School plan, still in the frying-pan

THE Malaysian Hockey Federation’s (MHF) plans to hand age-group tournaments to schools still remains a plan, two months after it was mooted.
An informal meeting was held among MHF, the Malaysian Schools Sports Council (MSSM) and the National Sports Council (NSC), but nothing concrete came out of it.
And there has been silence since.
“Yes, we have yet to meet again after the initial discussion, but I assure all that the idea will take flight by next year,” said MHF coaching and development chairman C. Parama lingam.
The MHF council had decided to hand age-group hockey back to school, where MSSM will organise the The Cham pions School, Under-12, Under-14 and Under-16 with the MHF providing the technical aspect of the game.
MHF will only concentrate on the Under-21, Junior Hockey League, Malaysia Hockey League and the Razak Cup.
“This plan will work on a long-term basis to help hockey in the country. Lets take the under-12 as an example. If we start next year, in 10 years time, the boys will be ready to represent the country in major international tournaments.
“The MHF Coaching and Development Committee will help MSSM by providing coaches for grassroots development where there are no teachers with qualifications, as in this way systematic development can start from next year in schools.
“And we also plan to administer the same coaching system for all the age-group, so that when the players mature into national material, the coach will not have to start from scratch again.
“This system has long been practiced in many European countries, and their medals speak of its success,” said Paramalingam.
That is, provided the plan does not remain a plan, like the Wawasan Hoki Negara, which is being slowly choked to oblivion by a thick layer of dust.

Hometown ovation for Keli

Selinsgrove leaders plan on giving local Olympian Keli Smith a gold medal round of applause today for representing Selinsgrove High School in Beijing.
Smith played on the U.S. women's Olympic field hockey team, scoring two goals in the team's first victory. The 1997 Selinsgrove High School graduate has played for a decade on U.S. national field hockey teams, drawing inspiration from her grandmother and her father, Neal, who was an All-American safety at Penn State.

She's a great young lady, we're very proud of her," Selinsgrove High School principal Reed Messmore said. "She brings pride to the school."

How does Smith describe her stay in the Olympic village? In a word -- indescribable.

"I say to everyone that words will never describe what it was like. It was amazing just to be a part of so many great athletes," she said.

Messmore and Selinsgrove Mayor Pete Carroll will honor Smith tonight during a pre-game commemoration at the Selinsgrove High School football game vs. Mifflinburg at Harold L. Bolig Memorial Stadium. Smith will also speak to students next Friday, Messmore noted. She'll be able to impart to them something that's become a theme in her life: The idea that no matter where you go, your roots are always with you.

"Although hockey has allowed me to travel the world, I don't feel any different as a person. It's important to never forget where you came from," said Smith. "I always love to come home."

Six Malaysians venture overseas

MALAYSIAN players (in yellow, from Left) S. Selvaraju, Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin, Kelvinder Singh and Jivan Mohan.
NATIONAL hockey players are making full use of the lull in Malaysia to play in leagues in Germany, Holland, Australia and New Zealand.
“A total of six players are of will be playing in overseas league, and this augurs well for the future of the sport,” said National Sports Council elite development office Ariffin Ghani.
S. Selvaraju and Baljit Singh are currently in Germany, Jiwa Mohan in Australia; while Chua Boon Huat will head for New Zealand, and Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin and Jivan Mohan to the Netherlands.
“We are working with the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) to expose more players by playing in overseas leagues, as they have an important assignment in the Asia Cup next year,” said Ariffin.
The Asia Cup will be held in Dubai next year, and it offers three direct entries into the 2010 New Delhi World Cup. Malaysia, Japan, China, South Korea, India and Pakistan, will joined by Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) Cup winner Bangladesh and runners-up Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup.
Tengku and Jivan will be playing in Division One outfit Hilversum Amsterdam, and the duo together with Selvaraju and Baljit will join the national team for the Hamburg Masters on Oct 3-5.
Malaysia will be up against Germany, Belgium and Pak istan in the Masters.
The players are expected to return on time for the Malaysia Hockey League, which starts on Oct 10.
Meanwhile, Ariffin also said plans to hire South Korean coach Kim Sang Ryul is still at the blueprint stage.
“I did meet him in Beijing just before China (whom Kim was coaching) played Germany and did not have the time to approach him for a confirmation,” said Ariffin.
Kim, if he accepts the offer, will be appointed as a consultant to the national juniors and seniors.

Asia Cup top-two finish target

NATIONAL hockey coach Sarjit Singh is looking for a direct entry into the 2010 New Delhi World Cup, and the aim is a top-two finish in the Asia Cup in Dubai, next year.
The National team is practically ‘jobless’ this year, with only the Hamburg Masters in Germany and the Malaysia Hockey League to look forward to. But next year, they will be on a do-or-die mission.
“Germany has invited us for the Hamburg Masters in October, where the other teams will be Pakistan and Belgium. It will be good to play against the Olympic champions (Germany) again,” said Sarjit yesterday.
Malaysia were grouped together with Germany in the Olympic Qualifiers in Japan, and the national team lost 3-0 in the pool match.
Germany, who beat Japan for the only ticket to Beijing from the qualifier, went on the lift the Olympics title when they edged Spain 1-0 in the final.
“Qualifiers are becoming increasingly difficult, as even India and Argentina failed in their respective pools for the Olympics.
“That is why I will work towards an automatic ticket, by playing in the final of the Asia Cup,” said Sarjit.
Dubai will host Malaysia, Japan, China, South Korea, India and Pakistan, who will joined by Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) Cup winner Bangladesh and runners-up Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup.
The AHF tournament has three reserved tickets to the World Cup, which means, Malaysia must beat Pakistan, Japan and China to the race. India have qualified as hosts, while South Korea are a class above.
HAMBURG MASTERS FIXTURES — Oct 3: Pakistan v Belgium, Malaysia v Germany. Oct 4: Malaysia v Pakistan, Belgium v Germany. Oct 5: Belgium v Malaysia, Pakistan v Germany.

Avril makes a lasting impression

KUALA LUMPUR: All the fuss over Canadian teen pop-rock star Avril Lavigne's concert proved com- pletely unfounded as she belted out a measured performance at Stadium Merdeka last night.
It was a pop concert all right, with no element of a rowdy punk-rock performance as feared by some quarters who had objected to her coming here.
PAS Youth leaders had criticised the timing of the concert, claiming that the culture Lavigne promoted was not appropriate especially so close to Merdeka Day.
But all that steam was lost in the night as Lavigne entertained the estimated 15,000 crowd with songs from her three albums, bursting into life in typical fashion for several hit numbers.
There were many who stood in raincoats to watch the star do her thing. Among those who turned up was Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo Burne who is from Parti Keadilan Rakyat.
Lavigne was dressed casually in jeans and a black T-shirt as she took to the stage with her first song Girlfriend, and only had one costume change, into a grey T-shirt, in the one-and-a-half-hour show. -- THE STAR
The crowd remained excited throughout, singing and dancing along to Lavigne's entire 17-song set.