KUALA LUMPUR — Former national hockey player Jiwa Mohan has urged his ex-teammates to help ease the burden on the Malaysia Hockey Confederation (MHC) by giving back to the sport and developing young talent in the country.
The 43-year-old, who played for the Speedy Tigers from 1998 to 2014, shared his views after his academy, JM Hockey, signed a grassroots exchange partnership with Active Singapore (ActiveSG).
This initiative aims to nurture diverse hockey talent in both Malaysia and Singapore.
ActiveSG, established in 2015 under Singapore’s Community Development, Youth and Sports Ministry, seeks to cultivate young athletes for prestigious events like the Olympics and Asian Games.
With a budget of $5.5 million (RM18.2 million), the programme provides Singaporean youth with free access to sports facilities, including hockey turfs, football fields, and swimming pools.
Speaking to Scoop, Jiwa, a member of Malaysia’s national team at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, expressed his desire to contribute to the National Hockey Development Programme (NHDP) and the junior hockey system through his academy.
“The MHC has done an excellent job with its development programmes but it’s unfair to place the entire burden on their shoulders to keep producing talent.
“As former players, we need to give back by contributing to the development of young, diverse talents, which has been lacking in recent times.
“I’m not asking everyone to follow my lead, but at the very least, they should initiate efforts to improve and grow the hockey ecosystem.
“The sport has evolved with new formats like indoor hockey and Hockey5s. If we work together, we can develop many talented players for the nation,” Jiwa said.
Jiwa, who made more than 300 appearances for the Speedy Tigers, added, “Our country has great potential and is recognised as a strong hockey nation. We need to fully utilise our resources.
“Through my privately funded academy, I strive to instil good values in players, balancing sports and academics. If they go on to represent the national team, I’ll be the happiest person in the world.”
As part of the partnership with ActiveSG, JM Hockey Academy recently hosted 95 Singaporean youths for several grassroots coaching programmes in Kuala Lumpur.
Established a couple of years ago, the academy currently trains 450 players of both genders across the under-12, under-14, under-15, and under-16 categories.
JM Hockey Academy is supported by a team of 15 FIH-licensed coaches and holds its programmes at venues such as the Bertam Hockey Stadium (Penang), Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium, Sultan Azlan Shah Stadium (Ipoh), and Pandamaran Stadium (Klang).
The academy is also funded by Milo Malaysia and has benefitted from the expertise of notable hockey figures like Wallace Tan, Stephen Van Huizen, and Paul Lissek, who have contributed to grassroots programs over the years. — December 7, 2024