Many int'l tourneys for our stickers

Leslie FERNANDO

Sri Lanka hockey players will have the great opportunity in participating in seven international tournaments in addition to the local tournaments conducted by the Sri Lanka Hockey Federation for 2009.

The stickers will play in the 8th Asia Cup in May in Dubai-UAE, 1st Women's Asian Championships Trophy in June in Pakistan, Under-16 Girls Cup in July, China, 11th South Asian Games in Bangladesh in August, Under-18 Boys Asia Cup in Myanmar in October, Jawaharlal Nehru Tournament in India and 7th Women's Asia Cup in Thailand in November.

"The year 2008 has been a good year for Sri Lanka Hockey Federation because the programmes drawn up were successfully completed," said Gamini Jayasinghe, Secretary, Sri Lanka Hockey Federation (SLHF) who is also the Treasurer of the National Olympic Committee. Jayasinghe explained that taking into consideration the 2008 activities, similar plans have been drawn up to make this year too a success. Priority had been given and the Federation will focus on development and to promotion of the game in every district of Sri Lanka by presenting hockey equipment. Jayasinghe who is a Superintendent of Prisons added that apart from seminars on umpiring and coaching for youth in these districts will be conducted by the Umpires and Coaches Panel of the Sri Lanka Hockey Federation. School hockey too is also a part of this programme.

Sumith Edirisinghe, President SLHF is concentrating on development also his vision is to inaugurate a Hockey Academy to educate the youth with the assistance of the past national players.

On the international scene the SLHF is targeting the forthcoming South Asian Games to be held in Dhaka, Bangladesh, AHF tournament for men and women, Women's AHF and Asia Cup. In order to prepare for these tourneys arrangements are being made to conduct trials in the last week of February to select both men and women pools for residential coaching camp.

Since their is a drop in participation of women's hockey it has been decided to conduct more tournaments and also to conduct more club tournaments for men. Also the senior men's and women's and junior national championships will be held early this year in view of the international tournaments.