Malaysia: MSS? Ahmad makes good in hockey after football rejection
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| Malaysia |
May 9, 2003 
The Star of Malaysia
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By S. RAMAGURU
KUALA LUMPUR: Size does matter. And that's not just for Godzilla. It's for the football master in the Bukit Jalil Sports School as well.
Five years ago, the master axed a young promising player from Perlis after having selected him from the Under-12 MSSM football tournament. The reason? He was too small to become a footballer.
The player from Kangar did not go back. Instead, he found a mentor in coach Kon Chen Chong, who asked him to try his hand at hockey. Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin Tengku Abdul Jalil did.
The rest, as they say, was history.
Tengku Ahmad has now become Malaysia Sports Schools' top scorer in the Malaysia Junior Hockey League for a second consecutive year. He is on the verge of a league double and there is no question that he will be a shoo-in for the next national juniors squad as well.
Last year, he was in the team to the Poland international under-18 invitational, where he top scored for Malaysia when they won the tournament. In January, he was also in the team that played in the MHF under-19 invitational meet.
Football's loss has become hockey's great gain.
After playing for the Sports School for a fourth year, Tengku Ahmad is having his best outing yet. He won his first junior title when the Sports School captured the Division One title. On Sunday, they have a chance to do a double when they play Tenaga Nasional for the overall title at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
?Yes, this has been the best year for me in the junior league. I played in the final last year but we ended up losing to Telekom Pahang. I want to make up for that and try and win it, as this is my final year with the school. It will be great if we can do a double as well,'' he said at a training session yesterday.
Tengku Ahmad has scored nine goals this season. Last year, he managed 14. His forte is his ability to take on defenders and keep his cool in tight situation. To add to his skills, the player is also fast on his feet and can leave defenders in his wake.
Tengku Ahmad said he had not regrets about leaving football as he has managed to make it big in hockey.
?At that time, when I was told that I was too small for football, I was very depressed. Then, the switch to hockey paid off. I must thank my teacher (Chen Chong) for giving me a try out and then guiding me.
?I played hockey in the primary school days but I did not expect to excel in it. Now my hope is to keep my place in the national under-19 team and make it to the junior squad. From there I would like to try and move on to the senior team,'' he said.
Tengku Ahmad is the youngest of three siblings and the only one who has taken up sports seriously.
?It is always difficult to excel in hockey in Perlis. It is not widely played there. Football is always the first choice. So, to have come this far in hockey is a dream for me.
?I just want to keep on improving. My target now is to try and win the title for my school. We have a chance but we are not taking it easy. Tenaga are a good side and will certainly make it hard for us. We have to be at our best,'' he said.
Tenaga will have every reason to be wary of this Perlis forward, as it was he who netted the winner for the Sports School in their first meeting in the opening weekend.
That win was crucial as the Sports School kept at the heels of Tenaga and pipped them to the Division One title by a one-goal difference after both teams had finished level on 22 points.
Now, Tengku Ahmad wants to ensure that they keep their good record against Tenaga and win the title on Sunday.
That would be the perfect answer to those who had considered him too small for sports.
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