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Mzingaye Sibanda Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE senior hockey team players use their own money every time they report for national duty, including hiring training venues, men’s coach Colin Williams said yesterday.In an interview with Chronicle Sport, Williams bemoaned shortage of funds and the resulting shocking scenario of players subsidising the national team saying this is a stumbling block to progress.
The national women’s and men’s teams had their first practice sessions of the year at Khumalo Hockey Stadium over the weekend in preparation for the World Series League set for the Bulawayo in September.
“The association is in a financial crisis. Players pay for their own travelling expenses to come for practice. Therefore, it makes it difficult to tap raw talent because some may not afford to cater for their own expenses,” he said.
Players are also forced to contribute towards hiring stadia to conduct their training sessions.
“National team players must not pay to do individual practice at national facilities because that makes it a problem to develop as an individual and to meet the international standards.
“I believe that since the World Series League will be here at home, we must be able to use home advantage and it takes time to enhance hockey techniques which means it must be easy to access training facilities,” said Williams.
The South Africa-based coach Williams challenged the Hockey Association of Zimbabwe (Haz) to engage the Sport and Recreation Commission so that players can have access to training facilities.
Khumalo Hockey Stadium has two playing fields, the main arena and the outside ground which is used by players to warm up during international competitions.
Williams noted that senior national teams are also starved of international activity as Haz has failed to organise friendly matches in the run-up towards the World Series League.
He feels that the lack of competitive games will prove costly for them.
“If you train, you also have to play competitive games because the intensity of training is different from that of a match. No games have been scheduled ahead of the competition, which is not good for the players,” he said.
The former national team player said he has had to go out of his way so that the teams can have some game time and training camps in South Africa.
“It is (better) that I’m based in Johannesburg because I have managed to use my personal relationship with South African hockey personnel to arrange something for us. Hopefully it will be successful,” said Williams.
Zimbabwe men’s team is in the same group with African champions Egypt, Nigeria, Namibia and Zambia for the World Series.
Bongani Ndlovu