UNE 19 was a memorable day for sixteen students of Habib Public School. They were departing for Ipoh, Malaysia, to take part in the Under-12 and Under-15 categories of six-a-side International Youth Hockey Tournament. Other teams participating in the tournament, included one from Sri Lanka and two from the host nation.

Attired in the school colour, they were proud to be the future hockey prospects of the country. The team members were accompanied by two officials and they boarded their flight at 8 pm. Their faces were beaming with confidence.

June 22 turned out to be a momentous day in the history of Pakistan hockey, when for the first time, an Under-12 team defeated the Malaysian side, Enderson Juniors, 2-1. Inside-Right Zaheer M. Khan, played well for Habibians, while the Malaysians managed to level the score one-all, before the breather. Salman Mehdi, scored the match winning goal, who was also declared ‘Player of The Tournament’.

The Habibians Under-15 team had to be content with the bronze medal. After losing to Malaysian Hockey Academy in the semifinals, they managed to win the play-off for the third position by a solitary goal, which was scored by Inside-Right, Mohsin Zafar.

Pakistan was also represented by two more teams of Pakistan Education Board in Under-15 and Under-18 competitions. However, both the teams lost in the quarter-finals.

This was the fifth overseas trip of Habib School hockey team in the last six years. The Habibians became prominent, when they toured India in December 1997 and exhibited an impressive game and discipline. This was followed by a visit to Dubai in 1999, where the team won an Independence Day Hockey Tournament. The year 2001 saw Habibians, once again, in India on a goodwill tour. Last year they toured Muscat, to play in an International Hockey Tournament and won the ‘Fair Play Trophy’.

Team Manager Shabih Abbas was of the view that more teams from Pakistan should take part in such competitions, to improve their skills and to get an international exposure.

Shabih, a silent organizer, who also runs hockey activities at the YMCA, said: ‘Youth hockey needs proper attention and organization of more and more Under-12 and Under-15 tournaments to promote the game in the region’.

He was delighted on his team’s performance expressed the hope that some of these players will be able to represent the country in the years to come.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has nominated Habib Public School to compete in yet another hockey tournament being held in Penang, Malaysia, in December. The tournament is being held to commemorate 30th anniversary of Penang Hockey Association and has been held regularly since 1973.

Habib School’s contribution to sports, particularly to the national game, remains unparalleled. Founded in July 1959, the institution stands tall in producing a number of Olympians and international athletes namely Hasan Sardar, Safdar Abbas, Kamran Ashraf, Qamar Ibrahim, Sohail Abbas, Ayaz Mahmood, Ahmed Alam, Ejaz Khokhar and Haider Hussain.