African Forum

From all corners of the vast African continent, there is enthusiasm and a desire to promote hockey. Clare Digby, FIH Continental Development Officer for Africa, reports.

Participants from as far afield as Egypt, Uganda, Zambia, Kenya, Nigeria, Malawi, South Africa, The Gambia and hosts Ghana, assembled in Accra recently for the first African Hockey (AfHF) Development Forum.

The Forum was designed to promote hockey through club development and strengthen local and national associations.

It also focused on strategies for recruitment, training and accreditation of players, coaches and officials, as well as stressing the importance of establishing partnerships between clubs, schools and community-based organisations.

Speaking at the official opening, both the representatives of the Ministry and the NSC commented favourably on FIH and African Hockey Federation’s (AfHF) vision for hockey development and expressed the hope that the Forum would encourage better relationships with stakeholders not only in Ghana (where collaborations are effective and strong) but across the continent.

Over the four days, all delegates contributed freely and frankly to the discussions on all topics and also spent time sharing their experiences on the key challenges to developing the sport.

Not surprisingly, the following emerged as priority needs: funding, playing facilities, equipment and capacity building (specifically in the form of resources for the education and training of personnel)

Significant emphasis was placed on the need for effective planning and organisation and the establishment of better structures and systems aimed at expanding the membership base and making hockey a more accessible and affordable sport.

The participation of Ms Beatrice Allen, 1st Vice-President of the National Olympic Committee of The Gambia (Gambia being a potential new member of the AfHF), brought fresh and interesting insights to the Forum. During the Forum, she shared some of her thoughts:

We are delighted that you are here. What prompted you to come to Accra?
I know the President of FIH through my involvement in the IOC and have recently developed an interest in hockey following contacts with her, Seif Ahmed (the President of the AfHF) and yourself. I was happy to grab the opportunity and my home country is not too far away.

What were your impressions of the Forum?
It has created an avenue for me to understand hockey as a sport and the challenges to develop the game. It has been great to learn from others, discuss different approaches and projects and understand the best practices.
What do you see as some of the main challenges for hockey in Africa?
Questions of capacity in terms of material and human resources, structures and set-ups are key. Further, how hockey broadens its base in Africa is vital. People know other sports. Perhaps there’s a need for the FIH and AfHF to do more research. There needs to be a good understanding of the different approaches of African governments. From what I’ve seen, Ghana’s experience is very positive and there is much to learn from the experiences of the likes of South Africa and Ghana but for other countries, the experience is not that positive.

There are times when governments respond to emerging needs and will follow the voice of the crowd. Hockey must make its voice heard. Look at Nigeria – its challenges and strengths. It has a population of 150 million and has the potential to become a powerhouse in hockey and sport generally.

How do you propose to set about initiating a hockey programme in The Gambia? What will be the first steps?
In my position in the NOC I have good linkages with structures and institutions and understand the processes involved. I would certainly look to set-up a steering committee this year and start-off relatively small in the hope of having a NHA (National Hockey Association) in place by the first quarter of 2007.

At the conclusion of the Forum, the consensus amongst the delegates was clear – it was a landmark for hockey in Africa. What’s imperative now is to maintain the momentum and ensure that the participants disseminate the information and materials within their respective NAs with a view to furthering the development of the sport.