By Ibrahim Karim Bangura (Tanko)

 The Sierra Leone Hockey Association (SLHA) is set to hold its nationwide league for 2024/25 season in the country.

Many have admitted that the association (SLHA) is making notable developments in promoting the sport among some young athletes.

On Thursday, 3rd October, 2024, the SLHA executive, the technical staff and players paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Sports, headed by Madam August James-Teima, at her office in Bishop House, Freetown.  According to Abubakarr Sesay, Acting President of SLHA, fourteen (14) teams are challenging one another in this year’s competition and they are: Leone Rangers, Emerging Leaders, Sierra, Hockey, Central Hockey, Hill Stars, UCC Orphanage and Dock Cannol, competing for the men category, adding that the other category only focuses on promoting women  and children alliance and they are: Friends in Sport, Zebra Hockey, Wilberforce United, Hockey Pitch and Waterloo Hockey respectively.

The teams are catering for kids between the ages of 10 and 17 years, with a specific reference on nurturing their talents and developing them into skilled hockey players at local and international levels.

“We have U-15 and U-17 kids who are presently undergoing training. Our purpose of the visit is to express gratitude for her [Sports Minister] excellent work in sports development and to present her with gift as a symbol of honour and hope.”

“Our aim is to catch them young and mentor them into strange hockey players. We have embarked on a nationwide tournament starting in the Western Area last year, where we conducted pilot league session at the Field of Dreams, Newton Rogbere, Westen Rural Area the East End of Freetown.”

The objective, he said, was to raise awareness about hockey and its presence in the nation.

Sesay further revealed the association’s plans to recruit the nationwide Hockey League following the dry season.

They have already received registrations from other clubs, signifying the growing interest and interest for the sport.

With support from the Ministry of Sports (MOS), the National Olympic Committee (NOC), and the National Sports Authority (NOC), the association hopes to continue the national league that will span across the country in the future.

The Hockey President avidly appealed to the government, donor partners and all stakeholders to identify hockey as a sport with the potential to yield income for Sierra Leone. Beyond financial benefits, hockey can positively impact the lives of young people, offering them an alternative to harmful activities they are risking their lives into.

Temporarily, the Head of media and marketing of SLHA, Michael Musa Sesay emphasized that hockey can play a pivotal role in transforming the lives of the youth who may be going awry, giving them energy and the potential towards becoming stars in the country.

Complete engagement with the sport, young people can be steered away from various destructive activities and will direct their attention towards activities of a brighter future.

For those unfamiliar with the sport, Michael Musa provided a brief guide to understanding what field hockey is. He says it involves two teams, each with 11 players, who use specially designed sticks to compete in a hour-long match and score goals to win the game.

In addition, he said, the association is also promoting Hockey5s, a shorter and faster variant of the sport. This is similar to T20 cricket, Rugby7s, and 3×3 basketball, Hockey5s and which aims to make the game to be played quick, be simple, and more entertaining for both players and the spectators.

The format has gained international attention during the 2014 Youth Olympics in China and is now played in over 60 nations in the world.

During their visit, in her response, the Minister of Sports said Sierra Leone Hockey Association’s dedication to youth development and the growth of hockey in the country shows promising prospects for the sport’s future, and she expressed hope for a vibrant and successful hockey league season to come in the country.