SSTMI 6 SSTMI Juniors 0

TENGKU Mahkota Ismail Sports School swept aside their sister team SSTMI Juniors 6-0 in the curtain raiser of the NSC-Milo-MHC Junior Hockey League at the Bukit Jalil Stadium yesterday.
  It was an expected win from the double champions, and also score-line, but SSTMI will face their real test of the season when they play Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) today at the Ministry of Education pitch in Pantai.
  Yesterday, Amirol Aideed notched a hat-trick (seventh, 27th, 54th, 66th) while the other goal was scorded by Amir Zulkarnain (38th, 68th).
  "We have not beaten SSTMI for the last four years since they joined Tenaga Nasional and changed their name from Bandar Penawar Sports School to Thunderbolts in 2010 and now SSTMI.
  "It will be a mountain to climb as they are the JHL favourites but my players are ready to give their best and go for an upset," said BJSS coach S. Prakash.
  BJSS only have one first-11 player from last season, while the rest are from their junior ranks and last years reseves.
  "I have a young side with only one first-11 player from last year, so it would be difficult but since it is crucal match which will chart our season, we can't afford to give awat the three points," said Prakash.
  SSTMI coach Wan Roslan said his charges only played 80 per cent of their capabilities yesterday.
  "This was more of a warm-up and also we did not want to show our true capabilities ahead of our meeting against BJSS tomorrow (today). Six goals are more than enough against our Juniors, as we look for another win against BJSS to place our title defense on track early," said Wan Roslan.


  RESULT: Division One -- Tengku Mahkota Ismail SS 6 Tengku Mahkota Ismail SS Juniors 0.
  TODAY (FRIDAY): Bukit Jalil SS v Tengku Mahkota Ismail SS (Ministry of Education pitch, 5pm), Petaling Jaya CC v Tengku Mahkota Ismail SS Juniors (Bukit Jalil, 5pm).
  Division Two: Group A -- Kedah HA Juniors v Kedah HA (Alor Star, 5pm), Tuanku Abdul Rahman School v Raja Tun Azlan Shah Science (Azlan Shah Stadium, 5pm), 1Mas Penang v Nur Insafi (USM Stadium, 5pm).
  Group B: Padang Midin v Tunas Muda Pahang (Terengganu, 5pm), KL Sports School v Bukit Jalil SS Juniors (Bukit Jalil, 7pm), Datuk Taha v Kuala Langat (Seremban II, 5pm), Olak v Tunku Besar Secondary School (Bukit Jalil, 5pm).

Satgunam, Mazlan and Dina legacy...

 Pic: The late S. Satgunam (MHF secretary).

The JHL made its debut in 1995, after a joint-effort by the National Sports Council (Datuk Mazlan Ahmad), Nestle (Datuk Dina Rizal) and the now defunct Malaysian Hockey Federation (the late S. Satgunam) came up with the initiative to have a league for the juniors.

THE MHC-Milo-NSC Junior Hockey League (JHL) starts today with double champions Tengku Mahkota Ismail Sports School playing what could be termed as a warm-up against their sister side SSTMI Juniors.
  It was not by chance that the two are meeting first, as the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) had bowed to team managers pressure to avoid what could be a goal-scored fix if the two teams played at the tail end of the JHL.
  It is also no secret that in Divison One, the battle for titles would be among three teams namely SSTMI, double runners-up UniKL Young Guns and Bukit Jalil Sports School.
  The other five; MSSSPP-USM, MBI-Anderson, Petaling Jaya CC, SSTMI Ju niors and newly promoted Malacca High School; would play the spoilers role when given the opportunity.
  In Division Two, there are two groups with Group A having nine teams and they are Anderson Juniors, MSSS  Kelantan, 1Mas Penang, Matri, SM Sains Tun Azlan Shah, Kedah HA Juniors, MSSS Perlis, Nur Insafi and Sekolah  Tuanku Abdul Rahman Ipoh.
  Group B will have Tunku Besar Secondary School, SMK  Datuk Taha Gemencheh, Olak-PKT, SMK Padang Midin,  MSSS Johor, Politeknik KPT, Kuala Langat, BJSS Juniors, KL  Sports School and Tunas Muda Pahang.
  SSTMI won the double by a whisker on both occasions as they edged UniKL by one goal difference after being tied on 22 points for the League title.
  And in the Overall title final, SSTMI could only edge UniKL 2-1.
  "After failing to land any title last season, UniKL Young Guns will continue to pursue its dream to win the Double this season. However, to achieve our target, we must beat SSTMI as they are again the clear favorites with their golden boy and top scorer of JHL 2012, Shahril Saabah still eligible to play alongside their very experienced supporting cast," said UniKL team manager Faiz Isa, who has been promoted from his assistant role last season.
  Former team manager Amir Azhar is now the interim president of UniKL Hockey Club.
  And to achieve their goal: "We need to overcome the penalty corner woes of last season and also continue our strength in getting goals from open play."
  UniKL, into their fourth season, believe in developing players and that is why they have selected a young side with 16 out of the 22 still available for the next season.
  "This is the youngest Young Guns ever assembled with an average age of 17.8. Only six re 19 years old (the cap for JHL), while 16 are eligible for next season. The youngest are 15-years-old Kavinash Panicker and 16-years-old Shahriful Aqmal.
  The JHL made its debut in 1995, after a joint-effort by the National Sports Council (Datuk Mazlan Ahmad), Nestle (Datuk Dina Rizal) and the now defunct Malaysian Hockey Federation (the late S. Satgunam) came up with the initiative to have a league for the juniors.
  And its growth has been phenomenal with many national players being scouted from the JHL who went on to play for the country and became household names.
  Just to mention a few...Chua Boon Huat, Nor Azlan Bakar, Logan Raj, Keevan Raj, Jiwa Mohan, Jivan Mohan, Rodhanizam Radzi, Razak Saidin, Amin Rahim, Roslan Jamaluddin and Madzli Ikmar.
  And this year, a record 27 teams will see 594 players trying to impress the age-group scouts.

Come and see me, Dangerous...

MALAYSIAN Hockey Confederation (MHC) president feels players should not quit when the going tough, especially if they want to represent the country in World Cups and Olympics.
  He was commenting on Junior World Cup trainee Dangerous Lee from Sarawak who threw in the towel via an SMS to coach K. Dharmaraj because he felt he no longer could compete with his team-mates for a spot in the New Delhi tournament in December.
  "I will leave it to the coach to decide on the next course of action on the player who called it quits 12 months from the World Cup. And my message for the others who aspire to don national coulours is not to give up so easily," said MHC President Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.
  Tengku Mahkota suggested counseling Dangerous Lee, but the Sarawakian had quit the national juniors for the third time in three years and it looks like coach Dharmaraj has had enough of him.
  "First of all if Dangerous Lee wants to fight for his spot back in the training squad again he must come and see me personally because sending quit SMS is an insult to everybody who has been preparing the Junior World Cup side for the last two years.
  "He must apologise to his team mates for running away when push came to shove and maybe then, I will send him for counseling and mental training (with National Sports Institute) and see what happens.
  "But first of all, he must come and meet me and explain why he quit and not hide behind SMSs," said Dharmaraj.
  Dangerous played in the Sultan of Johor Cup and then the  Obaidullah Gold Cup in Bhopal at the end of last year, and  that was when he chickened out after seeing how his skills  are nothing compared to India club players.
  Dangerous then sent an SMS to the coach which read: “Coach I will not be  attending training tomorrow morning and I hope coach  accepts my decision to pull out of the (World Cup) training  squad.
   “I feel that I can’t make progress anymore as I can’t  compete with others. Sorry coach..tq.”
  There are 27 players in training for the Junior World Cup in December in New Delhi. Malaysia qualified by becoming the Junior Asia Cup champions in Malacca.
  On another matter, Tengku Abdullah said no action will be taken against Sabah for pulling out of the Junior Hockey League just three days before the tournament starts.
  "Sabah had a legitimate reason to withdraw from the JHL as their Education Ministry did not want to release players, or find new schools for their players for a period of two months.
  "No action would be taken on Sabah HA as they had a team, but could not play for a valid reason," said Tengku Abdullah.

Sabah blame it on Education Ministry...

SABAH withdrew from the MHC-Milo-NSC Junior Hockey League (JHL)  just three days before the tournament starts, blaming it on  their Education Department.
    The JHL saw a record 28 teams registering, and Sabah’s no  show has thrown the Division Two Group A tournament  fixtures into turmoil.
     They were supposed to start their JHL campaign against  PHA-Anderson Juniors at the National hockey Stadium this  Friday.
     “We are unable to field a team as the Sabah Education  Department has rejected our request to field school boys in  the JHL,” said Sabah HA Secretary Aftar Singh.
    “It is not easy for teams from East Malaysia to play in the  JHL as there are also logistics issues, like arranging for the  players to attend classes while away.
  “We regret the decision to withdraw and understand that  the MHC (Malaysian Hockey Confederation) can take action  against us, but we ask for understanding as this is beyond our  control.
    “There are limited players in Sabah and try as we did, we  just could not find replacements as we received the no tification from the Education Department today (yester day).”
     Sabah became the Division Two champions in their maiden  JHL appearance  in 2010. Then, they were based in Pan damaran, Klang.
    However, they did not field a side for the last two years.  Division Two will now have nine teams in Group A and 10  teams in Group B.
    There are eight teams in Division One.

Dangerous Lee has no heart...

Dangerous Lee (left)..
DANGEROUS LEE, 20, Sarawak’s hope of becoming the  first from his state to play with the senior hockey side, threw  in the towel yesterday, citing fear of competing among his peers.
    And his SMS to coach K. Dharmaraj sent the latter’s blood  boiling, as the coach has great hopes on him to carry the  Malaysian flag in the December Junior World Cup in New  Delhi.
    “I am totally peeved as well as feel being let down by  Dangerous because he was among the front-runners in the  training squad, to make the grade for the Junior World  Cup.
   “This is the third time he has thrown in the towel since he  started studying in BJSS (Bukit Jalil Sports School).  So  enough is enough as I will not accommodate a player that  does not have a heart,” said Project 2013 coach Dharmaraj.
   Dangerous played in the Sultan of Johor Cup and then the  Obaidullah Gold Cup in Bhopal at the end of last year, and  that was when he chickened out after seeing how his skills  are nothing compared to India club players.
    “He was feeling down in Bhopal because he felt that the  India players were simply too far ahead of him and he could  not cope with their pace. He spoke to me about it then, but I  did not think he would quit the World Cup training just  because of that,” said Dharmaraj.
    Dangerous SMS to the coach read: “Coach I will not be  attending training tomorrow morning and I hope coach  accepts my decision to pull out of the (World Cup) training  squad.
   “I feel that I can’t make progress anymore as I can’t  compete with others. Sorry coach..tq.”
    Dharmaraj blames Dangerous’ lame attitude to the soft  upbringing he received after he joined BJSS in 2009.
   “When I first saw him in action he had the fire in his eyes  and wanted to become the first Sarawak player ever to play  for the national seniors.
   “However, he lost the edge and the fire was doused as BJSS  only allowed him to play in the lower divisions of the Malaysia  Hockey League.
   “If they had released him to play for other teams in Division  One back then, he would have become a hardened player now  and not quit after getting a few knocks in Bhopal.
    “The blame is in BJSS taking their so-called step-by-step  approach which makes their players become soft and have a  school mentality even after joining national juniors train ing.
   “I hope the school changes their approach and does not  make softies out of the Project 2017 players who are studying  there right now,” said Dharmaraj.