For our second Friday Focus, we not only bring UDP, but also are happy to announce that the European Hockey Federation have partnered with KNHB and FIH to deliver an exciting 4 year project for Turkey. The aim over the 4 year period is to support Turkish Hockey Federation in the training of their key workforce members (coaches, umpires and event management) at the same time as developing a High Performance plan for their National squads. The project links closely with FIH Engage and Empower programmes (a key part of the “Hockey Revolution”)
EHF is keen that whilst Turkey is the focus nation many nations neighbouring Turkey in South East Europe should and will also take part in the Education section of this project.
EHF Development and Education Manager Norman Hughes will manage this important project on behalf of EHF Development and Education committees
The Indoor Hockey Seminar the Development and Education, was hosted by the Turkish Hockey Federation and took place in Alanya at the Sunprime Numa Beach. The seminar started the 20th of October and regional coaches, club managers, umpires and players too part.FIH Course Conductor Michel Kinnen and FIH UM and secretary of the EHF Appointments Committee Yolande Brada joined the seminar as well as other experts in their field.
The seminar’s main goal was to expand the knowledge base of coaches, umpires and players before the start of the Indoor season. Michel Kinnen focused the coaches and players and his programme covered the following skillsets: basic formations, how to train around them, defensive and offensive patterns, and bench management. The group worked together with interactive video workshops and assigned tasks to get a better understanding of the material.
Yolande Brada’s focus was on the umpires, where she covered the rules of Indoor Hockey and its interpretations, positioning and how the rules work in real life, with the aid of footage from different tournaments. Approximately 90 umpires participated, 50 were beginners and 40 were a bit more experienced, ranging from regional to top panel national umpires and some FIH umpires.
Despite the difference in levels, all participants worked together with the more experienced ones taking the lead in some activities and encouraging the beginner umpires to take full advantage of this development program.
During the weekend, Yolande worked together with Professor Dr. Ridvan Ekmekci, head of Sport Management Department at the University of Denizli in a workshop about communication and with Özgür Atac, sport psychologist about how to deal with stress. All three combined the theory related to umpiring in an interactive way. All the exercises were very helpful for all levels of this group.
The Turkish Hockey Federation President Kıvanç Hürdoğan says : ‘I would like to thank the FIH and the EHF for their support to our seminar. The seminar of Education and Development was attended by 250 persons and according to what we have seen it was really beneficial and has accelerated the progress. Thanks to this progress we believe that we will succeed in the Round 1 of the World League for Men and the U18 Championships for Girls and Boys’.
The next seminar will take place before the beginning of the outdoor season, to prepare for the challenges ahead.
Source: EHF/Turkish Hockey Federation
Photographs: Turkish Hockey Federation