The Fiji men’s hockey team is preparing for the Oceania Pacific cup set to take place from the 9-12 of next month, with strong backing from its management and efforts to develop new talent.
“We had excellent support from our former managers Clifford Smith and Anton Chung. We also brought Harry Ah Tong on board as the new manager for the current Fiji men’s hockey team,” said head coach Shaun Corrie in video statement.
The team continues to benefit from the expertise of strength and conditioning coach Eugene Valma and physiotherapist Lawrence Shaw.
“We’re lucky to have these people still around,” Corrie said.
This weekend’s trials will feature a mix of seasoned and young players, with an emphasis on exposure and skill development.
“Because of the lack of time, we selected a core group of players that we knew could fit the Fiji standards to come and trial out,” Corrie said.
“We’re also exposing juniors to give them a taste of what it’s like training with the Fiji teams.”
Corrie also praised the commitment of players and former athletes from districts like Nadi, Lautoka, and Ba.
“We were very pleased with the response from those districts. It’s good to see young players willing to step up and former players helping manage and coach teams,” he said.
Corrie called on fans for support, “We plead to all those who have Fiji at heart to come down and support the team. We are in a rebuilding phase, but it’s better to move forward than backwards.”
