Lethargic displays characterise hockey league return
Kenyatta University's Gloria Juma (left) vies for the ball with Blazers' Rachel Ousa during their Kenya Hockey Union Women Premier League match at City Park Stadium on November 17, 2019 Blazers won 2-1.
What you need to know:
- Wolverines coach Dennis Owoka said assembling a team to train was a struggle since most of the players are employed.
- “It calls for commitment and discipline from individual players to do their own training. But apparently most of the players were not training and the dismal performance was evident,” said Owoka, a former Butali Sugar Warriors coach.
- Blazers assistant coach Josephine Ataro noted that the more the matches, the fitter the players will be.
Unfitness and sluggishness of players was evident as the 2022 Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) League bullied off over the weekend at the City Park Stadium and Strathmore University grounds in Nairobi.
The league was last played in 2019 before the coronavirus enforced break.
Hits and misses clouded the first round of matches in the Premier, Super and National Leagues.
Women's Premier League record champions Blazers struggled to win against Sliders 3-0 in the women’s top tier on Saturday, while promoted Dutch Group Flowers Wolverines held Amira Sailors to a barren draw on Sunday in another women's tie.
With the weekend results, Blazers top the standings with three points, while Wolverines and Sailors are tied second with one point each.
In the men’s top tier, United States International University of Africa (USIU-A) shared spoils with Sailors in their 1-1 draw on Sunday, while the match pitting Greensharks against Parkroad Badgers that was being played under flood lights on Saturday wasn’t completed due to blackout at the facility.
Sharks were leading 3-1 in the third and final quarter of the match. The final quarter will be played this coming Sunday at the City Park Stadium.
USIU-A and Sailors lead the table standings with one point each.
KHU Technical official and Strathmore University men’s and women’s team coach, Meshack Senge said the scrappy performance from the players was expected, but the forced two years break should not be used as an excuse.
“The good play will definitely come around but after few rounds of action. You can see what the break can do even to some of the quality players. It’s like we are starting all over again which is okay,” offered Senge.
Wolverines coach Dennis Owoka said assembling a team to train was a struggle since most of the players are employed.
“It calls for commitment and discipline from individual players to do their own training. But apparently most of the players were not training and the dismal performance was evident,” said Awoka, a former Butali Sugar Warriors coach.
Blazers assistant coach Josephine Ataro noted that the more the matches, the fitter the players will be.
