Indonesian Hockey Association told to pull up its socks

Indonesian Hockey Association told to pull up its socks

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Young hockey players have urged the laid-back Indonesian Hockey
Association (PHSI) to get moving and start working out a
development program.

The association, which has been at odds with the National
Sports Council (KONI), has failed to perform its tasks, given the
fact that it has not organized a tournament for almost seven
years.

The 1996 National Championship, which was the qualifier for
the 1996 National Sports Championship (PON), was the last time
PHSI initiated an event.

"There seems to be something wrong with the organization. They
(PHSI officials) must upgrade their organizational performance,"
Dian Utami, 19, told The Jakarta Post during the one-day
Indonesia Hockey Youth Challenge 2003 here on Friday.

Dian, who played with the London School of Public Relations
(LSPR) team, expressed her hopes of becoming a national player
but conceded that the discouraging condition of national hockey
was a barrier to anyone wanting to improve their hockey
performance.

"The hockey (executive board) is no good. We have never seen a
tournament organized by PHSI," she said, adding that the LSPR
team, which was established only two years ago, took part in four
to five tournaments a year.

Johan Budiman, 20, shed more light on the Jakarta hockey
chapter (PHJ), which he said also appeared to be inactive.

"I'd love to play for the national team, but it appears hockey
is suffering from a lack of tournaments. I do it just for fun at
the moment," said the midfielder from the Usakti Hockey Club.

"As far as I know we have never participated in a tournament
organized by PHJ. To build strong players, we should have enough
tournaments at the national level and participate in some
international events," he said.

PHSI is currently led by Primadi Tabrani, whose term ends in
July.

Meanwhile, 12 Jakarta-based teams -- six each in the junior
men's and women's division -- featured in the Indonesia Hockey
Youth Challenge 2003 at the Bung Karno sports center.

"We want to encourage youths to play hockey to help promote
the sport in the country," Ken Allan, chairman of the organizing
committee, said.

The event will be followed by the two-day Kabelvision Hockey
Festival 2003 with two teams from Hong Kong and one from
Singapore among the 12 participants.

Makassar-based UNHAS, Bandung-based UNPAD and Mandala teams
will also participate.