Hockey set for shot in arm with launch of youth development program

PANAJI

Identifying and developing talented athletes to their fullest potential is a central concern of sport scientists, sports coaches, and sports policy makers.

Does Goa have hockey talent and interest? Ask the question to the two Goan-origin hockey Olympians and Arjuna awardees Merwyn Fernandes and Joaquim Carvalho and prompts come the answer in unison and with confidence, that Goa abounds in talent and interest for the game.

The two were amazed and surprised in the same breadth at the large turnout for the veteran’s hockey tournament where players above the age of 55 years turned up to play in the Edwin Carvalho Memorial 6-a-side Hockey Fiesta held for two days at Peddem ground Mapusa, the only 11-a-side astro turf hockey ground in the state.

The two hockey Olympians were guests of honor at the tournament in which teams from Melbourne, Malaysia and UAE besides Goa took part.

“The large turnout argues well for the game of hockey in the state, which clearly shows that there is interest in the game,” said Fernandes, who represented India at the 1980 at the Los Angeles Olympics alongside Carvalho.

“We have seen on our several visits to the state and witnessing some of the matches and tournaments and also when some of the Goan team travel to Mumbai to play in invitational tournaments, that there is a lot of talent in the state,” added Fernandes, who like Carvalho is based in Mumbai.

With talent and interest as one of the platforms and launch pads, Fernandes said the next step is to ‘tap the talent and guide the children in the right direction’ and the results will show in a few years’ time.

Buoyed by the interest and talent in the state the two are helping some of the educational institutes in the state to launch school-based grassroots hockey development programs.

The first step in that direction will take the two Olympians to Verna village in South Goa where a well-structured and a groundbreaking hockey program will be launched at Fr Agnel Multipurpose High School.

“Joaquim Carvalho and Merwyn Fernandes, the two Goan-origin Olympians are helping us in setting up the project in the school in terms of technical knowledge and guidance to take the hockey program forward,” said Fr Agnelo Gomes, Director of Agnel Technical Educational Complex.

The groundwork for the project started some six months back with a couple of meetings between Fr Agnelo Gomes Director of Agnel Technical Education Complex, Verna and Joaquim Carvalho, a former India captain, coach and selector, which set the ball rolling.

The hockey plans were first unfurled at the Annual Sports day function of Fr Agnel Multipurpose High School, Verna where Carvalho was the chief guest and which now will be officially inaugurated on February 24 at Agnel Ashram, Verna by the Alex Sequeira, Minister of Law, Environment and Judiciary in the presence of Sports Authority of Goa officials besides a host of physical education teachers and hockey lovers.

“We have shortlisted 90 boys for training throughout the year. They were selected during the two days of trials held in the month of January this year,” said Fr Gomes who regularly plays football and was based in the USA for 15 years and moved back to Goa about 13 years back.

Explaining on the coaching program, Fr Gomes said the selected boys are studying in Grade 1 and 2 and are in between the ages of 6 to 8 and for the next academic year will be shifted to one division.

“The training will be part of the school curriculum and they will be trained during their Physical Education period during school hours,” said Fr Gomes.

“Two qualified coaches will be training the children and there are plans to install a 6-a-side astro turf at the school for which we are looking for sponsors.”

A sportsman himself, who plays football regularly to keep himself fit, nurturing sports talent at the educational institute and creating a sporting culture is utmost on Fr Gomes’ mind.

“Our school students train and take part in football, where we qualified as state champions of the under 17 category of the Subroto Mukherjee tournament and qualified to take part in the Delhi. We also have opportunities for students to play basketball, chess, skating, badminton, table tennis and handball. However, hockey is a new edition,” said Fr Gomes.

Besides that, Fr Gomes said the school will have a summer camp for their school students in various games besides hockey.