The Hockey Oman on Monday took a major step to improve the game’s grassroots level by launching Youth Hockey Training centres in the clubs with a target to qualify for Jr. Hockey World Cup by 2031.
During the launch ceremony at InterCity Hotel in Al Khuwair, Today, Hockey Oman Chairman Dr Marwan al Juma signed a partnership to establish 13 Hockey centres for youth players in the clubs.
His Excellency Basil bin Ahmed al Rawas, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth for Sports and Youth, was the chief guest for the function.
This project aims to achieve the OHA goals by preparing a base of emerging players. By discovering talents and honing their skills, and then including them in the ranks of the national team to represent it in various foreign tournaments.
Said bin Khalfan al Maamari, Chairman of the Schools & Hockey Centre’s Committee, said that the Board members of the Hockey Oman and the Centres Committee worked on a strategy aimed at developing and upgrading the hockey game system in clubs for male and female players.
“We plan to rehabilitate the upcoming players psychologically, technically and physically in order to reach a level capable of competition. It also contributes to the emergence of more Omani young talents, and it also contributes to the development of clubs, which are an important source for the national teams to achieve more international achievements.”
“The opening of these centres comes in line with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040. It also shows the continuous interest of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik in finding ways to support and empower the young generation,” Al Maamari added.
The training centre will include players born in 2010 or older to be trained and qualified to be players in the national teams to compete in the Asia Cup and the Jr. World Cup.
The inauguration of the centres comes in five governorates, as a start, which are Muscat, North Al Batinah, Al Buraimi, Dhofar and Al Dakhiliyah.
Numbers will be increased by 20 per cent every two years. Each centre will have two programmes, the first is to prepare players for both genders, with an average of 13 male teams with 312 players and 9 female centres with a total of 216 players.
The second programme is the trainer’s development programme. The Oman Hockey Federation will provide the balls, transportation, and monthly bonuses for the technicians and goalkeeper uniforms.
The training programme will present five various festivals to measure the players’ levels and progress in training by organising a tournament among the participating centres in order to create a competitive sports generation.
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