Monday, October 6, 2014

Goalkeeper Ash pulls on pads for the Burras

Ash Thomas is preparing to pull on the green-and-gold.
Ash Thomas is preparing to pull on the green-and-gold.
 
NEWS LOCAL: Ash Thomas is the last line of defence, but he wouldn’t have it any other way, and his leadership at the back has earned him a guernsey in the Australian under-21 hockey team.
The 18-year-old from Baulkham Hills is used to playing representative hockey, and has close to a decade under his belt in the keeping pads.
Thomas, who plays representative for the NSW under-21s and Sydney, will be heading to Malaysia to compete at the Sultan Johor Cup with the Burras.
Ash Thomas is from Baulkham Hills.
Ash Thomas is from Baulkham Hills.
Ash Thomas is the last line of defence.
Ash Thomas is the last line of defence.
 
Thomas and his teammates have been selected to pull on the green-and-gold at this tournament as they are prospects for the 2016 Junior World Cup.
The Sultan Johor Cup is a chance for the Aussies to gain valuable first class international experience at junior level.
Australia’s Burras will face Great Britain, India, Malaysia, New Zealand and Pakistan in the six team round-robin competition in Johor Bahru, between October 12-19.
After departing on October 6, Thomas and his team will face Singapore and New Zealand in two warm-up games in Singapore prior to arriving in Malaysia on October 9.
And the young keeper is sure to be tested.
Flashback: Hockey runs in the family, Ash (with his younger brother Cody) in 2010.
Flashback: Hockey runs in the family, Ash (with his younger brother Cody) in 2010.
 
The Burras will be led by Head Coach Ben Bishop, who has served as an assistant coach to the senior men, the Kookaburras, for the past 18 months.
Hockey Australia’s National Junior Coach, Paul Gaudoin, who leads the program said: “The Sultan Johor Cup provides an opportunity for our young athletes to compete on an international stage at the only FIH-endorsed junior international competition outside of the Junior World Cup.”
“It’s a valuable opportunity for our athletes to be exposed to different international playing styles ranging from Asian teams to European teams, and Oceania teams, to experience different cultures, and to be exposed to all that goes on in and around international tournaments,” he said.
“Tours such as this allow us to assess our young athletes on an international stage, to help with their individual development to become Kookaburras of the future.”

India team for Sultan of Johor Cup

NEW DELHI (Times of India): Midfielder Harjeet Singh will lead the 18-member Indian Junior men's hockey team in the 4th Sultan of Johor Cup, to be held in Johor Bahru, Malaysia from October 12-19, Hockey India announced on Monday.
Defending champions India, who would be looking to retain their title, boost of names like Imran Khan, Gurinder Singh and Jarmanpreet Singh, besides Harjeet -- all four of whom have represented the Indian senior men's team at international level.
Forward Imran Khan will be the vice-captain of the side in the tournament.
The team was chosen by HI selectors BP Govinda, Harbinder Singh and RP Singh alongwith the coach of junior men hockey team Harendra Singh, coach B J Kariappa and physiotherapist Vinod Kumar on the basis of the performance of 33 junior men core probables during the selection trials conducted at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium on September 19-20.
"The boys made us proud last year by winning the third edition of the Sultan of Johor Cup and looking at their current form during the training sessions, I am confident that the team picked by selectors is ready to repeat their successful feat," HI secretary general Narinder Batra said.
Sultan of Johor Cup will see a total of six teams -- Australia, Great Britain, Pakistan, New Zealand, Malaysia and India.
India will be facing New Zealand in the opening match on October 12, followed by Great Britain (Oct 13), Pakistan (Oct 15), Malaysia (Oct 16) and Australia (Oct 18).

The preparatory camp for the Sultan of Johor Cup is underway at the National Stadium since September 13 and will continue till the team's departure on October 9.

The list of players:

Goalkeepers: Abhinav Kumar Pandey, Subodh Tirkey.
Defenders: Harmanpreet Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Dipsan Tirkey, Anand Lakra, Varun Kumar, Gurinder Singh.
Midfielders: Santa Singh, Sumit, Harjeet Singh (Captain), SH Nilkantha Sharma, Simranjeet Singh.
Forwards: Imran Khan (Vice-Captain), Parvinder Singh, Pawan Kumar, Aarman Qureshi, Sumit Kumar.