Tomlinson sets stage for hockey's development

BY PAUL BURROWES Observer writer

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

PRESIDENT of the Jamaica Hockey Federation (JHF) Victor Tomlinson has whipped up support for a long-term plan to improve the sport locally.

Tomlinson made the disclosure following his return from a meeting with the hierarchy of the world governing body during a recent trip to the FIH World Cup in Delhi, India.

He had also resolved issues relating to the late withdrawals of two coaches from a coaching course, clearing the association from sanctions and penalties associated with their pulling out.

"I explained Jamaica's coaching development plans and strategies, the connection with GC Foster College, and the Centre of Excellence for hockey, and have received the support of officials for an application for a special grant to develop our national sport and coaching structure by the implementation of long-term plans for the improvement of the sport," Tomlinson explained.

"I made useful contacts with suppliers and developed links with England hockey, as England is a country where we want to get our elite players to," he pointed out.

Apart from seeing hockey being played at the highest level in one of the greatest hockey-playing countries, Tomlinson gave a face to Jamaica's hockey and exchanged e-mails and telephone numbers as he labours to breathe new life into an increasingly spectator-friendly sport.

Serving his second term as president of the JHF, Tomlinson said he had been disappointed in being unable to "implement any medium- or long-term plan for the development of the sport", as well as "to maintain elite teams in training, honing their skills".

"The contacts should solve the problem of coaching quality and the number of trained coaches," he added.

He believes while hockey "in the foreseeable future may not be the mass sport like football and track and field, we certainly can triple the number of schools being played".

Tomlinson's second two-year term as president ends in November, but he has not yet decided whether or not he will seek a third term.