Norhizzat now aims to stamp mark in U-21 meet

Sixteen-year-old Norhizzat Sumantri has a small physique but he has the ability to play better hockey than many older players.

He proved this by making an excellent debut for Kuala Lumpur in the Razak Cup tournament in Kuantan in October. KL won the Division Two title and Norhizzat had two goals to his name.

Up next for Norhizzat is his first outing in national Under-21 tournament, which begins tomorrow at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

KL chief coach K. Dharmaraj said that Norhizzat is a skilful player with a bright future.

“I am impressed with his dribbling skills and his ability to beat older and bigger players to score goals. He proved this in the Razak Cup. He is our utility player, who can play in midfield and attack. We are banking on him to deliver the goods in the Under-21 tournament,'' he said.

Although Dharmaraj felt that Norhizzat deserved to be in the national junior training squad, the player was not among those selected after undergoing trials two weeks ago. And Norhizzat was disappointed that he failed to impress the selectors.

“My aim was to win a place in the team for the 2009 Junior World Cup Finals. I am sad that I did not get selected to join the training squad. I will give my best in the national Under-21 tournament and hopefully I get voted as the best player to be considered for the national junior team,'' said Norhizzat, who was named as the best player of the Under-15 tournament in Seremban in 2004.

He was the skipper of the KL team who finished third in the national Under-16 tournament in May.

Although Norhizzat is from Klang, he represents KL because he is studying at the Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS). He featured in the Malaysian Junior Hockey League (MJHL) for BJSS Juniors and has scored six goals.

Norhizzat said that he also wants to establish himself as a top goalscorer in the national Under-21 tournament.

Besides Norhizzat, the other forwards in the KL team are M. Vickneswaran, Mohd Hafiz Zakaria, Mohd Adam Mustafa, Mohd Faisal Kamarudin and Faizal Yaccob.

KL finished third in Malacca in 2005 and last year the City team won Sukma (Malaysia Games), which alternates with the national Under-21 tournament.