21-Apr-2012
The News
KARACHI: A large number of talented junior hockey players could not participate in the trials for the academy being reopened at the Hockey Club of Pakistan (HCP) because of their annual examinations.
Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) held trials for their academy last Monday and ignored the fact that this is the time of the annual examinations of class ninth and tenth in Sindh.
As a result, a considerable number of talented junior hockey players from Habib Public School, Cant Public School and Pakistan Railways School were deprived of this opportunity.
They play this sport regularly for their schools and clubs and because they had to prepare for papers they could not participate in the trials.
Also, the PHF held the trials at the UBL Sports Complex instead of HCP. “This was another bad decision. They should have held the trials at HCP where the academy is actually to be run,” a school sports teacher said.
Sources said that the complex was quite far away from the areas where most of the schools — where hockey is played — are located, which made it difficult for the players to appear at the trials.
Students have demanded that the PHF conduct trials afresh.
On the other hand, some stalwarts of the game at the grass root levels contacted Olympian Khalid Bashir, who is the chairman of selection committee of PHF, and complained about the timing and place of the trials. “Khalid Bashir has said that the selection committee acted in line with the schedule they were given by the PHF, yet if any talented boys suffered due to the timings and place of the trials he would be willing to consider them,” sources said.
After Khalid’s consultation with the newly appointed coach of HCP academy, it is likely that another session of trials will be held for those who missed earlier, sources added |
