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PLANS are being pushed ahead to ensure field hockey becomes more inclusive and a growing part of sporting activities in schools across the kingdom.
The moves follow the recent success of the first national schools’ championship staged by Bahrain Hockey which attracted eight sides bringing more than 150 students of varying ages to compete.
The event was staged at St Christopher’s School and, while its teams dominated the awards, the fact that so many schools ran them close is cause for a positive outlook as hockey seeks to grow the opportunities available to students, the organisers say.
The only school other than the hosts to claim a title was the Pakistan Urdu School who dominated the U14 boys section while, in the U16 boys competition, the last league match proved to be a final decider.
Bangladesh School entered with a perfect record and had not conceded a goal while St Christopher’s only needed a draw thanks to a superior goal difference. Ultimately, the greater firepower from the home team saw them through although Bishwo jit Paul, 14, took some consolation from being named ‘player of the tournament’.
Demonstrating its commitment to promote sport for girls, Bahrain Hockey had three competitions in the U12, U14 and U16 categories.
President Saleem Elias expressed his delight as ‘sport for all’ is one of the core components of the Bahrain Olympic Committee. The Hockey Association is hoping to build on this success by encouraging schools to provide regular coaching to girls as well as to the boys and is committed to providing support.
In advance of the competition board members and coaches visited schools to donate equipment to encourage a sustained increase in training while Bahrain Hockey has vowed to offer regular support and competition.
The Bangladesh, Indian and Pakistan Schools are already hoping to improve the coaching that they provide, particularly in light of the commitment from the Association to host more competitions next year, while more schools have stated a desire to introduce hockey to their activities.
Bahrain Hockey will be seeking to integrate some of the better players into its adult teams while continuing to enter a Bahrain development side comprising the best young players with adults that will play regularly to enable continued development.
Saleem added that he was ‘delighted that the competition provided a wonderful stage to develop a sport richly embedded in the history of Bahrain and encourage youngsters’. He also said that it was pleasing to see hockey promoting the sport to girls and encouraged more schools, particularly Bahraini, to step forward.
The General Secretary of Bahrain Hockey, Anson Sequeira, thanked the sponsors and Mathias Tourism-sponsored coaches, umpires and volunteers, without whom the event would not have been such a resounding success.
He also expressed his gratitude to the players for displaying exemplary sporting behaviour. “It was a genuine delight to see so many players from different schools interacting with each other and competing while having fun,” he added.
SS Krishnan, CCO of Midal Cables, presented the winners and runners-up with trophies while all participants received a medal.
Fair Play Award:
U12 Girls: Sheikha Hessa School for Girls
U12 Boys: Bahrain Hockey
U14 Girls: Sacred Heart
U14 Boys: St Christopher’s
U16 Girls: Bangladesh
U16 Boys: Pakistan School
U18 Boys: Pakistan School Bahrain National School
Winners:
U12 Girls: Winners – St Christopher’s
Runners-up – Sheikha Hessa School for Girls
U12 Boys: Winners – St Christopher’s A
Runners-up – St Christopher’s B
U14 Girls: Winner – St Christopher’s
Runners-up – Sacred Heart
U14 Boys: Winner – Pakistan Urdu School
Runners-up - St Christopher’s
U16 Girls: Winner – St Christopher’s
Runners-up – Bangladesh School
U16 Boys: Winner – St Christopher’s
Runner Up – Bangladesh School
U18 Boys: Winner – St. Christopher’s
Runners-up – Pakistan School
