Queenslanders Assist Vanuatu in Lead up to the Oceania Pacific Cup
Vanuatu Hockey will attend its first FIH sanctioned tournament in Fiji in December. The Oceania Pacific Cup will be played in Fiji, with PNG, Samoa, Vanuatu, NZ Maori, Australia Country U/21 and the host nation competing.
Recently, three Queenslanders travelled to Port Vila on business, and added a few days extra to help prepare the Vanuatu national squad. Former Maroon Murray Fitzpatrick, State of Origin legend Gary Belcher, and Brian Fitzpatrick were able to assist ex-NT Stingers player, Ross Fraser, who is their coach.
Read the story of their trip below.
The game is in its infancy on the island. There are only two places where hockey is played, the village of Tanalu, and at the local youth centre. There is no full size field, but the team trains three times a week on a sand filled Futsal court. Many of the players train bare footed or in thongs, and this creates some challenges. The players are reluctant to play the ball on to an opponent’s foot, not wanting to hurt their mates. They were surprised that it was a legal tactic, however, it is a skill that they will need at the OPC.
It is quite challenging getting the message across in Bislama, the pidgin dialect. When we say ‘hit it’, they say ‘Killim!’ The players have sound possession skills and Ross has done a great job with them. They work in small spaces quite well, due to their small court training. Murray and Brian spent a lot of time teaching some full field concepts in readiness for Fiji. Gary Belcher took the squad through some extensive warm-up, conditioning and stretching routines.
The players and association are quite poor. Money is hard to come by, so it was gratifying to be able to help in this regard. Futuro, a Brisbane based financial planning group, provided funding for the uniforms. Kookaburra, Rob Hammond, and Gryphon, supplied a set of quality sticks which were received with great glee. None of the players owns their own stick!
Football and rugby are very popular with the Nivans, but hockey is gaining a steady following. So whilst the Champions Trophy is played in Auckland by the leading nations, the OPC will be just as fiercely contested by these emerging island nations. Queensland coaching manager, Barry Vohland, will be coaching PNG.
Check out the photos on the HQ facebook page: http://on.fb.me/vLvJKt
