Junior hockey league to unearth backup

Event to take off in Lahore today.

LAHORE:

The third Junior Super Hockey League kicks off today in Lahore in a bid to draw a backup pool for the national squad as the federation looks to the future.

Eight teams will take part in the 12-day event with Quetta, Bahawalpur, Lahore, Sialkot, Karachi, Faisalabad, Islamabad, Peshawar and PHF Academy going head-to-head on a round-robin basis.

“We are preparing for the Asia Cup in Singapore that features under-18 players,” said Pakistan Hockey Federation Secretary Asif Bajwa. “We’re offering the youth an opportunity for them to show their talent.

All matches will be shown live on television and the prize-money of Rs1.5 million will be distributed among the players.

Finding a window is a challenge

Bajwa vowed to arrange such leagues at senior level but pointed out the absence of a free window as the main hindrance.

“Even the FIH is facing these challenges and the competition committee meets three times to find a window and an affordable venue. We have a plan of organising the league in Dubai but unfortunately the venue is not yet functional otherwise we would’ve gone there.”

Published in The Express Tribune, April 27^th, 2011.