The Malaysian Hockey Confederation Competitions Committee is recommending the introduction of a national women's hockey league, similar to the men's version which was introduced in 1987.
This is a step in the right direction to boost women's hockey and Competitions Committee chairman M.Gobinathan will table the proposal at the MHC Executive Board meeting this Tuesday for endorsement.
Currently the men have the Premier Division, Division One at senior level as well as the Junior hockey league to cater for the Under 19's.
Some eight to ten teams are expected to participate in the tournament with institutions of higher learning such as Uitm, UPM UPNM as well as states like Malacca and Terengganu showing early interest.
"We hope there will be a good response for the inaugural league and I call upon the states and clubs to participate," said Gobinathan.
"For the first year we will have the matches in Klang Valley and may played at selected out station venues so as to cut traveling costs.
"With Sukma round the corner, this league will be a perfect platform for states to expose their squads as well."
Gobinathan said that in order to make it a level playing field, each team will only be allowed to field five national players at any one time.
"It means if they have more then five national players in the team, only five can take the field at a given time," added Gobinathan.
The women's league will be played simultaneously with the Division One of the Malaysian Hockey League, commencing from March 16 till mid May.
While teams in the women's league will be allowed to field two foreign players, that will not be the case for the men where it is confined to local players.
In addition those in the national men's hockey squad as of 1 March will not be allowed to play in the Division One.
The Premier Division of the MHL will be held from October to December after the national teams commitments in the World Cup, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games are over.
