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 27th, 2011.
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 27th, 2011.