Tom's Corner #14, January 2, 2010

Boxing Day Hockey Repeat, and Painting Party!!

 

Boxing Day Hockey

Everyone seemed to have a nice day of hockey on December 26, 2009. We made three teams of eight players. The teams were selected randomly and included men, women and children of all ages, from six to seventy three. We divided into three teams of about eight players. Two squads would play about ten minutes while the other players rested. Then one team would come off and the other two would play. We had white and dark shirts to tell the teams apart.

I would like to express my gratitude to the opposition for a goal the they made me think I earned.  The physical activity began at two o’clock and ended at around four. All the games were played on one small field.  Old friends came as far away as Hayward to join the festivities.

Following the games, some of the more hearty souls moved on to the Kohinoor for food and ale. This is an ideal place for after-game meetings. There is a room where everyone can gather, eat, drink, make merry and watch sports on the television. The adult beverage is only two or three dollars a pint depending on the brand. On this Saturday past, the adults sat in one area and the youngsters in another.

Let’s not forget Jane and Bill McGuigan for starting this Boxing Day tradition. They are away in the old country and could only join us in spirit.

Tom's Corner #12, October 30, 2009

Ever notice when you are playing or watching a game, many comments describe the hockey ball and its movements?

For example, a player will shout to a team mate, “Hit the long ball!” or “Give me a throu gh ball .” Sometimes a forward may call, “Throw the overhead ball.”

A spectator at a game may say to friend, “That was a wasted ball.”  “What a smart ball,” is shouted in reference to a good pass.

Sometimes a knowledgeable enthusiast yells, “Goodaball!” An English person might say, “Lovely ball.”

Can you think of other words to describe a hockey ball?

Tom's Corner #11, October 21, 2009

Thursday, October 15, 2009
We left Los Angeles at around eleven in the morning. After a change of planes in Chicago, we flew on to Amsterdam. Karen had arranged an upgrade on the United Flight so we could lie flat and sleep.

Friday, October 16, 2009
We arrived in Amsterdam at about ten in the morning. We found a shuttle to our hotel, the Tulip Inn. We took a nap and were awakened by David in the afternoon. He and Elaine had been there for a week.

Patrick’s game was at 8:30. David had rented a car and Karen had brought an electronic navigator. We arrived at the Lauren Hockey Club about an hour before the game. Patrick’s team won their game by a score of 3-1. All of the players seemed to be just as good, if not better than Pat. The team practices five times a week. They are in fourth place out of twelve teams. I had hoped to promote Cal Cup but it is difficult to know who to speak to since there are so many people involved. We had some food and beer with Patrick at the clubhouse after the game, then drove back to the hotel.

Saturday, October 17, 2009
We were on the road at six in the morning on our way to Stuttgart, Germany. What we had planned as a five hour ride on the autobahn took eight because of road construction and our inability to read the detour signs.

We arrived about thirty minutes before the 2:30 game time. The game was a 2-2 tie after regular time so they played a tie breaker with an individual player starting at the 25 yard line and trying to beat the goalie one-on-one in eight seconds. Sean made his and the Berlin Wasps won on the tie-breakers 4-3. In my opinion, Sean is the best player they have on defense.

After the game, we had some spaghetti and beer in the Stuttgart Club House, then checked in the Achat Hotel. We had a night cap plus some conversation with David, Elaine and Sean.

Sunday, October 18, 2009
We drove to Ludwigsburg Hockey Club for the game that began at eleven. This was the smallest of the three Hockey Clubs we visited. Sean’s Berlin team won the game by a score of 3-2.  In this game, Karen and I thought Sean was the best player on his team. After the game, we said goodbye to Sean and headed back to Amsterdam. The drive was a little over five hours.

Elaine called Patrick who reported that their Laren Hockey Team had tied their game 3-3.
After we checked back in the Tulip Hotel, we walked two blocks to a restaurant for dinner.

Monday, October 19, 2009
We left the hotel by about six thirty through the darkness and cold. We walked four or five blocks where we arrived at the bus stop just in time to meet the bus to Schipol Airport. About an hour later, we were checking in for our flight home.
About five we arrived back in Los Angeles. It had been a busy weekend.

Conclusions.
•    Northern Europe is cold, rainy but green at this time of year. The sun is up for a shorter time since they are much further north.
•    The hockey club houses are very nice, with a lot of people enjoying the camaraderie, the food and the beer.
•    The attendance at the games is in the 300-500 range. (Not as many as the Cal Cup Finals)
•    The umpires were good to great.
•    For the U.S. to be competitive internationally, we have to have at least 12 players playing at this level in Europe.
•    These club teams practice more than our national team.
•    It is a challenge to promote Cal Cup since everyone seems to be with their friends and it is rude to interrupt.
•    We were unable to find any sausage and sauerkraut.

Tom's Corner #10, March 27, 2009

 

Pan Am Cup Diary

Departure

Wife Karen, Brother David and his wife Elaine and I left LAX for a direct flight to Santiago at about 2:15 p.m. on Friday. The flight was uneventful. Most of my time was spent reviewing math to help my granddaughters.

Saturday, March 7, 2009 Arrival

We arrived at about 7:00 a.m. and went to our hotel, Diego de Almagro. It is the same place most of the teams are staying. It is in an area called downtown on O’Higgens Avenue.

A brief nap and we were in a taxi to the hockey field at the Prince of Wales Country Club.

The tournament facility was more than adequate. Temporary stands had been installed and were the correct capacity to seat all the fans for the Chile games. Food, beverages and hockey equipment was available in the tents behind the grandstands. Esteban Geiger and the Chilean Hockey Federation did a magnificent job in preparation.

Several other U.S. parents/supporters were there along with Nigel Traverso, Aaron Sher, Bev Johnson, Pam Hixon et al who had a free ride from the USFHA to attend some Pan Am Hockey meetings. They were not there for the finals except for Pam.

All the Chile games were televised live and a delayed repeat was show at ten at night.

U.S. versus Trinidad and Tobago

With nine minutes to go, and the score 3-1 against us, I was wondering if we should go back home early. Would this be a repeat of the Pan Am Games? When the boys managed to tie the score with less than four minutes to go, I was yelling for them to hit the ball off the end line and play for a tie. Wisely ignoring me, they pressed ahead, scoring the game-winning goal in the last minute to win 4-3. This must have been the most exciting come-back that a U.S. team has ever generated.

Dinner at a seafood restaurant. Good food, cold beer.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

U.S. versus Uruguay

After seeing Uruguay lose heavily to Argentina yesterday, there was not much concern about the result. It was an easy 8-0 victory that could have been more. We were allowed to sit in the VIP section which had nice chairs. My rear end began to regain some shape after the first two games.

We had dinner at a place called the Chopdog since the more reputable places in the area of our hotel were closed. When you visit Santiago, skip this place. After that choice, I will not be allowed to select another restaurant for the next six months.

Monday, March 9, 2009

A three hour nap on a day off to try and recover from the trip.  For dinner, a van picked us up at the hotel and drove to a seafood restaurant with a floor show. Brother Dave finished the evening starring as a belly dancer supported by a cast of scantily clad senoritas.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

U.S. versus Argentina

We took the subway from next to our hotel to a station about a fifteen minute walk to the hockey stadium. The Santiago subway, known as the Metro, is equal to any in the world in comfort and reliability. We lost 8-0 in a game where Coach Nick Conway seemed to be trying some different combinations. By finishing second in our pool, we play Chile in the semis which seemed to be an advantage.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Another day off from hockey, so we slept until noon. We walked to the Plaza de Armas and ate at a sidewalk café. It was so-so. For dinner, David and Elaine found us a restaurant about a five-block walk from our hotel. We were surprised to see Terry Walsh and Nick Conway already there. We sat far away from them so they could do their strategizing without our advice. Good food and Peruvian beer.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

David and Elaine took a bus to the beach. Karen went on a two-hour walk. I studied more math and did pages of math problems. They were all about infinite series that I must have studied and forgot.   For dinner, Karen and I were just headed for the Metro when David and Elaine returned. We found a German restaurant (founded 1945) about 100 meters from the Tobalaba Metro station. It was packed with lively diners both inside and at the many tables on the sidewalk. The sausage and sauerkraut was as good as any in Germany, Austria or Switzerland. The term for draft beer is Schop. Whatever the brand, it tasted as good as any in Bavaria only it was served colder. This place was the culinary highlight of our trip.

Friday, March 13, 2009

Since it was in our hotel meeting room, I attended the Pan Am Hockey Federation Congress. In days past, I was a member of this august body. Their meetings are just as boring as I remember them. I did get a free lunch with the assembled mucky-mucks.  Aaron Sher conducted a seminar about the future of hockey, Pam Hixon was elected to the Board of Directors and Bev Johnson was given a lifetime achievement award.

We had dinner at an Italian restaurant after a ride on the Metro. When we returned to our hotel, we sat by the pool with some other U.S. team supporters and sipped a few beverages.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Semifinal--U.S. versus Chile

This was one of the best games the U.S. has ever played in the forty years I have been involved in hockey. The stands were full of knowledgeable fans, probably around five thousand. We won 2-1 in a close game. A penalty corner was awarded to Chile about five seconds after the final horn had sounded but had not been heard. The Technical Officer did his part by running onto the field to stop the game.

We celebrated at the field with some of the other supporters. The Pan Am Federation invited us to a barbeque but it seemed a little too calm for us, so we moved on to another German restaurant. It was not nearly as good as the Thursday experience.  Parent Rob Shilling, found a group of English graduate students and enlisted them as part of his cheering group. He bought them dinner as a payment.

Back at the hotel, we watched a videotape of the game that was broadcast by the local TV station.

Sunday, March 15, 2009    U.S. versus Canada

We took an early lead in a very exciting game. Canada was awarded a penalty stroke but missed wide. Late in the game, we were awarded a penalty stroke but we didn’t make ours either. Canada managed to tie before the end of the game so it was 1-1 at the end of seventy minutes.

Conclusions:

This is one of the best teams the U.S. has fielded in years.
The support from the USFHA is adequate but not outstanding.
The preparation was intense but could have started earlier.
The next step of the path to the World Cup will be a tournament in New Zealand, France or Dubai.
The efforts of some individual players in obtaining top-level experience by playing overseas made the team proficient at these games.
This was a tremendous improvement from our seventh place finish at the Pan Am Games. In the world hockey rankings, the U.S moved up in the rankings from 31 to 19.
The players gained a lot of confidence and should be better as they get more experience.

Departure

We planned our get-away with no time to spare. After the regulation time finished, we had to leave immediately for the airport and did not know the final overtime score until we called a Mike Whitehead after touching down in California.

 

Tom's Corner #9, March 9, 2009

We left LAX at about 2:30 p.m. and arrived in Santiago the next morning at the break of dawn. I spent most of the flight working math problems for my granddaughter, Anna. I could solve most of them.

An early check-in to the Hotel Diego de Almagro, an hour of sleep, then we caught a taxi to the Prince of Wales Country Club where the Third Pan Am Cup was to be played.

The facilities are about as good as any we have visited for any of the Pan-Am Senior or Junior Competitions. It is about a half hour from our hotel.

Santiago is a modern city with all of the factors than one would expect. The hotel is located on a wide boulevard with a park in the center. It is named for Bernardo O’Higgins, one of the liberators of Chile.

The U.S. versus Trinidad and Tobago was a pivotal game for both teams. It turned out to be the most dramatic come-back of any game I have observed in the past 40 years. With nine minutes remaining and the U.S. down 4-3, most of us had begun to make plans for a loss and some depression medication.

When we managed to tie the game, I was hoping we could hit the ball over the opposite end-line and avoid a loss. With one minute to go, Patrick Harris dribbled into the T&T circle. When three defenders rushed to stop him, he passed to Jon Ginolfi, who scored his third goal of the game. With only seconds left, the U.S. played keep-away and we won our way into the World Cup Qualifier. All of our squad played well, especially goalie, Tom Sheridan. The games we expect from veterans Pat, Pat, Sean, Ian and Jonathan was in evidence and kept the U.S. in the game when lesser players might have despaired.

On a sad note, right halfback, Andy Sheridan suffered a compound fracture of a finger on his right hand and will not be able to compete. He is a steady player who will be missed.

The starting line up was as follows:

Jonathan        Pat Harris         Rob Shilling    Jared Martin

Steve Mann                       Ian

Kevin Barber        Pat Cota                Andy Sheridan

Sean Harris

Tom Sheridan

Argen Reyatt played well after the first-half injury to Andy Sheridan.

The game against Uruguay was a 9-0 romp that we could have won by double that score if a few more things had worked for us. It was an opportunity for our new players to get more game time. All of Will Holt’s practice paid off, as he scored two out of three attempts on the short corner.  Kevin Barber was steady in his second game at left half.

Saleem Aaron, our Field Hockey Federation umpire, had the Chile and Mexico game. He called the game we all expect of him—total control and consistency.

The U.S. team is supported by David, Elaine, Doug and Val Shilling, Laurie Sheridan plus Karen and me. Our Cal Cup hospitality to Pan-Am Federation President Tony Von Ondarza and his wife Maria Elena was reciprocated when all of us were invited into the VIP area for the second day. The padded chairs was a great relief to our rear ends after a day of sitting on unpadded steel bleachers.

Today is bye for all the teams so we bought a map and studied the lay-out of the city. This is our third or fourth visit to Santiago so there are not many sights we have not seen.

We are assured of being in the play-offs for the winning position of this tournament and at least a place in the qualifying tournaments. We will not know the exact time or location for a few weeks.

For more information about the Pan Am Cup, look on www.panamhockey.com. The content includes photos and interviews with some of the players.

Our support staff which includes veteran player and FHF Junior Development Director, Ben Maruquin performed as professionals and worked well together.

Tomorrow the U.S. plays Argentina at noon. We will be playing in the finals regardless of the outcome.

 

Tom's Corner #8, February 4, 2009

Dear Hockey Friends,

Our thanks to George Jordan for single handedly painting the blue lines on the hockey field. He has also arranged to remove the drink machines since they are not functioning properly. Thank you, George Jordan.

Manilal Padhiar has made the templates for painting the white circle. We need to find a way to get them from Huntington Beach to the Hockey Center. Any ideas???

Dave Jackson has ordered the paint for both the white and blue lines after much research. These lines with this paint should last longer. Also the field will be kept dry 48 hours before and after painting to allow it time to set up.

A thank you to Frank Fierro for arranging the crew to clean up the facility, move a pile of dirt and for having some hazardous materials removed. This is in addition to all the work he and Debbie do behind the scenes.

Tracy Eggleston has made the arrangements for the Mandatory Managers Meeting this Saturday at 2:00p.m. in Room TR-11 at Moorpark College. All those who would like to have their team playing from the first week must be there!

Greg Berry's staking of the Waterman Memorial Tree seems to be withstanding the elements. Good job, Greg.

Gary Hornbeck has designed the agreements for California Cup Program Advertising and for the Vendors Tent. If you or an acquaintance is interested, please have them see Gary, me or any of the Cal Cup Organizing Committee Members for the forms.

Chris Januszewski and John Hritz will be running a Junior Umpire's Course this Saturday beginning at 9:30 in Room TR-10 at Moorpark College. New umpire's uniforms will be available to those who finish the course.

All of the Commissioners seem to be organizing their Clubs for the Season. Those teams who attend the Mandatory Manager's Meeting and have their required rosters, player registrations and fees organized will be included from the first week. Others will be added to the schedule as they assemble the required materials.

Who am I forgetting who should be recognized for their efforts?

A reminder that we are looking for an FHF Treasurer. It should be someone who has a knack for numbers and has some accounting experience.

Tom's Corner #7, January18, 2009

On Saturday, January 17, Frank Fierro, David Harris, Dave Jackson, George Jordan and I met at the Hockey Center to discuss the preparation for the Spring Season.
Among the solutions for some of the problems—

• George will call the drink vendors to take the drink machines. The feeling is that since the Roadrunner are operating the snack bar so efficiently that the machines have become redundant.
• Frank will work to restore the Waterman Memorial Tree to its upright position.
• A new protective net behind the north sixes field will have to be purchased since the one used last year has escaped.
• A new, larger scoreboard will be mounted on the players/officials cover and the old one will be returned to its former location near the snack bar. The two of them will be able to function independently or in synchronization.
• One the parts, of one of the goals is broken. George will remove the broken part and Frank will take it to the welder for repair.
• Dave has ordered the paint for the field. When it arrives we will need to find some volunteers to paint the circles and the lines. The field must be kept dry for 48 hours before and after the painting.
• We hope we can get Dale Reynolds to replace or repair the leaking valves on the water canons.
• Frank will rent a trash bin and hire some laborers to clean up the area behind the storage bin. Over the past few years this area has become a collection point for materials and objects that have outlived their usefulness.

Our next Board Meeting will be this coming Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. The location will be at Moorpark College in or near TR-10 where we usually meet.

Now that the sun is staying up until after 5:30, lets start our free play hit-around at around 4:30 p.m. With no exercise, some of us are gaining weight and losing our highly tuned physiques.

Tom's Corner #6, January12, 2009

There were about 35 junior coaches at the Level 1 Coaching Course this past Saturday, January 10, 2009. With former National Player and current University Coach, Jeremy Cook as the instructor, the class went very well. The Power Point presentation was assembled at the highest level and complemented the information Jeremy presented. Everyone went away with a lot of new information.

I have attended several coaching courses but this was, by far, the best. The material, the enthusiasm of the teacher and the support of FHF Director of Coaching, Mike Whitehead, was at the highest level.

Congratulations to all who participated. Now we need to put these new skills to work with our Junior Hockey Teams.

I have agreed to coach the Bulldog U-16 Boys Team. This should be challenging but enjoyable. I have told the parents that I expect them to be a part of our experience and I am looking forward to making a new group of hockey friends.

The Y2K gang is at the field on Sundays from 3:00 until dark. There are players of all ages and abilities stirred together into a cauldron of perspiration, joking and chasing an illusive ball. They have been very generous to allow outsiders to join their merry band for the activities. They were even kind enough to pass me the ball occasionally. Of course, instead of making the obvious pass, I had to use my advanced skills to embarrass and humiliate an occasional opposing player. Well, at least, I tried.

As the February 15 Opening Day for my Mighty Bulldogs D-III team nears, the excitement grows. I am training hard at my circuit of Outback, Bandits, Crown and Anchor plus an occasional pizza parlor. I am focusing on improving the distance of my overhead flick and the speed of my German sweep. My fans tell me that it would not be sporting to change the style or intensity of my penalty shot. All of these skills require a steady elbow, thus the training regimen.

 

Tom's Corner #5, December 19, 2008

Our next hockey event is the Boxing Day Festivities on December 26 at the field. It begins at 2:00 p.m. with players being assigned to a team and then playing our hearts out for two hours of uninterrupted joy and bliss. Then the entourage will travel to Thousand Oaks to that last outpost of the British Civilization known as the Crown and Anchor for bangers and mash plus grog and ale. If we begin our activities at that establishment at around 4:00 p.m., we should be able to start that long trek toward home by a little after midnight.

There will be a coaching course offered on Saturday, January 10 from 9:00 until 4:30 with lunch included. This is a USFHA Level I course. For more information about registration check this web site. https://webpoint.usfieldhockey.com/wp/Events/ViewClinic.asp?EventID=224262.

It should be a very good class and an opportunity for not only coaches but parents and players to learn some of the finer points of the game of hockey. I plan to attend since I am sure there is something I am missing in my skills, talents and abilities.

On that same day, registration will be available for all new and returning players. Membership cards will be prepared and issued for all players who register and pay the fees. That date is less than three weeks away so mark you calendars.

Ben Maruquin continues to teach hockey in the elementary and middle schools. His efforts are the source of most of our new players.

Without the twice a week hockey activities, I notice that my weight and blood pressure are gradually increasing. If I can survive the celebration of the Winter Solstice and get back into the hockey routine, I should be able to play another season. So take heart, all you many members of Tom’s Fan Club. You will not be disappointed in 2009. There will be cause for joy and jubilation.

Tom's Corner #4, November 11, 2008

Dear Hockey Friends,

Karen and I returned yesterday from Hanover, Germany, where we watched the U.S. Men's Indoor Team play some practice games and a tournament of eight superb European teams; six German, one from Scotland, and one from Denmark. First of all, there is more indoor hockey in Hanover alone, than in all of North America. Our team played in four different venues which are available for games and would be a very positive facility if we had it in this country.

This was the first time many of the players had met each other and they had to spend some time learning the names of their team mates. It took a few practice games to learn what to expect from each other. Three of the players had never even played indoor hockey internationally.

In practice games, they won two and lost two and during the weekend tournament they had the same results of two and two. They were competitive in all the games, even those where they were outscored.  Generally speaking, the good outdoor players were the good indoor players. Indoor hockey is much faster and requires a continuous awareness of the location of team mates and of opposition. It also requires the ability to play the entire area and to be able to react quickly with receiving or sending passes.

Peter Jones did a very good job as coach. He had to teach a lot of hockey in a very short period of time. In an effort to get the players coordinated, he played two platoons with five substituting at a time and the goal keepers playing a half. This allowed him an opportunity to watch, evaluate and teach all the players in an equitable manner.

Manager, Nigel Traverso, did all that one could ask of a person in that position. All of the players got on well together and were well behaved and responsible under his leadership.

It is obvious that the support group for this version of the sport have a lot of work to do, especially at the local level where we need to provide more opportunities for our athletes to learn practice, play and improve.
The players and staff appreciate the support of the USFHA, the Men's Hockey Foundation plus their parents and employers.

They leave next Monday for Argentina and the Pan Am Indoor Tournament.

Tom Harris

 

Tom's Corner #3, October 13, 2008

Another beautiful day of hockey last Sunday since my team won and the wind waited until today. While everything seems to go smoothly, it is the efforts of several people who work behind the scenes to make hockey enjoyable for all of us.

Joey Knecht is onboard to serve as Chair of the budding Boards Board with no brash, boring, bogus blather. His broadly-based, balanced board will blast-off by raising funds. (Unbuckle billfolds.) Then this band will get bids, buy, paint and prepare better, beveled, birch, border ball-boards by the 2009 Fall Season. The Boards Board may be between colors for the boards—blue, black, brown, beryl or berry. The Boards Board Big Blog Blurb better be beginning by bedtime. This is the type of volunteering by Joey and his pals have made our organization grow and prosper.

We only have three more Wednesdays of free play before daylight saving time ends. What can we do afterward to keep from gaining weight and losing the high level of physical conditioning we have achieved through our strenuous Wednesday hockey workouts. These active sessions have been followed by equally demanding meetings at Romio’s where elbows are flexed. Can anyone think of a way we can enjoy hockey during the week when the sun is down?

George Jordan continues to paint the lines on the field on a monthly basis. He also waters the field and puts out the boards every Sunday morning. Since no one has volunteered to help him, he continues to do the work and listen to the complaints about his work.

Meanwhile, Dave Jackson is working with the people who installed the field to find a type of paint that will last through the season. He is also working with them to repair the irregular surface in a few areas of the carpet.

Coralie Van Marken assigns the Junior Umpires.

Ravi Kanwal does the same for the Adult Leagues.

Janice Mohr makes sure all the umpires are paid.

Momi keeps the field watered during the day.

Tracy Eggleston did a great job in repairing one of the benches that sits in the Waterman Memorial area.

Randy Sundeen is our Director of Volunteers. If you would like to give back to our sport and help it develop, please see Randy. He has a long list of small assignments that would help a lot to make everything go more smoothly.

Who has been forgotten?
Our thanks to all the many players and supporters who help at the end of the day, storing the side boards, picking up trash, stowing the chairs and locking the gates.

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