the trophies and mock cheques after beating Bandar Penawar Sports School 5-4 on penalties to win the 2009 overall title. — KEVIN TAN / The StarTHIS season’s MHF-Milo-NSC Junior Hockey league will see an exciting fight for the title, and placing the bet on five- time double champions Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) will be a risky gamble.
The JHL will also feel the void of two pioneer members, Old La Sallians Association of Klang (Olak) and Tenaga Nasional, as one has called it a day, while the other has combined forces to become stronger.
Olak cited financial reasons for their pull out after playing for 15 straight years since the JHL made its debut in 1995, while Tenaga has combined forces with Bandar Penawar Sports School and will play under the BPSS-Thunderbolt banner.
The merger has made them as the early favourites and BJSS acknowledged that they will have a hard time winning even one title.
The other teams in the nine-team Division One are the Junior teams of Bukit Jalil and Bandar Penawar along with Kijang Mas Kelantan, Anderson Ipoh, MBPJ and new comers Universiti KL and the national women's hockey team (MWHA).
The Kelantan team and Anderson are also considered as potential contenders but it will be interesting to see how the MWHA team fare since they will be playing against the boys.
The women’s team is the outfit that will play in the World Cup qualifier in Chile later this month, where only the gold medallists will play in the World Cup in Argentina.
In the JHL, The top five teams will qualify for the knockout stage with three coming from the lower Division Two.
BJSS coach S. Prakash said that they expected an open title race and it would be foolish to underestimate any of the teams.
“All the teams have hired national juniors and many of my experienced players have also been snapped up these teams.
“We cannot expect to have it easy and neither will this be a two-horse race like the previous two years,” he said.
BJSS won the double in 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009 and have been the League champions since 2003.
The BPSS-Thunderbolt combination should be a top draw but it remains to be seen if they can deliver.
MWHA coach Yahya Atan said that for them it is the chance to gain quality practice matches.
“So we will play hard and try for the title as this will give my team the much needed match practice under match con ditions.
“We are serious and I hope the teams will not take it easy against us,” he said.
The women are also eligible for the points as well as prize money that comes with the title.
TODAY: Division One: BJSS v BJSS Juniors (KLHA Sta dium), Anderson v PJCC (Azlan Shah Stadium), BPSS Thun derbolts v BPSS Juniors (Bandar Penawar Stadium), Malaysian Women’s Hockey Association (MWHA) v UniKL (Seremban Two Stadium).
Division Two: Penang Free School v Ipoh City Council (USM Stadium), Datuk Taha Juniors v Tunku Besar Juniors (Tampin Stadium), SMK Pengkalan Permatang v Sabah Sports Council (Pandamaran Stadium).
All matches start at 5pm.
