Rudi (standing fifth right) pose with Miri coaches and players in Kuching recently.
MIRI: State Sports Council (MSN) Miri hockey coach Rudi Naziri is the latest official to highlight the dire need for a proper hockey field in Miri. The local hockey fraternity have clamoured for such a field for years.
“We have a lot of young and potential talent ready to be groomed as professionals. However, we do not have a field that is specially designed for this sport here,” he said yesterday, adding that divisions like Bintulu, Mukah, Sibu, Serian and Sri Aman also need one field each.
He, however, remains hopeful Assistant Sports Minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin could help realise their dream of such a facility for training and competition purposes here.
Young players here between the age of 13 and 15, he reported, continue to show interest in the sport over the years especially from schools like Kolej Tun Datuk Tuanku Haji Bujang and St. Columba.
But he stressed that sending players to represent the division at divisional and state level competition was not enough.
He pointed out that the players also need to have regular training on a proper field similar to those used in tournaments.
Only then, he added, will they take to tournaments with greater confidence.
At the recent state inter-school hockey tournament held in Kuching, Miri did not make it to the semi-final round as targeted.
But, considering the contraints facing the team, Rudi was not disapppointed.
He said most of the players were young and had little experience.