Dubai: For the first time, the UAE schools hockey team flew out to participate in the fifth Asian schools Under-18 hockey championship that is being held at the Aishbagh Hockey Stadium in Bhopal, India. The team held a 20-day coaching camp under Kabir Khan, a former Indian national hockey team player turned coach at the Westminster School.
The UAE schools team is made up of a mix of UAE nationals and expatriates and is being led by UAE national Ahmad Al Hammadi.
Raza Abidi, the coordinate of the UAE Hockey Association, has put together the 20-member team after spotting talents from different schools.
About 31 players turned up for the selection trials and 20 from them were picked into the team. The UAE team is made up of players from Netherlands, France, United Kingdom, South Africa, India and Sri Lanka.
Speaking to Gulf News, Kabir, said: “I am delighted with the natural skills these boys have in them. Though the camp was only for 20 days the players improved tremendously. It is the first attempt by a UAE schools team to play in an international tournament and hence the players are excited to give their best.”
Kabir, who played alongside Indian Olympians like Sameer Dad, Prabhjot Singh and Gagan Ajit, took time off from his Procurement and Contract Manager job at the Technolube LLC company in Jebel Ali to train the boys.
“I am thankful to my company which gave me time to be with the boys. I would have loved to have got more time with the boys but the very fact that we have formed a team to play in an Asian tournament is a great beginning.”
Eight nations are playing in the fifth Asia schools championship and the UAE is in group A alongside China, Malaysia and Sri Lanka.
In group B are Singapore, Thailand, India and Nepal.
The UAE team has been formed under the initiative of the UAE Inter-school Sports Association. Hassan Mohammad Loothah, secretary general of the UAE schools sports association, expressed his delight hockey making its debut.
Tayyab Ikram, the CEO of Asian Hockey Federation was instrumental in the UAE getting an entry into the event.
Addressing a huge gathering of parents and team players, Kingston Gilbert, the executive principal and CEO of the Westminster School, said: “We are happy the team trained here and I am hopeful that the team would put up a good show in their international debut.”
Daan Hordijk, vice-captain of the team, who hails from the Netherlands, said: “I come from a family of hockey players and has played in European league. I am studying in American school here and I am happy I am getting to play hockey here and represent this country.” Sion Bastien from France is a student of LFIGP in Academic City. He said: “I used to play for Lippe Hockey Club in France and got a chance to play for Dubai Hockey Club here. I want to give my best for UAE schools team.”
UAE team: Ahmad Al Hammadi (capt), Daan Hordijk (vice captain), Sion Bastien, Andrew Jason (goal keeper) Subarmanyam Kartikeyan, Ryan Harold, Yash Mehta, Mohammad Ihsan, Bryan Gonsalves, Steven Reginald, Rahul Rajendran, Abdallah Musa, Muhammad Khizar, Muhammad Irshad, Sanjeev Godin, Ahmad Ali Ridha, Weerasuriya, Mohammad Rifaath, Mohammad Salik Hassan, Mohammad Rila, Mufaddal Huzaifa, William Roberts and Yash Barot.
