As India celebrated bronze in hockey, the medal that almost seemed like gold after a podium finish in 41 years for a nation which once dominated the sport and had fallen behind in recent past, this could be the time where hockey could see a revival of glory days once again. India dominated field hockey, however, lagged behind with the introduction of astro turf in the sport in the year 1976. The shift from grass to hard artificial turf put India way behind, then what India would have actually been.
Hockey legend late Balbir Singh Sr had feared the sport being on a decline complaining of the game getting step motherly treatment from the administrators. However, after dismal decades, there was a sigh of relief when India got better of Argentina for the bronze medal. Hockey enthusiasts in Goa will be hoping that this feat will galvanise the sport in the State with infrastructure already in place which cries out for new talent to be bred. Will this “Bronze Age” usher new Goan potential aiming for a change in the next cycle?
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Goa and Hockey
With the social media buzzing with congratulatory messages to the Indian team’s historic bronze, a more discerning fan in Goa should ask what has happened to the National Sport. If one winds the reel back, you will find plenty of familiar Goans in the team. Joaquim Carvalho, Jack Britto, Leo Pinto, Walter De Souza are few among the many others, yet none mastered the trade in Goa.
Had these players stayed or resided in Goa, would they ever be make it big? The answer was a straight ‘no’ and it wasn’t coming from a layman but a former sportsperson, Ivan Costa who too had mastered the sport in Mumbai. Ivan Costa is probably of another Goan origin, but went on to play for India at Junior World Cup after shifting to Mumbai with his parents.
Definitely Goan’s aren’t weak. And not every Punjabi is strong. And that’s one reason; we had players of Goan origins playing at international circuits rubbing shoulders among the greats.
This proves Goa has it within itself to produce the finest hockey players if given the right training with proper infrastructure.
In the early seventies it is understood that there were more hockey teams in the State than football. “There were more teams in hockey than football in the early 70s. The state league used to be held at four centres — Mapusa, Vasco, Panjim and Margao where 30-40 teams used to participate in the State championships league,” stated Goans Hockey Secretary Beny Viegas.
A failed transition
But that’s the story of the past. Now even those numbers have diminished. Now, not even the sports merits marks could motivate the children in pursuing the sport.
What could be the reasons? grounds? coaches? equipment? Can you guess how many trained hockey coaches are provided by the Sports Authority of Goa? Just three for the entire state and all these coaches are posted to North Goa with two of them at Peddem Sports Complex. A complex which is not open to the public so far.
When contacted a former NIS coach, Alexander Remedios stated, “There are few quality players in Goa. But they don’t come for practices like they do for other sports. Hockey isn’t accepted much in Goa, but we do our best with the few players who attend training. The trend is gone where players desired to play the sport”
“Goa lagged because we had our players playing on natural grounds where the conditions are different from that of astro turf where the game is quicker. The technique is different too. This actually demotivated the players and their parents too,” he expressed.
Though there are just three SAG coaches, hockey isn’t a sport, which can be easily introduced in schools by physical education teachers and this is another reason why today’s generation cannot learn the sport.
Speaking to the president of Goans Hockey, Costau Xavier Marquis, revealed that his association is doing their best to promote the sport in the state. “We have our hockey leagues annually and even participate at the national tournaments. But then participating isn’t everything. Right infrastructure is also important.”
“Due to our activeness in the sport of hockey, we were even given hosting rights to organise the sub junior national hockey championship, but because of no proper hockey grounds in the State it was taken away,” expressed Marquis.
Yet to be used infrastructure
Well whether playing the sports or hosting Nationals, it finally narrows down to the infrastructure.
After a wait of nearly a couple of decades, the hockey enthusiasts finally got their dream ground – astro turf at Peddem which got recognition and approval from International Hockey Federation (FIH), but their wait is still on as it is yet to be opened for the sportspersons.
“It’s disheartening to see that the turf is not maintained or being put to use to coach children in hockey. We have amazing coaches, enough equipment, about 250+ players, it baffles me that none of them are given priority and an infrastructure built for sports is looked at as if it’s some goldmine to host only events. It’s a wrong mindset, that is the reason why it took us 41 years to just get to bronze,” lamented Peter Fernandes, Secretary, Hockey Heritage Group Goa.
The grounds, which were introduced to the sport in 1976, took Goa 44 years to get its first facility. Thanks to the National Games, though delayed, we atleast got our own stadium.
However, the sources close to the SAG confirmed that the turf which was prepared for the 36th National Games is yet to be inaugurated. The source further added that the grounds are still with the government’s possession and still not handed to the Sports Authority of Goa.
“If you ask why there are no Goans in the National team, the answer is simply lack of infrastructure. We didn’t have a single astro turf ground in the State before the one in Peddem was laid. However, it’s still not open to the public,” stated Nelly Rodrigues, a hockey enthusiast and a former player, who is also the executive committee member of the Goans Hockey.
While India now celebrates what could be a new beginning for hockey in India, Goa pleads to the authority to support them by providing the infrastructure –the only hockey ground in the State, which is lying idle.
