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Brazil gets Dutch help ahead of Rio Games Doha:  Brazilian hockey teams are in a race to be worthy participants for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. The Rio 2016 Games may come to represent a milestone in the history of Brazilian hockey. With an active national hockey team since 1998, the country is working hard in order to make their debut on the Olympic pitch in Rio de Janeiro. The south American country cannot automatically qualify as hosts for the Rio de Janeiro Games but have to make it through the qualifying process set by the International Hockey Federation (FIH). FIH established goals for Brazil’s national teams, which, if achieved, will be rewarded with an Olympic place. Regarding the men’s competition, the national team coached by Claudio Rocha must be among the top 30 in the ranking to qualify. Currently, it is number 33. In the women’s section, the Brazilians must stay in the top number 40 in the international ranking. The team coached by Eduardo Ma...

Netherlands eye ‘explosive growth’ in hockey March 04, 2014 - 8:26:36 am Doha:  Sixteen years back when Netherlands hosted the World Cup in hockey the country saw an ‘explosive growth’ in the popularity of the game.  The Dutch are expecting history to repeat itself. “The last time we hosted the World Cup in 1998 membership increased from 125,000 in 1998 to 225,000 in 2009. Hockey became increasingly popular, especially among young boys and girls,” said Lex Donia, an official of the FIH Rabobank Hockey World Cup 2014 Organising Committee and a member of the Koninklijke Nederlandse Hockey Bond (KNHB). The three-time World Cup winners will host the 13th edition from May 31 to June 15 in The Hague, a city which is the seat of the International Court of Justice, and are looking for a significant rise in the number of players joining the 300-odd hockey clubs based in the country after the event. Donia said the Netherlands have a strong hockey club culture and had some 600 t...

Hockey Camp held at Cuncolim, South Goa, India Cuncolim: A small beginning to groom hockey talent has been kick started in Cuncolim, thanks in a large measure to a group of individuals who have come forward to form Hockey Cuncolim. The new club, which has promotion of hockey talent high on its talent, launched its first venture to spot and groom hockey talent from the municipal juridisication by hosting their first hockey camp for boys and girls.   “It was a first for Cuncolim. Despite the lack of a regular hockey playground students from Maria Bambina Convent High School (girls convent) and Our lady of Health High School participated in the training held at the Maddicotto grounds,” said Glestone Fernandes, Chief Coordinator of the camp. “Forty hockey aspirants, 20 from each from the above mentioned two schools took part in the training which commenced on April 21 at the Maddicotto grounds and culminated on May 2 with matches played against schools from Navelim and...

  Innovative stick a shot in the arm for Asian style of hockey By Armstrong Vaz Eindhoven, Holland:  Indian and Pakistan hockey was always about skills but frequent sacking of coaches has done more harm than good for the sub-continent teams. The two can regain their lost glory if they move with a dedicated approach. There is hope round the corner.  Fantastick, an innovative field hockey stick, especially developed for 4 to 6 year-old children and goes by the brand name Sportivation, is the magic wand which holds up hope for the sub-continent style of dribbling hockey.  Learning the basic hockey techniques for children has been made easier, more fun and more challenging, thanks in a large measure to an innovative hockey stick ‘Fantastick’ launched in the Netherlands. The Fantastick  is an innovative field hockey stick, especially developed for 4 to 6 year-old children and goes by the brand name Sportivati...