2012 has dawned – fresh-faced and full of promise. It is a leap year, an Olympic year and one which will see some crucial Presidential elections against the backdrop of fragile economies and political uprisings in many countries.
It is also a year of hectic hockey activity including 6 Olympic Qualifiers, the Test Event and the London Olympics, Men’s and Women’s Champions Trophies the start of the World League and much much more ...
The FIH Congress and bi-annual elections also take place this year in Kuala Lumpur in early November.
One remarkable element of 2011 was the so called “Arab Spring” of uprisings by ordinary citizens tired of suppression, and later during the year anger at the financial or economic mismanagement of their countries. These “ordinary” citizens demonstrated outside the New York Stock Exchange in Wall Street and many other cities around the world and were soon joined by many prominent people. So in an age of expanded social networking, electronic media, rapid communication - whether by text, twitter, video or other - we have to ask ourselves as sports administrators and sports lovers what do our hockey “citizens” want and how do they feel about our own “state” of affairs? Is hockey in a good space in the highly competitive world of sport and entertainment? We know that it is a very skilful and attractive sport existing in a world where instant gratification is relatively easy to come by – you can see highlights via the electronic media without seeing the game live.
You can be doing other things whilst keeping abreast of scores and action or can even be at other sporting events. So what is likely to attract hockey players and fans to hockey fields and to contribute to hockey’s economy?
The big question is how do you see hockey in its sporting and social context and what improvements should we make to the game and its administration in 2012 and beyond?
I believe we must be ready to adapt to changing socio-economic trends and present realities. I’d like to hear your views!
BY STEVE JASPAN
