Ali Arif always feels at home when he plays for the Hong Kong
men's hockey team. When runs on the field, his three brothers joins
him. The Hong Kong hockey team is truly a family affair and took
the field in their first two matches with six brothers from two
families.
Arif is from one of the family with four brothers. "It is really
great with three of your brothers on the same field. They saw me
score today. They are always pushing me to score," said Arif.
The 25-year-old was the youngest of the 'Ali' family and scored
the only goal at Wednesday's 1-10 demolition by powerhouses
Pakistan.
"A good teamwork means a lot for a whole team. We are a family
while the sixteen members of the team are a bigger family."
The family's eldest brother Ali Asghar is 34 and plays together
with second eldest one Ali Akbar, 31 also the captain of the team
at the back field.
The other brother Ali Asif, 31, is at the midfield.
"We are more focused on the defence. We want to give the two
younger brothers chances to score," said captain Akbar.
All of the four brother, together with another two from a
'Mohammad' family were fielded in a starting line-up and make up
half of a competition team, making it possibly the first time in
international field hockey history that six siblings from two
families play in a single match.
"Yes, it is interesting to have two families in the team. Half
of the team is made up of two families. I also feel proud of them,"
said the team's head coach Simon Chapman.
Taking over the post just four months ago, Chapman has had the
know-how to link the team together.
"They are going up to play for years in Hong Kong and they know
each other very well. For those brothers, they are lots of
understandings between them.
"They also play different styles on the field. So according to
my game plan, I will give them different positions and different
competition time on the field." said Chapman.
"The four brothers play right through defence to strike forward.
Whether on or off, they bless each other and encourage each other.
They all bring something special to the game.
"The key role for me is to remain the whole side's core. I will
also help develop younger players and bring some new blood into the
team after the Games."
Grow up together
The Ali brothers were born in Hong Kong after their parents
moved from hometown Pakistan, and lived with a group of Muslim
community with Pakistani.
The four played the hockey, a traditionally popular sport among
Pakistani, from a small at different corners of the community.
"We were growing up together. They are all generations of Hong
Kong team players around us. We had many chances to play each
other. We played on concrete, two to two or three to three," said
Arif.
Arif is the luckiest boy and also the happiest in the family as
three of the elder brothers had to be occupied in other jobs in
order to support families
"I am the youngest so I can get away from it," said Arif, who is
a full time hockey coach. "I travelled around to different leagues
in Australia, Singapore or Malaysia.
"I also have a full-time hockey club for the junior
development."
His two eldest brothers Asghar and Akbar own a garage in Hong
Kong as mechanics while Asif works for an airline company.
(China Daily December 8, 2006)