MHC-The Facts Were Staring Right at Us (Conclusion)

A few years ago, I took my nephew to a colouring competition at a nearby mall. He was really excited about it as he loved colouring. The environment at the competition was quite chaotic with screaming children, loud music, and shoppers moving around. Despite all the distractions, my nephew remained focused on his colouring for the entire three hours of the competition. Watching him made me realize that when you are passionate about something, you can fully concentrate on it, no matter what's happening around you.

"It's not a lack of concentration, but rather a lack of passion for learning that I had assumed was the issue with the Malaysian hockey team. When you have a genuine passion for learning, you naturally give your full attention to the task at hand, and concentration issues simply do not arise. In essence, if you find yourself having to remind someone to concentrate, it indicates that their heart isn't fully in the game."

Let's consider how these new findings can positively impact our Malaysian hockey team. The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) has made significant investments in securing hockey experts from around the world to train our team in specific skills, demonstrating their commitment to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Qualifier. While the players have diligently attended all required training sessions, it's crucial for them to also engage in self-training to master the skills they've learned from the experts. While an expert coach can provide valuable guidance, it's ultimately the players' dedication to practice and refine these skills that will lead to mastery.

In preparation for the 1991 Olympic qualifier, I dedicated myself to hitting thousands of balls, honing the technical aspect of my penalty corner hit. Despite this effort, I only saw improvement when I focused on mastering the mental skills of maintaining calm and composure. During the crucial moments of executing a short corner, it's essential to exhibit a composed demeanour to fully utilise the technical skills stored in implicit memory. This process requires both physical strength and mental acuity to work in harmony.

I hope I have thoroughly conveyed the predicament facing our hockey team. This issue will persist as long as the existing system continues to produce mediocre players and incentivise them with substantial rewards, in the hopes that they will elevate their performance. The highest-earning athletes in sports command substantial incomes due to their unwavering commitment to consistently improving their performance. The ability to deliver consistent results is the defining characteristic of a true champion.

The mark of mediocrity is inconsistency, and unfortunately, it has become the trademark of our national hockey team. If nothing changes, the attrition rate among youth hockey players will likely increase. As a result, when funding diminishes, the mediocre players representing the country professionally may exit the sport. While I hope this prediction is incorrect, the signs are pointing to a crisis in Malaysian hockey: a high attrition rate and an abundance of mediocre players.

Over the years, thousands of young individuals have gone through the Sukan Teras and 1Mas hockey development programs to build a larger pool of hockey players for the Malaysian Hockey League (MHL), which serves as a platform for selecting future national players. Can we confirm whether the MHL has indeed experienced growth as a result of these efforts?

There is a saying that two people can look at the same stars but see things differently. While my viewpoint may differ from that of the Malaysian Hockey Confederation, I am confident in stating that the game of hockey is dwindling in our country.

I hope the phrase I commonly used for the Malaysian hockey team, "It's so close yet so far," won't change to "it's beyond our reach." Then playing in the Olympics will always be like building castles in the air.




Thank You.