Men’s national hockey trials on

today with the holding of trials at Prince Edward today.
The Hockey Association of Zimbabwe have appointed former national team player Billy Birkett as the men’s coach while Anthony Fife will be in charge of women’s side.
Today, Birkett is expected to start building a foundation for the men’s team which should play at the Africa Olympic Games qualifiers set for Bulawayo in September.
Tapiwa Mwakalyelye, the manageress for the team, said she was expecting over 50 hopeful players for the national team trials.
“We are holding trials for the national men’s team.
“The venue is Prince Edward School and so far indications are that we will have players from Masvingo, Chiredzi, Harare, Bulawayo and other players where hockey is currently being played.
“We are expecting between 55 to 60 players to come for the trials,” said Mwakalyelye.
Birkett has designed a programme that will enable him and the selectors to monitor the talents at their disposal.
“The coaches will make the players go through their paces.
“I don’t know much about his programme but he (Birkett) could make them play some small-sided games and monitor their talents,” said Mwakalyelye.
She said the trials will start at 9am today and will continue tomorrow at the same venue.
Most of the players are expected to come from the Harare Hockey Board Indoor League where teams like Eradicators, Old Hararians, Sunrise, Universal and Hockey Masters are playing.
Some players are also expected from Mabvuku, Banket, Bindura and the University of Zimbabwe.
Bulawayo Athletic Club also has some talented players who could be attempting to form the national team while Tongai Mukweva has been keeping hockey alive in Hippo Valley.
The move by HAZ to revive the men’s national team comes after the sport received support from the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee under the Olympic Solidarity Funding for team sports.
Hockey brought Zimbabwe’s first gold medal at the Olympic Games in Moscow in 1980 when the “Golden Girls” made history.
But over the years, the sport has suffered with no attention being paid to the astro-turf at Magamba and Khumalo stadiums although hockey continues to be vibrant at school level.