Vanguard
13 October 2008
The 21st edition of the Hockey African Cup for Club Champions against all odds will stroke off at the Astro Turfs of the National Stadium, Abuja on Thursday October 16, 2008 with a total of thirteen male and female teams from across the African continent battling for honours in their respective categories.
Nigeria will be represented by two teams each in the various categories. In the men's class, Delta Force of Asaba and Yobe Desert Rollers will be out to redeem the image of the country as host. While women's defending champions Heartland Flickers of Owerri and Bayelsa Flickers are the two teams carrying the country's flag in the female category.
Other men's teams competing for honours are defending champions Sharkia of Egypt, Police of Egypt, Exchequers Hockey Team and Golden Sticks Hockey Team both of Ghana.
The other women's teams in the battle for supremacy among African clubs are, CEPS Hockey Team and Reformers Hockey Team of Ghana, Telcom Hockey Club and Blue Eaglets both of Kenya and Sharkia women's team of Egypt will battle for the position of the best hockey club in the continent.
Out of the total 13 teams expected to compete for honours in the championship, eight are already in Abuja the venue of competition.
The teams arrived there to have a feel of the water-based Astro Turf which needs mastery ahead of the task ahead.
The teams already in Abuja are two Nigerians women clubs: Bayelsa Flickers and Heartland Flickers of Owerri.
Others are Police men's team of Egypt, the two Sharkia teams, CEPS and Reformers Hockey teams of Ghana.
Despite the late release of funds for the biggest African hockey club competitions, the stage is now set for the host, the Nigeria Hockey Federation (NHF) and the National Sports Commission (NSC) to host a befitting championship.
In the words of the Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Hockey Federation (NHF), Folarin Jaiyeola, everything has been put in place to ensure Nigeria host the best ACCC tournament which the country is hosting for the second time in history.
The first time Nigeria hosted the competition was in 2004 soon after the 8th All Africa Games in Abuja. It was at this event Heartland Flickers of Owerri, captained by Helen Obialor won the women's title for the first time in the history of Nigerian hockey. And this feat was reproduced at the last edition of the African club championship held in Cairo, Egypt.
Meanwhile, the Owerri team has vowed to win the women's title for keeps in Abuja.The eventual winners of the men's and women's categories will represent Africa at the first ever World Hockey Champions Clubs competition scheduled to hold in Madrid, Spain in 2009.
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