ISLAMABAD: The fitness training camp of national hockey players is in full swing at Army Physical Fitness School in Abbottabad for the forthcoming Junior Asia Cup.

The continental event for budding field hockey aspirants will be staged in Dhaka from Jan 21 to 30.

Physical fitness training sessions started on Wednesday, said a Pakistan Hockey Federation press release.

The players underwent yoyo test, BMI test, FAT level and sugar level test on Thursday.

Meanwhile, camp commandant and head coach Danish Kaleem said, “We are focusing more on the fitness of these youngsters in the training camp as most of them already have a lot of talent but they lack the required physical fitness. Work is being done to improve the skills of the players and to teach them modern scientific techniques [of the game].”

Thirty-four probables have reported out of 35 at the camp. Afraz could not join the camp as he is unfit.

A PHF spokesman said in order to groom the goalkeepers on scientific lines a physical fitness training camp of national junior goalkeepers will be held from Sept 25 to Oct 5 in Lahore.

Seven goalkeepers will be attending the activity which will be supervised by former Olympian Nasir Ahmed who will work in coordination with another Olympian Khawaja Mohammad Junaid.

On the recommendation made by the selection committee chairman Manzoor Junior, PHF president retired Brigadier Khalid Sajjad Khokhar has approved the following goalkeepers for the said camp:

Waqar Younis (Wapda), Abdullah Ishtiaq (MPCL), Akmal Hussain (Wapda), Noman (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Amjad Ali (SSGC), Munib-ur-Rehman (SSGC), Sheikh Abdullah (Sindh).

Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2020