World Hockey

PERTH, October 26 - The Victorian Women have defeated NSW in the Grand Final of today’s Australian Hockey League Grand Final and crowned the 2012 Champions.

WOKING, October 19 - The official launch party for the long awaited  National Hockey Museum, took place today.

A large gathering of leading hockey officials, local dignitaries and archive enthusiasts attended the opening held at the museum which is at Butts Road in the Surrey town of Woking, England.

LAUSANNE, October 11 - The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has put the proposed 2013 indoor hockey rule changes on hold after a backlash from the hockey community.

The biggest point of contention was a new 'hand on the ground' rule that would have outlawed a hand touching the court, even if it were holding the stick. (Using a hand not on the stick to support the body is already not allowed - the so called 'three-point rule'.)

DUBLIN, October 7 - Australia's women's hockey side defeated the USA 6-1 in the final of the FIH Champions Challenge 1 in Ireland on Sunday, securing automatic qualification into the 2014 Champions Trophy.

The highest ranked team at the tournament finished undefeated scoring 26 goals and conceding only four in six matches.

AUCKLAND, September 25 - Hockey New Zealand have appointed former Belgium coach Colin Batch as head coach of the Black Sticks men.

A former Australian player, Batch is highly respected and recognised as a world-class coach. He has a proven track record having been head coach of the Belgium men’s team for the last two years and assistant coach of the Australian men’s team for eight years which included two successful Olympic campaigns.

The world number one men's hockey team Australia has secured its first major sponsor in two decades.

Leading iron ore producer Fortescue Metals Group has backed the Kookaburras for the next two years, to ensure the team remains the benchmark of international competition.

Hockey Australia chief executive Mark Anderson announced today's signing as a tremendous vote of confidence and a significant boost for the athletes and team. 

Gamechanger: Bridgestone World Series HockeyBridgestone World Series Hockey (WSH), played out in India during March and early April 2012, was run on an ambitious model with overseas players, city-based franchises and corporate and TV backing. Organised along the lines of Indian Premier League cricket, WSH was controversial from the start. It was branded as  'unsanctioned' by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) who did not recognise WSH's co-organisers the Indian Hockey Federation. As the dust settles, Deepak Sheth assess the impact of WSH.

Now that a highly successful tournament has been conducted and completed it behoves us to reflect back on how there is a monumental shift in the landscape of hockey that we all love.  Philosophers have remarked it is ordinary people doing extraordinary things that drive the world. All the fans of Indian style hockey, appropriately termed “magic”by coaches the world over, should be thrilled.

The histrionics, the number of goals, the excellent commentary, the flawless execution of a stupendous task, in eight cities, 59 games, wall to wall  primetime TV coverage, including cable channels even in USA, the stoking of parochial interest, as manifested by the throngs of crowds in cities like Mumbai, Pune, Bhopal, Bangalore, coming out to cheer their hometown team, as also their Indian expatriate brethren overseas, not even taking into account the eyeballs watching on TV, all over India as also Pakistan, Europe, Canada, Australia, US and many other countries, should warm the cockles of the heart of all hockey fans.