Two expats determined to bring hockey to Vietnam  x8
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| Planet Field Hockey |
May 31, 2003 
Ben Rowse
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Hockey has yet to make it to Vietnam, but two Hanoi-based expatriates are determined to change that by starting up the country's first hockey club.
With no artificial grass sports pitch across the entire country, Germany's Jan Von Enden, a consultant to Vietnam's coffee industry, and Ben Rowse, a British journalist for an international news agency, have been searching for alternative venues.
On May 28, they took a ball and stick to an outdoor basketball court in the capital's Van Phuc Sports Centre and were surprised by the playability of the surface.
"It's obviously not as good as playing on an astro but the ball runs smoothly and the court is easily big enough to support five-a-side," said the 29-year-old Rowse.
Von Enden, a former first division player for German club Bonner THV, believes there are enough expatriates in Hanoi, both male and female, who are wanting to take up sticks again if given the opportunity.
"Since I came to Vietnam I have missed playing so much and I am sure there must be others in a similar situation. Hopefully we can also encourage interest among the Vietnamese too, whose passion for football could be channelled into hockey," he said.
Much to the dismay of Malaysia and other nations due to participate at the December 5-13 Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam, hockey is not among the list of 32 competition sports.
Sticks and balls for the yet-to-be-named club have yet to be secured, but Rowse, who played hockey for Hong Kong club Valley before moving to Hanoi in July 2002, is planning to return to the territory in mid-June to seek help.
"I'm hoping that former teammates will delve into their bags and handover any old sticks, balls and cones they no longer need," he said.
Von Enden, 29, is also planning a similar appeal among his former German first division colleagues as well as several European manufacturers.
"If we can show that hockey can have a future here, albeit small, hopefully that will encourage some sponsorship through equipment supplies," he said.
Jan Von Enden can be contacted on +84 91 332 4464 or office@venden.de
Ben Rowse can be contacted on +84 90 340 2139 or ben_rowse@mailbolt.com
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