SETTING the stage for the revival of hockey in Ernakulam, ‘Hockey-in-Cochin’ has moved into its second year with more youngsters falling for the magic of ‘stickwork’.
The ambitious project, launched in 2008 with Class VII students by the St John De Britto’s Anglo-Indian High School, Fort Kochi, envisions a long-term development programme. Inevitably, hockey coach Sreedhar Shenoy is at the forefront of the movement. “I have set a time-frame of nine years for the project,’’ says Shenoy. This former Kerala Sports Council coach believes it is not the lack of talent that has killed hockey in the state, rather the lack of visaion and the will to see the game flourish.
“We have talented boys here but they need to be carefully nurtured over a period of time,” he says of the group practising at the Parade Ground. For the current surge in interest, he credits the efforts of former physical education teacher at the school, Shaji Britto. “He has generated such an interest in students for the game that we have 150 players rushing to the ground for practice,” said the coach who has guided innumerable young players to the state team over the years.
Shaji, who moved to the Aquinas College, Edakochi, a couple of weeks ago, is himself a former student of the school and feels there is a future for the game in Ernakulam with many schools ready to encourage children in sporting activities.
“We have incorporated the practice sessions within the schedule of the school,” he says. “Every Wednesday two hours are set apart for practice and the children follow it up with regular practice on other days under the watchful eyes of the school’s physical education teacher.’’ Shenoy has a clear plan for the programme.
“It has three phases. The first three years will be spent mastering the basics and by the second phase trainees will have attained state-level standards.
And by the third phase they will be ready to play outside the state with professional teams,” he avers.
The trainees, as they grow up, will be part of the club team here. “There are chances of students moving away from the programme,’’ he says adding that such drop-outs will be part of a natural selection process by elimination. In three years’ time we will have a dedicated and talented pool of players,’’ he says. “Selection is easy, elimination is difficult,” he adds even as the cream of 80 talented trainees has been identified. With interschool tournaments on the anvil, good competition will bring the best out in them if the newly formed Kerala Hockey Association keeps its promise of setting right the hockey scene in the state, he says.
Currently there are close to 25 teams including schools and clubs playing in the district sub-junior tournament. “Last year, Ernakulam finished third in the state sub-junior championships for the first time with players from the Britto school playing a big part,’’ he says.
kochi@epmltd.com