U-18 hockey tournament from June 27

LAHORE, Jun 21 (APP):Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited
(SNGPL), in collaboration with Dar Hockey Academy, is organizing
an Under-18 Hockey Tournament here at National Hockey Stadium
from June 27.
Apart from the local teams from some of Pakistan’s premier
hockey nurseries such as Gojra and Bannu are also featuring in
the event. The other participating teams are Kasur, Manga Mandi, Lahore A and Lahore B.
World Cup Winner and former hockey Olympian Danish Kaleem, who is also the head coach of the Dar HA, is tournament’s organizing secretary.
“The tournament aims at unearthing new hockey talent,” said Danish while talking to APP on Thursday. He said the participation of U-18
hockey players in the competition will help in shortlisting the most promising players who will be imparted training to become quality players in due course of time for their induction in the national junior teams.
“There is no short cut to strengthen the base of the game but to groom U-18 players in phases and it is the only way to lift hockey out of present gloom,” he added.
Danish said greater efforts are needed to revive the game at grass root level as hockey is at its lowest ebb. “There is dire need to organize U18 hockey tournaments to motivate the youth to take up hockey as a sort and such activities should continue round the year to provide ample playing opportunity to the young player,” he asserted.