STILL GOING STRONG
RSC junior hockey tournament continues to be platform for players to showcase talent
NOT many know that a premier sports and social club’s hockey section’s initiative launched 13 years ago is now contributing to the development of the game at grassroots level.
And the man behind this is Oommen Koshy, the organising chairman of RSC’s hockey ninea-side (9s) tournament, held at the Bukit Kiara Annexe in Kuala Lumpur.
Oommen initially mooted the idea for the 9s meet for players aged above 18 in 2001 in a move to scout for talent to form the men and veteran’s teams to take part in the Kuala Lumpur Hockey League.
Then, in 2006, he felt the time was ripe to start a junior tournament for players aged below 12.
Little did he, or anyone else, know then that this junior tournament would go on to carve a reputation as a platform for young players to showcase their talent.
(One standout talent unearthed is Kirandeep Kaur, who played in the RSC junior tournament for SK Bandaraya, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur. She made history last year when she became the youngest player — at the age of 15 — to feature in the Asian Games in Jakarta last year.)
The RSC junior hockey tournament is participated by over 400 players each time.
This year, 24 teams took part in the boys’ category and 16 in the girls’ section.
The teams played six-minute matches in a round-robin format, with the group winners moving on to the knockout phase.
Ultimate Red of Ultimate HT Club won the boys’ title while Family A of Family Hockey Club took top honours in the girls’ section.
Both the Kuala Lumpur teams received medals, Milo hampers and Golden Screen Cinema movie passes.
The teams were not the only recipients of RSC’s generosity as the hockey section last year began donating jerseys, cones and balls to four schools.
This year, four more schools were added to the list of recipients — SK Tengku Zainun in Tampin, Negri Sembilan; SK Kompleks KLIA, Nilai; SK Taman Koperasi Polis, Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur; and SK Bagan Ajam in Butterworth.
Each school received a full set of hockey goalkeeping gear and 120 training balls totalling RM1,500.
Oommen said the schools were selected based on two factors.
“Apart from their needs, the schools must also be regular participants in the RSC junior tournament,” Oommen said after a sponsorship presentation ceremony recently.