Field Hockey Federation

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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