Congratulations must go to the Cyprus Men’s hockey team on their achievement of winning their first competitive match at International level in the EHF (European Hockey Federation) World League Division IV Tournament in Vilnius, Lithuania on July 19, defeating Finland 3 – 1.
The achievement is all the more praiseworthy if you consider the lack of facilities and resources that Cyprus has had to work with. I have coached men’s’ and ladies hockey previously in Northern Ireland (a country of population circa 1.5 million) for many years and the country now boasts around fifty artificial grass pitches and has a high participation level from schools to junior to senior club levels before moving to live in Limassol.
Cyprus has one pitch (maybe twenty years old and has seen better days) at the English School located opposite the President’s Palace in Nicosia, possibly one in the Falcon School and two in the British bases. The Cyprus national team is presently made up largely of past and present pupils from the English School in Nicosia; some still at school, some in the army and others who play hockey at Universities in England, Scotland and Wales. Unfortunately Cyprus has fallen behind other nations in hockey terms and Malta is now ahead of Cyprus in terms of playing facilities and participation.
Maybe there is another first as well? I prefer to call nationals of this country Cyprus Greek or Cyprus Turkish putting the emphasis on CYPRUS first. The men’s hockey team that is proudly representing Cyprus in Vilnius has young men who are both Cyprus Greek and Cyprus Turkish.
On the subject of Turkey, the Turkish government has recently made a five year financial commitment to laying ten or more new artificial hockey pitches in the country.
Cyprus Olympic Solidarity have recently supported and hosted a FIH (International Hockey Federation) Coaching Level 1 Badge Course which was delivered by Norman Hughes, Continental Development Officer of EHF and Siegfried Aikman, FIH Academy Coach and Accreditor and was attended by interested prospective Cyprus hockey coaches and included teachers representing the Cyprus State and Private school education systems.
The achievement of the Cyprus Men’s hockey team in Vilnius will hopefully represent a step forward in the future development of hockey in Cyprus!
Well done Cyprus
Hamilton Smyth, via email
