MJHL see surge in teams and talents across country

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Junior Hockey League (MJHL) are set for a bigger and more exciting edition this year, with the number of participating teams increasing from 49 to 63.

The tournament will be held from July 7-Aug 23, with matches played at seven venues across five states – Kuala Lumpur, Terengganu, Pahang, Johor, and Melaka – for the boys’ category, while the matches for girls will take place at Bukit Jalil.

This year’s edition features 10 boys and 23 girls’ teams in Division One, and 30 boys’ teams in Division Two, which will be split into northern and central zones.

The increase in participation reflects the growing popularity of hockey in Malaysia following the nation’s participation at major competitions such as the Olympic Games, World Cup, and the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.

The rise in youth participation has also been supported by the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) and other sporting bodies, which have actively created more opportunities for grassroots development and talent discovery.

Chairman of the competition Datuk Seri Anil Sandhu attributed the increase to several factors.

“There are many reasons for this growth. Firstly, the interest in hockey has always been there. Secondly, we want to give more opportunities to young players and state teams to showcase emerging talent,” said Anil.

Anil also highlighted the importance of parental support.

“We need to credit both state-level development efforts and the growing encouragement from parents who support their children’s hockey training,” he said.

“If we don’t nurture them now, then when? I’m really pleased to see how supportive parents have become.”