September 6, 2018 @ 3:48pm
KUALA LUMPUR: University Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) reached a milestone with Pistoia Hockey Club of Italy in a simple meeting in Kuala Lumpur Monday.
UniKL President and CEO Datuk Dr Mazliham Su'ud met with Pistoia HC's Technical Director Train Filippo as well as players Giordano Daniele and Masi Alessio to cement the collaboration.
"Pistoia has agreed to use the UniKL logo on their playing jersies as well as their new stadium, and we will also help each other on many aspects to promote the sport at both countries," said Mazliham.
This will be the fourth season that UniKL will be collaborating with Pistoia HC, thanks to former national player S. Selvaraju.
Selvaraju, 33, will return to Pistoia HC for the fourth consecutive year and this time he will have a double role as coach-player.
"This arrangements is to enhance UniKL's visibility at the international level as well as to provide a platform for aspiring athletes to develop and expose their talent at the highest level without neglecting their studies," said Mazliham.
UniKL, the only hockey club in the country with their own stadium, plan to do exceptionally well in 2019 after 10 years venturing into hockey.
"UniKL hockey were inspired and launched by Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah in 2009 and since its establishement we have won many junior level titles as well as provided many players for the junior as well as senior national teams.
"The copletion of the stadium is a new chapter in our story, as besides using it as our home base for MHL (Malaysia Hockey League), we intend to hold age-group coaching clinics, a structured developemnt programme for our students and also hold leagues for clubs, schools, universities and comunities located around Bangi, Nilai Serdang, Seri Kembangan, Kajang and Putrajaya," said Mazliham.
Pistoia HC's Technical Director Train Filippo said: "This visit is to strengthen our ties as international clubs which can help each other to become stronger."
Pistoia play in Division Two and have more than a 100 players of all-levels as their members.
