CHENNAI: One hundred and forty minutes. That’s the amount of time India’s hockey teams spent on the pitch during the course of seven matches on way to winning silver medals. Sounds weird? That’s hockey fives, the five-a-side version played at the Youth Olympic Games, where the duration of matches is shortened to 20 minutes.
The key difference between fives and 11-a-side hockey is the way goals are scored. A goal can be scored from anywhere on the pitch, unlike in the longer format where one has to enter the D to score. Considering that they were playing this format for the first time, Indians did creditably to claim silver in the men’s and women’s sections. Salima Tete, captain of the women’s team, says the biggest challenge was to keep up with the pace.
“In fives, you need to be more careful and keep focus throughout the 20 minutes. It’s a really fast game. There are not many fouls that are given, so the opponent can always have a crack at the goal. All teams get more chances,” said the 17-year-old.
Considering that scoring opportunities are higher in this format, Salima & Co knew normal training sessions would not be enough. To improve hand-eye coordination and shooting, they practised with rebound boards. Result? They scored 20 goals in seven matches. “In a format like this, we need to always look for opportunities as the match can turn in a minute. You might end up scoring or conceding twice in a minute. Hence, we had drills with rebound boards. This helps improve reflexes and footwork. We also worked on finishing because you can take a shot from the other side of the halfway line as well,” said the defender.
It is not just in the technical aspects that the team was tested in Buenos Aires. For Salima, the tournament was about coping with pressure situations and showing mental strength. As a captain, she says decision making was an area where she has learnt a lot.
“You have to make quick decisions, especially in defence. The most important part for me was man marking, with just four outfield players. We had to make sure we did not let any opposition player find space. In pressure situations, you need to go with your instinct and not hesitate. If I want to tackle, I must not give the opponent time.” With talks doing the rounds that five-a-side hockey may become the preferred format at the Olympics in future, this is an experience that will keep this bunch of Indians in good stead.
srinidhi@newindianexpress.com