Hockey development programmes need serious push

The women's showdown, which had five clubs competing for the top honour, was the 23rd edition.

Clubs namely Ghana's Prisons, Revenue Authority, and Police Service, and two clubs from Nigeria, Delta Queens, and Plateau Queens, featured in the tournament.

Men's showpiece that happened to be the 32nd edition saw nine teams fight for the top honour.

Hockey teams from the East Africa region, except for the Kenyan outfit of Wazalendo, failed to make it to the showpiece.

It is obvious failure to access funds that could have smoothly facilitated the region's hockey clubs was one of the reasons for missing out on the tournament.

The country could not field either men's or women's squads in the prestigious continental hockey tournaments.

Much as the domestic hockey sides would have liked to be part of the continental tournaments, they were reduced to mere spectators because of a variety of factors, financial difficulties turning out to be one of them.

This is yet another discouraging news coming out of domestic hockey circles.

Domestic hockey players last tasted continental action way back in 2014 as women's side, Twende, battled it out in Africa Club Championship.

With the presence of strong opponents in the 2014 continental club showpiece, Twende simply used the competition to learn from more competent squads.

It is time sports stakeholders in the country put their weight behind local hockey governing body's programs to see to it hockey sides ultimately battle it out in continental tournaments.

There is no doubt that currently, the country lacks strong domestic hockey tournaments at both regional and national levels, which take place regularly.

The presence of such tournaments would have made it easy for the country to secure strong hockey sides which could have represented the country well in continental showpieces.

The absence of such competitions boils down to a failure by the domestic hockey governing body to access sponsorship for hosting the events successfully.

The domestic hockey governing body has for many years struggled to lobby for sponsorship for various hockey programs conducted by the association.

Extremely few firms have either shown willingness to be part of the sport's development program or fully backed the project.

Hockey stakeholders have at times sought to keep the game active, organizing several friendly matches.

We feel both individuals of goodwill and firms have a part to play in the promotion of less popular sports, including hockey.

There is no doubt the country could not be counted as a sports powerhouse, should there be no concerted efforts to develop all sports disciplines that are active.

Sports followers in the country have for years been expressing displeasure over the country's failure to field many sportsmen and women in the Olympics and other major tournaments at continental and international levels.

The same sports followers are also aware that failure by local sports associations to access sponsorship contributes to failure by the country to field well-prepared sportsmen and women in the tournaments.

Soccer is lately a sporting discipline that enjoys a lot of financial support locally, albeit at the top level of the sport.

Less popular sporting disciplines have kept on experiencing the same problem with no hope that either one of domestic or foreign companies might invest heavily in the disciplines' governing bodies' projects.

Despite the local hockey governing body being in dire straits, there was some refreshing news from the sport two weeks back given the association, in conjunction with the game's stakeholders, organized an annual showpiece, known as Uhuru, which took place in Arusha.

Eight men's hockey clubs, Tanzania People’s Defense Force (TPDF), Black Mambas, Arusha Twigas, Tanga Stars, Moshi Khalsa, Arusha Young Boys, Black Tigers, and Kili Vijana, took part in the showpiece.

The tournament exhibited local hockey stakeholders' willingness to keep on developing the game amid all difficulties.

We feel the domestic hockey governing body and the sport's stakeholders deserve a pat on the back, as they have proved they will hardly back down, lack of financial support notwithstanding.

The domestic hockey governing body has several initiatives, which include training for coaches and officials, and junior hockey development projects that need sponsorship.

It is obvious that hockey, as is the case for other less popular sports, needs serious investment if Tanzania wishes to become a successful hockey nation on the continent.