RI sets high goals in SEAG hockey

RI sets high goals in SEAG hockey

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Hockey Association hopes to
collect gold from the women's team and silver from the men's team
at the 19th Southeast Asian Games here next year, providing the
sport is played on artificial turf.

Primadi Tabrani, a senior association official, told a press
conference after a hearing with the National Sports Council
yesterday that it expects the council to feature hockey at the
Games and build a Rp 1.3. billion (US$550,000) artificial pitch
at the Senayan sports complex soon.

"If the council insists on playing it on grass, then we can
only expect to win bronze medals," he said.

Primadi said that the country's teams must be aware of
Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam's skills on synthetic
pitches. On grass, Thailand is likely to be the toughest
opposition.

The association will select 16 male and 16 female players,
although the council suggested call on only 24 athletes. Most
players are members of the winning teams at the last National
Games.

The long-term centralized training program will be staged in
Tanjung Bintang, Lampung, which has three grass fields, and will
start by the end of November.

The first selection will be staged in March and be followed by
workouts in Bandung and Jakarta. In May, the association will
send both teams to participate in the Arafuru Games in Darwin,
Australia.

The program will continue with an overseas camp in India in
June and in Pakistan in August.

"We hope the synthetic field will be ready for use in
September after our return from the tour," Primadi said.

Two coaches from India and Pakistan will coach the men's and
women's teams separately. (yan)