The community-funded Road to Success Hockey Club (R2S) narrowly missed making the final of the division two competition, and finished third overall, but not before winning hearts in a fairytale season.
Hockey’s poor boys played in the Malaysian Junior Hockey League (MJHL), without sports science and good nutrition, and with a snub from business corporations for sponsorship.
But R2S making their maiden appearance in the league as a standalone club, did the unthinkable from the start of the tournament.
Trained by unpaid coaches, they romped to a five-match unbeaten run, plundering 22 goals, conceding none, and finishing first in the central zone’s Group B.
The group comprised some adequately financed opponents, and their biggest win came in the 10-0 thumping of Malacca High School’s second team.
Their brave campaign eventually ended on Tuesday in a 1-0 loss to north zone runners-up, Malacca High School’s first squad, in the crossover semi-final.
People’s team
The rise of year-old R2S, warmly called the “people’s team” by fans, is no fluke. Their courageous spirit gives depth to their odyssey.
R2S might be the smallest club to appear in the under-19 championships, and perhaps the most improbable given they are broke, but mentality-wise they have demonstrated something vast.
It is an incredible tale on so many levels, not least the fact that finances made it fiendishly hard for them to field a team.
The club depend on handouts from well-wishers, and according to its president and coach Prasath Sivaganam, they received no financial help from the Negeri Sembilan Hockey Association (NSHA).
NSHA secretary Tamil Selvam said he did not receive any request for financial aid from R2S, and that he was open for a discussion on the matter.
He said he viewed R2S as key to the development of hockey in the state. “We are proud of their achievements in the MJHL and the fact that they have quality coaches.”
Tamil Selvam added both Prasath and R2S chief coach Kavin Kartik Govindasamy are members of NSHA’s coaching committee.
Prasath handles the state’s under-12 boys’ team while Kavin, 33, is also a coach with the state’s national hockey development programme.
Kavin was a defender with the national team that were champions at the 2012 Junior Asia Cup, and fourth in the Junior World Cup a year later.
Asked whether R2S had been sidelined by NSHA, Tamil Selvam said the council had decided to only support two boys’ teams and a girls’ squad.
One of NSHA’s entries, Tunku Besar School (TBS) got a 4-0 hiding from R2S in a group match.
The other team, called Negeri Sembilan, but comprising “import” players from other states, finished first in Group A of the central zone, after an unbeaten streak.
In the final yesterday, Negeri Sembilan beat Malacca High School to capture the division two title and make it an excellent outing for the state.
Last year, R2S collaborated with Kuala Pilah’s Za’ba sports school to play in the MJHL’s second tier. Za’ba-R2S missed out on a spot in the semi-finals.
Ice bath and chocolate milk
Due to money constraints, Prasath bought a kids’ inflatable pool in place of a proper ice bath tub for his players.
The cold water therapy was needed to alleviate the players’ sore muscles after three matches in a row.
Another setback was suitable nutrition. After each match at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil, the players gulped down chocolate milk instead of consuming energy bars.
Prasath said that even under such dire circumstances, they avoided injuries, and weren’t hindered by consecutive games, remaining spirited, disciplined in defence, quick and clever in attack.
The pro bono services of physiotherapist Prem Ganesh and sports psychologist Garry Kwan also played a vital role, he said.
Prasath acknowledged that other teams in the league too did not have advanced assistance in terms of sport science and hoped the authorities would take steps to rectify it.
Broke but unbroken in spirit
Prasath, a 37-year-old St Paul’s Primary schoolteacher, declared: “We are broke but our spirit is not broken and are somewhat in dreamland.
“We set out believing in ourselves and are determined to get much more than what we have achieved.”
He noted that the preparation for the team and expenses during the two-week championship cost the club more than RM30,000.
R2S trained at hockey turfs at Sendayan Air Force base and Epsom College in Nilai because the only one playable turf at the main stadium in Seremban was used by the Negeri Sembilan team.
Prasath said while Kavin and the five other coaches understood the financial plight and had offered their services for free, “ I’m sad we can’t pay them.”
In thanking the donors, Prasath said: “R2S have sparked a community transformation in the development of hockey, but can it successfully prosper with the people’s backing? Time will tell.”
What’s next for R2S?
Prasath wants to begin preparations now for next year’s battle in the junior league, field a team in the senior championships, and increase the pool of young talents in Negeri Sembilan.
He estimated that MJHL campaigns would cost a substantial amount and appealed for financial assistance in their search of further success.
“There is a long way to go, and there will be plenty of ups and downs on the journey, but we can’t help but dream,” he said.