Hockey girls in upbeat mood

THE national women’s hockey team is determined to qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, but will first have to launch a challenge against five other African Nations in the qualifiers for the world show-piece.

The Namibian team departs today to Nairobi, Kenya to compete in the African qualifying rounds for the Olympic Games. Seven of the players were part of the team that won bronze in the African Nations Cup in South Africa in 2004 and according to their coach Erwin Handura, the competition will be tough.The winner of the competition qualifies automatically for the Games next year, but the second and third placed teams have to fight it out in another qualifying tournament.Handura believes that the Namibian team will put in a good performance judging from the experience of the players in his side.Although the average age of the players in the team is 21,7, they have played as a team for years and will be a formidable force, irrespective of the presence of defending champions South Africa and the unpredictable Nigerian side.The youngest player in the side is Charlize van der Linde at 17 years of age, while Mandy Lensing is the oldest at 26.Other countries participating in the event are Kenya, Ghana and Zimbabwe.Handura says his team has been training since the weekend of May 13 and were recently also joined by Namibia’s only professional hockey player, Magi Mengo, who will also captain the side.Mengo has played an influential role in many victories for the team in her role as a midfielder and striker, but with the help of her teammates who have also produced good form this season, the team is poised to make an impact.Mengo will be deputised by another midfielder, Theodora Amutjira, who plays for local University of Namibia side (Unam), while another more experienced player Madelaine Lensing, will be in support.The Namibian attack will be led by the enterprising Frieda Kalondo of DTS and the tricky Chantelle de Gouveia, who turns out for Windhoek Old Boys.The two strikers are pacey and Handura thinks that with good balls from the midfield, they will not find it hard to hit the net.Kalondo and de Gouveia scored 10 goals among them during the Presidents Cup in 2005 in Stellenbosch, making a lethal combination for the senior side.In that tournament, Namibia won five of eight matches, with the two strikers causing havoc for the opposition.Handura said the strength of the team however lies in midfield and is planning an attacking game with the midfielders, who are also expected to defend.He admitted that his defence was not of the best this time around, with Irene Handura, Mandy Lensing and Elaine Kruger in charge of matters, while Josephine Kheibes will be keeping goal.Handura said Kheibes has a huge responsibility for the team in this competition, as she will be expected to organise her defence, being one of the senior players in the side.The competition will be played on an artificial turf and with Namibia not having one at this stage, Handura says that they will be helped by their fitness.”It will not be easy for them during the later stages of the tournament as fatigue is bound to catch up with them.The first few matches will be fairly competitive and they will keep up, but the real test will come into play during the last few matches,” he said.Teams are expected to play double headers and will have a one-day break.Handura says his players were match fit at the moment, as they have been involved in field hockey matches and are also aware of the demanding conditions on the fast astro-turf that awaits them.Most have played on such turfs, while the indoor facility in Windhoek has also proved valuable for the players during the indoor season at the beginning of the year.Handura says the players have worked hard on their abdomen and back muscles, as these two areas require strength in the game.The hockey tournament was initially supposed to be part of the All Africa Games which start in Algeria today, but could not be played in that country as Algeria does not have a hockey team, neither an association.Handura explained that it was shifted to Kenya and will also feature the men’s teams from the participating countries.The Namibian men’s team will not compete due to a lack of funds; a situation, which Handura says, should be addressed in the future.”The lack of funds negatively affects the country in terms of rankings and competitiveness on the international stage,” he said.Seven of the players were part of the team that won bronze in the African Nations Cup in South Africa in 2004 and according to their coach Erwin Handura, the competition will be tough.The winner of the competition qualifies automatically for the Games next year, but the second and third placed teams have to fight it out in another qualifying tournament.Handura believes that the Namibian team will put in a good performance judging from the experience of the players in his side.Although the average age of the players in the team is 21,7, they have played as a team for years and will be a formidable force, irrespective of the presence of defending champions South Africa and the unpredictable Nigerian side.The youngest player in the side is Charlize van der Linde at 17 years of age, while Mandy Lensing is the oldest at 26.Other countries participating in the event are Kenya, Ghana and Zimbabwe.Handura says his team has been training since the weekend of May 13 and were recently also joined by Namibia’s only professional hockey player, Magi Mengo, who will also captain the side.Mengo has played an influential role in many victories for the team in her role as a midfielder and striker, but with the help of her teammates who have also produced good form this season, the team is poised to make an impact.Mengo will be deputised by another midfielder, Theodora Amutjira, who plays for local University of Namibia side (Unam), while another more experienced player Madelaine Lensing, will be in support.The Namibian attack will be led by the enterprising Frieda Kalondo of DTS and the tricky Chantelle de Gouveia, who turns out for Windhoek Old Boys.The two strikers are pacey and Handura thinks that with good balls from the midfield, they will not find it hard to hit the net.Kalondo and de Gouveia scored 10 goals among them during the Presidents Cup in 2005 in Stellenbosch, making a lethal combination for the senior side.In that tournament, Namibia won five of eight matches, with the two strikers causing havoc for the opposition.Handura said the strength of the team however lies in midfield and is planning an attacking game with the midfielders, who are also expected to defend.He admitted that his defence was not of the best this time around, with Irene Handura, Mandy Lensing and Elaine Kruger in charge of matters, while Josephine Kheibes will be keeping goal.Handura said Kheibes has a huge responsibility for the team in this competition, as she will be expected to organise her defence, being one of the senior players in the side.The competition will be played on an artificial turf and with Namibia not having one at this stage, Handura says that they will be helped by their fitness.”It will not be easy for them during the later stages of the tournament as fatigue is bound to catch up with them.The first few matches will be fairly competitive and they will keep up, but the real test will come into play during the last few matches,” he said.Teams are expected to play double headers and will have a one-day break.Handura says his players were match fit at the moment, as they have been involved in field hockey matches and are also aware of the demanding conditions on the fast astro-turf that awaits them.Most have played on such turfs, while the indoor facility in Windhoek has also proved valuable for the players during the indoor season at the beginning of the year.Handura says the players have worked hard on their abdomen and back muscles, as these two areas require strength in the game.The hockey tournament was initially supposed to be part of the All Africa Games which start in Algeria today, but could not be played in that country as Algeri
a does not have a hockey team, neither an association.Handura explained that it was shifted to Kenya and will also feature the men’s teams from the participating countries.The Namibian men’s team will not compete due to a lack of funds; a situation, which Handura says, should be addressed in the future.”The lack of funds negatively affects the country in terms of rankings and competitiveness on the international stage,” he said.