Federation aiming to promote hockey 5s

HOCKEY fives is the shorter format of hockey and creating awareness on it is a priority for the Papua New Guinea Hockey Federation.
PNG was involved in hockey fives at the 2015 Pacific Games and Under-18 Oceania Championships last year but to have an actual competition for the format will be something new for the code.
Federation president Kaluwin Potuan said a hockey fives competition would start at the Hockey Pavilion at the Sir John Guise Stadium on Sunday.
According to Potuan, 18 teams have been confirmed with four divisions — the Under-15 mixed juniors, men’s, women’s and mixed adults.
According to the federation’s calendar, the competition will run for seven weeks and will end on April 28.
“Hockey fives is now played all around the world, even at the Olympics,” Potuan said.
“We want to ensure that the shorter format of the game becomes popular in the country.
“Hockey fives was played at the 2015 Pacific Games and also during the U18 Oceania Championships last year but this is the first time for us to actually introduce a competition.
“I want to call on the public in Port Moresby to come along to the Hockey Pavilion on Sunday and enjoy the first hickey fives competition.”
Potuan said after initiating the competition in Port Moresby, they plan on expanding to other centres such as Lae, Kimbe, Kokopo, Madang and Manus.
The format, which involves five players per team competing on a smaller pitch, was introduced to the world during Easter in Hong Kong in 2014.