He has been promoted to handle the school’s Under-19 team, who have won the double five times, in the Malaysian Junior Hockey League (MJHL), which begins on Jan 19.
The former Setapak High School teacher certainly deserves the promotion after guiding the Under-16 BJSS side to a creditable third overall placing last year while the Under-19 team, under coach S. Prakash, were knocked out in the quarter-finals.
Lokman, who has been in charge of the Under-16 team for two years, also guided them to a fourth placing in Division One last season – making it the team’s best-ever performance in the MJHL since making their debut a decade ago.
The Under-19 team went one better, finishing third in Division One.
While Lokman will be in charge of the Under-19 team, Prakash will handle the Under-16 side.
Lokman said it was an honour to swap roles with Prakash, who was responsible for guiding the BJSS Under-19 team to the double five times – in 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009.
Lokman said that the BJSS Under-19 team used to be a dominant force in the MJHL.
“And I intend to restore their fortunes in the next few years,” he said.
“For this year, I am looking at finishing one better than last season because I only have five players from last year’s squad still eligible to play for the team.
“They are Mohd Hazrul Faiz Ahmad Sobri, Mohd Fitri Ismail, Mohd Redzhwan Jaafar, Mohd Shahiram Zali and Mohd Azrul Hasbullah.
“We finished third in the league last year. So, this season, I am eyeing the runner-up spot.
“But we face a strong challenge from two clubs – defending league champions UniKL (Universiti Kuala Lumpur) and overall champions SSTMI (Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School)-Thunderbolt – to finish in the top two in Division One.”
Lokman said that 15 players who featured in the Under-16 team last year had been roped into the Under-19 side.
“We have a team with an average age of 17 and we hope to make an impact in the league in two years’ time,” he said.
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