Qormi Hockey Club

A few days after the end of the Med.Cup hockey 5s and still all the partecipants are talking about the event.

Several milestones has been set during this competition for the Maltese hockey. From this occasion several hockey enthusiast are looking at this activity as the beginning of a better future in the Maltese hockey.

The Girls team was a real coop for the Malatese Hockey. Several clubs tried to promote the game within the girls but at the end the results has always been very poor. Also our nursery for some years promoted the game for a Girls only team, which unfortunatly lost the numbers as tme passed.However having the National team set, I am sure that we will be creating better opportunities for the girls.

With the competition being an Under 16 competition, Malta has been given the permision to play with some over age players. This was permitted thanks to the EHF in the hope to promote the game in the girls sector and also so that a 4th team will be competing.

The team coach was Shawn Mifsud and our nursery was represented with 3 players. These where Bernice Calleja (current Hockey 5s Qormi seniors player), Nicole Zammit and Justine Pace Gasan (Both Qormi Under 14 players). It was also Bernice Calleja to be given the responsability of being the 1st Malta Girls skipper.

Another Milestone was the game against Turkey when our girls scored the 1st ever goals for our national team. It was skipper Bernice Calleja to score the 1st goal and Nicole Zammit the 2nd in a 2-8 result game.

All the Girls results:

vs Croatia 0-3

vs Italy 0-12

vs Turkey 2-8

vs Croatia 0-4 (3rd/4th place)

                                          Malta Girls team                                            Bernice Calleja (Malta Girls Skipper)

The Boys team was also another milestone. It was the 1st ever time that the national team Under 16 boys took part in an international competition. However things didn't begin on a good note for the boys. On the eve of the tournament team skipper Luke DeMarco got injured during a training match. This injury kept him out of the tournament and unfortunatly will need a long recovery. This affected the team morale, build up and it was not easy for the coaching staff and the players to adjust after such a huge blow, 

Our club was represented in the coaching staff, with Andre Ghio as National Under 16 coach and John WIlliams as his assistant coach. The team Manager was Robert DeMarco. Qormi had 4 players in the selection, Keith Bajada (Qormi Under 17) which was the skipper for the maltese team in the absence of Luke DeMarco, Kurt Darmanin (Qormi Under 17 & Hockey 5s), Kurt Grixti (Qormi Under 17) and Luke Bajada (Qormi Under 14)

The Boys team found it hard to adjust to the higher level and had games that gave a good account for themselves while in some other times it was important that they forget the game immedietly.Another milestone was that the 1st ever goal for the Under `16 boys was scored by Qormi player Luke Bajada.

Malta Under 16 boys

vs Croatia 1-3

vs Slovenia 2-8

vs Croatia 2-6

vs Turkey 2-17

vs Slovenia 2-5 (3rd - 4th place)

Qormi members where also an important part in the organization of the tournament. With Mr P.Grech and Mr G.DeGiovanni as venue Managers and Mr.S.Bajada and Mr Pace Gasan giving a much needed helping hand. Also Keith Calleja and Zachary DeGiovanni where part of the Table Judges.

Hopefully form this tournamnet the Girls and Boys Under 16 team would have the ball rolling for the next opportunity.

              Malta Under 16 Boys Coaching Staff                       Keith Bajada - Malta Under 16 Boys Skipper