Fitness Of Pakistan Hockey Players Is Under Focus To Revive The National Game
Fitness Of Pakistan Hockey Players Is under Focus To Revive The National Game: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) under a 3 -tier system in order to strengthen the base for the revival of game in the country has formed group of senior players, juniors and development squad.
PHF has hired visiting Dutch coach Roelant Oltmans to plan fitness for the players and polish their skills. There will be selection of 40 to 42 players for future international commitments on the fitness results.
Dutch coach will be supported by coach Kamran Ashraf, Nasir Ahmed (goalkeeping coach) and Asim Abbasi (video analyst). PHF will finalize the teams for future matches. In this regard Pakistan hockey junior team will tour a number of overseas countries including Canada, Poland, France, Holland and Spain in June and play 12 to 15 matches.
Fitness test will be done before taking teams abroad and will ensure maximum exposure for the players. Youth Olympic is starting in April at Bangkok and under 3 tier system, development squad team will participate in it. The teams under 3 tier systems have played many matches against World XI and practice matches in Oman tri-series and common wealth games. Commonwealth Games has always been a favorite ground for country’s hockey.
Oltmans said that he will work on the training structure and will make a schedule to improve fitness of juniors since fitness is the most neglected area of the players, he said.
FIH (International hockey Federation) Coach had remained Mr. Qamar was associated with the Bangladesh hockey team in the past. He said that he is confident that training and fitness methods of Oltmans will make a great difference and bring the national game back on the track.