Silver lining for female hockey players
PHF considering establishing academy to groom players.
KARACHI:
Women hockey players in Pakistan could soon have an academy to polish their skills as the federation chalks out a plan to promote the game now in doldrums.
Female players have failed to make a mark in the national sport and it’s not entirely their fault – while the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has set up 14 academies across the country to groom male players, disparity has seen no such endeavour on the women front.
However, all that is set to change as the PHF plans establishing at least one academy for female players in each province, according to the federation’s women’s wing vice-president and executive committee member Parveen Sikandar Gill.
Women’s hockey in Pakistan has never really taken off as the team hardly plays international tournaments – the last tour came in 2008 – and grooming players is only done through national camps held prior to an event. Pakistan do not feature in the International Hockey Federation (FIH) women’s team rankings, while neighbours India are placed 13th and China positioned number five in the world.
Gill said that besides lack of facilities, Pakistan’s failure to make a mark can be attributed to cultural issues.
“International glory is far away,” Gill told The Express Tribune. “It was not until 2003 that we got a proper uniform for international events. The team, for the Asian Games qualifiers, wore tights underneath their skirts. Otherwise it could have created controversy. Other teams don’t have to overcome such cultural issues.”
Gill said that establishing an academy was a tougher challenge since parents were always reluctant to send their daughters away and train with male coaches.
“There are no female coaches available at the moment. They can only be trained by Olympians.”
Published in The Express Tribune, January 25th, 2012.
Women hockey players in Pakistan could soon have an academy to polish their skills as the federation chalks out a plan to promote the game now in doldrums.
Female players have failed to make a mark in the national sport and it’s not entirely their fault – while the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has set up 14 academies across the country to groom male players, disparity has seen no such endeavour on the women front.
However, all that is set to change as the PHF plans establishing at least one academy for female players in each province, according to the federation’s women’s wing vice-president and executive committee member Parveen Sikandar Gill.
Women’s hockey in Pakistan has never really taken off as the team hardly plays international tournaments – the last tour came in 2008 – and grooming players is only done through national camps held prior to an event. Pakistan do not feature in the International Hockey Federation (FIH) women’s team rankings, while neighbours India are placed 13th and China positioned number five in the world.
Gill said that besides lack of facilities, Pakistan’s failure to make a mark can be attributed to cultural issues.
“International glory is far away,” Gill told The Express Tribune. “It was not until 2003 that we got a proper uniform for international events. The team, for the Asian Games qualifiers, wore tights underneath their skirts. Otherwise it could have created controversy. Other teams don’t have to overcome such cultural issues.”
Gill said that establishing an academy was a tougher challenge since parents were always reluctant to send their daughters away and train with male coaches.
“There are no female coaches available at the moment. They can only be trained by Olympians.”
Published in The Express Tribune, January 25th, 2012.