School Hockey League Pakistan, a plan to bring forward young talent across the country

ISLAMABAD – (Choudhry Mudasser) – The School Hockey League is being planned by the Pakistan Hockey Federation as a nationwide contest for school teams. It aims to get more young people playing hockey and to find talented players early.

The league will be held in all four provinces, Islamabad Capital Territory, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Matches will start in December.

School teams will first play at district level. The best sides will then move on to zonal rounds and provincial or regional qualifiers. Each school will keep its own name and identity throughout the competition.

The national finals are planned for January in Islamabad.

A national meeting will be held on Monday to prepare for the launch. Officials from provincial education and sports departments will attend. Sponsors, federal authorities, the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination and the Pakistan Sports Board will also take part.

The meeting will discuss how the league will be organised, which schools can join, and what facilities are needed. It will also look at sponsorship, player welfare and the steps for putting the plan into action.

Every year, the league hopes to find 200 to 250 talented players. They will receive regular coaching and training. The search will begin at district level, so good players from schools that miss the national finals can still be noticed and selected.

A stipend plan is also part of the proposal. Players from the top three teams will get a monthly payment for at least two years, as long as they keep playing hockey.

• Winning team: Rs 15,000 per month for each player
• Runner-up team: Rs 10,000 per month for each player
• Third-placed team: Rs 7,000 per month for each player

Both boys and girls can benefit from the scheme under the relevant competitions.

Selected players will also join long-term summer camps led by international coaches. They will get performance reviews and chances to compete. This will help prepare them for national junior teams, while their education stays a priority.

Organisers want the School Hockey League to become a permanent yearly programme. Monday’s meeting will review the funding, partnerships and administrative work needed to make that happen.