Don’t Kill the Hockey Feeling

Kofi Owusu Aduonum

There is no gainsaying the fact that the just-concluded AfHF hockey showpiece has positively impacted on the general perception of people about the game.

All of a sudden, people who hithertobefore the competition regarded hockey as a dangerous game, due to the nature of the game and use of hockey sticks, are now head over heels in love with the game that sent Ghana to its first World Cup, in any sporting discipline, as early as in the 1970′s.

During the hockey fiesta, comments from most of the spectators suggested they had sketchy knowledge about the the sport. Some did not even know that it existed at all.

But I can say for a fact that the hosting of the tourney has pushed the sport to a higher pedestal, and could soon be at par with other well known disciplines like boxing and soccer.

The sweet spirit of camaraderie among players, officials and spectators will forever live on, but the question on the lips of the new lovers of the sport is whether the Ghana Hockey Association(GHA) and the powers that be will uphold the momentum experienced during the ten-day hockey fiesta.

Refreshingly, the chairman of GHA, Mr. Oko-Nikoi Dzani has given assurance that he and his team will ensure that they build on the successes of the 9th AfHF hockey tourney.

This writer is suggesting that the organizers of the Greater Accra hockey league should be up and doing, by getting on board sponsors to make the competition richer and keener.

This might rekindle the interest of the new lovers of the sport as well as rope in more admirers.

Indeed, the media – both electronic and print, should support the sport and give it the needed push, just like they rallied behind it during the hockey tournament.

The GHA should intensify its School-Logistics-Supply program.

The African Hockey Federation (AHF) and the International Hockey Federation (FIH) has been instrumental in that regard, and it will be proper if they extend it to other regions of the country.