In an announcement made by the Sri Lanka Hockey Federation yesterday, the second round of selections for the Under-21 Youth Asia Cup Hockey Championship for girls is scheduled for January 15 at the Astro Turf in Racecourse. The event will run from 8 AM to 6 PM.
The selection will include 54 girls chosen from the initial trial rounds and those who appealed before December 29. These are the players who missed out on the first round of selection. The initial trials took place in Galle, Colombo, Matale, and Wennapuwa, resulting in the selection of 54 girls and 74 boys. From this pool, two 32-member teams for boys and girls will be shortlisted.
For the boys, the preliminary round identified 74 players, and the second round of selection, narrowing down to 32 members, is set for the weekend of January 20 and 21, as announced by the Federation.
Chairman of the Hockey Selection Committee, Anuruddha Wickremasinghe, stated, “We aim to form two teams of 32 members each, creating a total of 64 players. This will allow them to work closely with coaches for an extended period as a team.”
The Federation plans to foster competition among the shortlisted 32-member teams. Wickremasinghe highlighted, “Through their game performances, coaches will identify each player’s unique qualities and suitability for specific positions. The final selections will be made through discussions with the coaches.”
Notably, the goalkeeper selections were held on January 6, resulting in the selection of four girls and seven boys. The goalkeeper selection trial at the Astro Turf in Colombo saw the participation of seven girls and 11 boys. The Federation aims to ensure a comprehensive and competitive selection process, building a strong foundation for the upcoming Asian Youth Championship.
Sajeewa Jayakody