Thursday January 17, 2013

MJHL’s best player knocking hard on Project 2013 door

KUALA LUMPUR: Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) forward Muhd Syafiq Zulzairin is still trying to come to terms with missing out on a place in the Project 2013 squad despite being named the best player in the MHC-Milo-NSC Junior Hockey League last season.

Syafiq, who will turn 19 on Oct 5, said that he felt extremely proud to be voted the best player out of the 500 who featured in the MJHL last year.

“I had high hopes of joining the Project squad but I was shocked and frustrated when I did not receive a call-up. It shows that my performances in the MJHL was not good enough,” said Syafiq, who has been playing in the Under-19 league since 2007.

He played for Setapak High School for three years before joining UniKL in 2010.

He helped UniKL win the overall title in 2010 and the Division One league crown the following year.

Syafiq, who featured in the Under-18 Asia Cup tournament in Singapore in 2011, said that “my dream is to play in the Junior World Cup (in Chandigarh, India, from Dec 5-16).

“I’ve not given up hope of impressing Project squad coach K. Dharmaraj in the MJHL this season and earn a call-up.

“This season I want to become the best player in the league for the second consecutive time and also be the top scorer.

“It’ll be a real challenge for me to win two awards ... I’ll go all out to achieve it so that I’ll be considered for Project squad,” said Syafiq, who scored eight goals last season.

Syafiq has scored one goal in UniKL’s only match so far this season – in the 6-2 win over Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (SSTMI) Juniors last Sunday.

UniKL’s next match is against five-time double champions Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil today.

BJSS are struggling in the league, having lost their first two matches 1-0 to defending champions SSTMI-Thunderbolt and Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) last weekend.

More News