2022 TNB Junior Hockey League to feature 44 teams

KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 (Bernama) -- The 2022 TNB Malaysia Junior Hockey League (TNB MJHL) competition from July 13 to  Aug 28 will be participated by a total of 44 teams.

The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) through a statement said the league involved 29 men's teams and 15 women's teams (no women’s category in last year’s edition).

This season, the tournament also features a difference when it sees each team play reciprocally at all hockey stadiums throughout Malaysia compared to last season when only the Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium became the sole venue of the tournament.

"The champion and runner-up of Division Two last season, namely MSNS/SHA Sabah and Kedah Eagle Jr, will join seven more teams in the men’s Division One, while 20 teams will compete in Division Two," it said.

Meanwhile, 15 women's teams will compete in the championship which is divided into two groups, namely, Group A consisting of eight teams while Group B involves seven teams.

MHC Competition Committee chairman, Datuk Seri Dr Anil Sandhu said at a press conference here today that the participation in this edition was an encouraging sign from all the teams involved.

“For the first time, MHC received the participation of 44 teams that may be driven by the organisational factors of the 2022 Malaysia Games (Sukma), apart from Malaysia hosting the 2023 Junior World Cup.

"The MHC will continue to uncover new talents and has tasked the national team coaches with monitoring  the tournament this time, apart from leaving it to the National Team Management Committee to evaluate young players who can be absorbed into the national team," he said.

-- BERNAMA