The UAE Hockey Federation (UAEHF) recently organized a tournament at the Shabab Al Ahli Club in Dubai as part of its strategy to build a strong national team for the suggested high-profile international championship taking place later this year in Dubai.

The UAE Hockey Federation is preparing an international tournament later this year that will feature top European players as well as arch-rivals India and Pakistan, just weeks before one of the most magnificent tournaments this country has ever hosted by Expo 2020 Dubai.

To get UAE players in shape for the mega-event, UAEHF hosted a tournament that drew three foreign teams: Field Hockey Academy Dubai, Federation Youth Red, and Federation Youth Green. The UAEHF fielded both the Federation Youth Red and Youth Green squads, which are both formed of UAE players.

Federation Youth Red, headed by Mohammed Atiq, won the championship after beating Federation Youth Green 2-1 on penalties. Federation Green was successfully led by William Rhys Roberts, who played for a Scottish club. Ismail Ali Al Banna, President of the UAE Hockey Federation, presented prizes alongside Atiq Juma, General Secretary, and Abdullah Murad, General Manager of BB Sports Dubai.

Best Player of the Tournament went to Rahul Rajendran of the Federation Green team, while Best Emirati Player went to Ahmed Majid of the champion team. Skilled umpires such as Abid Naqi of Pakistan and Farooq Hikmat and Safdar Cheema of the UAE oversaw the matches.

“We are now doing our best to build a flawless national team. We are also receiving a lot of help from other people and seeking guidance from coaches from various UAE-based academies to learn from their experiences. Our goal for the future of hockey is to have a strong national team capable of winning on the international stage,” Banna told Gulf Today.

The UAE Hockey Federation is also in negotiations with Dubai Municipality and Shabab Al Ahli to secure a venue for the national team.

“I wish we had our playground one day so we could inspire more young players to come and train,” Banna said.

“After missing a lot of match practice last year, we have to take advantage of the changes that come our way. It is beneficial for us to be put to the test against a formidable foe such as Field Hockey Academy. We put in a lot of effort in our training camps and tried our hardest to mimic the pace of a high-stakes international match.” Juma added.

Even though he plays for a Scottish side, William aspires to represent the UAE at the international level. William went to Edinburgh for further studies after spending several years in the UAE. He only returned to the country to compete in the tournament.

“I am ecstatic to be a part of this tournament. It's fantastic news for both the UAE and the hockey federation. I study at Herriot Watt University in Edinburgh, and while I play for the club in Scotland. My vision is to play international hockey for the UAE, which has become my second home and holds a deep meaning in my heart. That’s why I travel back to train and play. We intend to tour Europe as a federation and play clubs to host an international hockey federation tournament around Expo 2020 featuring the best nations in the sport,” William added.

Richard Roberts, William's father, was also a member of the Dubai Hockey Club. “It's fantastic to see William playing hockey and representing the UAE at the international level. He is immensely proud of his UAE roots and his participation in the Asian Federation tournament in India in 2017,” Richard said.

Craig West, owner and head coach of Field Hockey Academy, was thankful to be welcomed to play in the friendly games by the UAE Federation, even though his team came in third place.

“We were ecstatic to be chosen to compete in the tournament, and our players gained valuable experience in competitive hockey.”

“It was a wonderful chance for them to learn on what we need to work on to develop our player’s ability to compete at a world-class level,” said West, who has 18 years of hockey coaching experience and is a Level 2 certified coach.

The UAE Hockey Federation's chief organizer, Raza Abidi, thanked the Asian Hockey Federation and the International Hockey Federation for sponsoring the tournament.