Long: Tamioks name is inspirational

FORMER PNG Hockey Federation vice-president Keith Long has expressed disappointment at the current federation’s moves to change the women’s national team name Tamioks.
In an email sent from Brisbane earlier in the week Long, who was team manager for the Tamioks at the 2003 SP Games in Suva, Fiji, where PNG won silver, said Tamioks was an exclusive name already endorsed by the PNGHF.
He added that all members of the Oceania Hockey Federation knew the PNG women’s hockey team as the Tamioks.
He said the Tamioks name represented all the qualities PNG wanted in its national side and it was inspirational.
“Tamioks represent determination in adversity, committment to excel, what we (PNG’s national hockey team) can be,” Long said.
“The journey of the Tamioks is inspirational in itself, akin to the movie adaptations of Cool Runnings (Jamaican bobsledders) and the Might Ducks (junior ice hockey).”
PNG improved its international rating after finishing fourth in the Oceania Cup in 2007 which was a pre-Olympic qualifier.
“Through the Tamioks branding, PNG hockey discovered a soul at that same time, capturing the affection of the communities and the media.”
Long is now employed in the Olympic sport of water polo as executive director for Queensland.
“This is sad.
“It seems every good thing done, to bring the sport  into the modern era in ways of squads selections based on merit, attitude, culture, transparency and including, the commitment players endured and its achievement is being unraveled back to a void.”
Longs comments were supported by other former and current fedearation members have said it would undermine past efforts and cause disunity in PNG hockey.