By Kavaldip Singh
IPOH, 8 November – For a group of young Perak hockey players dreaming of representing their state at SUKMA 2028, the road to the tournament will begin with a test far beyond the usual training ground.
On November 20, the Perak SUKMA 2028 hockey team will step onto the pitch to face the South Korea Junior World Team in a friendly match from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., giving the young players a rare opportunity to test themselves against international opposition.
The match will be more than just another fixture in the team’s preparation. It will be a chance for the Perak players to experience the speed, discipline and intensity of South Korean hockey while learning what it takes to compete against players trained at the international junior level.
For a developing team, these are the moments that can shape a player’s journey. Every pass, tackle, defensive decision and attacking opportunity will provide lessons that cannot always be gained during regular training sessions.
The South Korea Junior World Team will also use the encounter as an opportunity to sharpen their preparations and test their combinations against a Malaysian side determined to make the most of the occasion.
With SUKMA 2028 still ahead, the friendly gives the state an opportunity to identify its strengths, expose areas that need improvement and allow its young players to gain valuable international experience at an early stage of their development.
