PHF announces schoolboys U16 championship schedule

KARACHI: PHF’s Director Development and Domestic Naveed Alam said on Tuesday that the Schoolboys Under 16 National Championships would reinvigorate hockey in the country.

Addressing a press conference at the National Hockey Stadium in Lahore, he said: “In little more than a year of its existence, the present setup of the PHF has held national tournaments at every level: departments, under 21 as well as under 18, clubs and women. In addition, nine-a-side and five-a-side tournaments have also been staged.”

Trials for the schoolboys championship start in February in all four provinces, Islamabad, AKJ, FATA and Gilgit-Baltistan. Naveed said: “People often lament the decline o f school hockey. This championship will reactivate the sport in the schools. Selection committees consisting mainly of Olympians and internationals will conduct the trials. Boys below the age of 16 on December 31, 2017, are eligible.”

The teams will comprise only 13 players. “The players will have to play the entire duration of the match. Their stamina and temperament will be tested to the full,” Naveed said. “Only genuinely talented players will come to the fore. 

“As per the PHF’s vision, all the stakeholders will be involved. Not only the provincial associations and sports boards but also mayors, commissioners and deputy commissioners will be present at the trials.

“The transparent trials will encourage the parents to send their boys for this sport,” he claimed. About age scrutiny, he said: “There will be zero tolerance for overage players. A pro forma will be filled out. NADRA and schools will be involved in each case. Doctors’ services may also be hired.”

After the trials, around 20 teams will be selected from different regions. The championship will be held in April. The boys will be provided with free sticks and shoes and goalkeeper kits. The open trials will be held from February 22-28 in seven regions.

In Islamabad, the trials will be held on February 23 and in Rawalpindi on February 24. For the two places, the selection committee comprises Pervaiz Kiyani, Rizwan Bhutta and Malik Khurram.

Okara Cantonment: February 24. Selection committee: Qamar Zia, Aleem Raza, and Muhammad Sarwar.

Lahore: February 26-27. Selection committee: Kh Awais, Ishtiaq Ahmed, Saqlain and Muhammad Tariq.

Faisalabad: February 27-28. Selection Committee: Muhammad Irfan Senior, Zeeshan Ashraf and Nadeem Khan.

Sialkot: February 24-25. Selection Committee: Maqsood Hussain, Dilawar Bhatti, and Ajmal Lodhi.

Bahawalpur: February 26-27. Selection committee: Atif Bashir, Aleem Raza and Sarwar.

Sargodha: February 24. Selection Committee: M Rasheed, M Shabbir and Kashif Yaqoob.

The trials for Sindh will be held at three regions, and the selectors will be Mansoor Ahmed, Sameer Hussain and Muhammad Ali. Trials in Hyderabad are scheduled on February 23-24, Sukkur on 25-26 and Karachi on 27-28.

The selection committee for KP consists of Musaddiq Hussain, Naeem Akhtar and Ahsanullah. They will hold trials in Banuu on February 23-24, Abbottabad on February 27-28, and Peshawar on February 25-26.

In Skardu, Raja Shahid, Kamal and Muhammad Ali Dilshad will hold the trials on February 24.

The trials in Gilgit will be held on February 24 and the selectors will be Raja Shahid, Kamal and Muhammad Ali Dilshad.

The trials for Azad Kashmir region will be held  at Rawlakot on February 25-26 and Farooq Awan will hold the trials.

The trials for FATA region will be held at Darra Adam Khel on February 25. Imtiaz Afridi and Imran Khan will be the selectors. 

The trials for Baluchistan will be held on March 7-8 in Quetta as examination of schools are going on in February in the province.