E-Paper
Your space: AstroTurf on school grounds needed to save hockey in Pune
Hockey nationally and internationally is played on AstroTurf and Pune has only two grounds - one in PCMC and another at Balewadi. Many schools are unable to practice on these surfaces because of distance and grounds’ availability. Our readers tell us what future does the sport has in Pune and the way forward...
To keep the interest alive in playing hockey and to ensure that all the schools in Pune get exposure and more tournaments to play, it is important to have non- AstroTurf tournaments.
Hockey at zilla parishad-level, schoolympics, Hussain trophy along with a few other tournaments are played on AstroTurf. However, adding non- AstroTurf tournaments generates more interest. It can be organised within the city where commute is easily available, cost of organising the tournament is minimal and availability of teams is more compared to teams travelling to Balewadi or Pimpri-Chinchwad.
However, there are many schools in Pune who still play the sport despite the obstacles of distance from the available AstroTurf grounds. Schools like St Joseph’s, Pashan, and St Anne’s do not have proper grounds, still, hockey is played on regular basis. These schools have excelled at school and state-level tournaments.
AstroTurf is the way forward if you want to play at national level. One has to get used to the speed, ball control, strength, stamina and various other aspects of hockey on turf if you have to reach the highest level, which is to represent the country.
All schools who have sufficient space/ground should have AstroTurf. It should be made available at a very nominal rate with minimum investment. Artificial turf is the way forward. All the inter-school matches are played on turf at Balewadi or Pimpri-Chinchwad. These schools/children go further to play inter-divisions, state-level tournaments where the matches are played on turf. So, having even a half court hockey turf or multi-purpose turf will help schools excel in hockey and create good players.
Vivek Kale
Introduce artificial surface at grassroots-level
The love for hockey will continue irrespective of the type of ground. We have trained on mud grounds during our school days, and even today, there are so many schools who continue to do that. But playing on AstroTurf is a completely different ball game, as most of the major tournaments take place on AstroTurf. If AstroTurf is introduced at grassroots-level, it will help players to gain confidence at an early age and help them play on a fast-paced ground. AstroTurf is the demand for the betterment of future Indian hockey.
Prita Yadav
Need proper infrastructure, grounds
Once Khadki was called the cradle of Olympic hockey, as at least one player from the locality would be a part of the Indian squad. As days passed by, I don’t even recollect who and when was the last Olympian from our city, after my club mate Vikram Pillay.
Talking about schools playing hockey, it’s becoming a burden nowadays, as a sports teacher has to finish activities for the yearly calendar and nothing more than that.
Children after their vacation, join school during rainy season, where immediately in August, we have inter-school hockey competition in 45 days wherein we have to practice and produce results for the school. We have to practice on a wet and muddy ground, whereas the competition is held on turf ground. Very rarely some private schools get an opportunity to use the turf, only if they have booked it in advance, without disturbing the corporation-run schools practise timings.
Players are created in their school days and if they do not get proper infrastructure, ground and support, how will they get attracted to the national game?
I think more grounds should be built in the city and within the limits of locals, so that time is not wasted on travelling. Hope to see more Olympians from our city in the coming days.
Savio Victor
AstroTurf is the way forward
It is not worth to train school kids on mud grounds as most hockey tournaments are played on turf. Only if all the school-level tournaments happen on mud ground, then it makes sense to train on mud. But students should be introduced to AstroTurf as early as possible.
Pratima Singh
Give importance to hockey
Hockey, as a sport, has played a very pivotal role in the sports history of our nation. However, knowing that we no longer have the basic amenities for the sport is disheartening. The authorities must take corrective actions and make sure the sport remains alive in the right spirit, so that students enjoy the game and make the nation proud with earning more accolades. Sports have a special power which brings people across various cultures and diversity together. The biggest example is Indian Premier League and Indian Super League. We must let hockey, as an individual sport, also contribute to the nation. Schools, colleges, universities and corporates need to give hockey the same importance as cricket.
Leo Carvalho
Playing on different turfs changes techniques
It is not possible for every school in the city to have an AstroTurf. However, the city needs more turfs. Not just Pune, there should be more turfs in Maharashtra. Practising on mud grounds and then playing on turfs becomes difficult as you have to change your techniques.
Akash Chikte
Lack of interest is impacting the game
Playing on AstroTurf is the future and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) turf is available at a very reasonable rate. Schools should take initiative and bring students to practice on this ground. Even twice a week practice will help children to learn the sport. The major reason of hockey declining is lack of interest from many schools and unavailability of coaches. Many schools appoint coaches who are not specialised hockey coaches so it is impacting the game. School authorities should promote the game of hockey.
Sridharan Tamba
Schools should promote the sport
The playing of hockey at grassroots-level has seen a decline over the years. AstroTurf is one of the main reasons, but not the only one. The national team has also suffered as it has been difficult for Indian players to adapt to AstroTurf considering they have always played on grass. But more than AstroTurf, the lethargic approach of authorities, be it at any level, is the biggest factor for the decline of sport.
As for Pune, the city has hockey hot-spots which have produced top-level players in spite of the infrastructure. The schools need to take the sport seriously, educate, spread awareness and invest accordingly, or we will be stuck in the same conundrum. Even if we plan to have more AstroTurfs in city, there should be enough number of schools and players taking active interest. The AstroTurfs should also be commercially viable and that will happen only when there is an equal amount of participation. Very few of the players from schools continue to play at higher levels, so it should not really make a difference on which turf they are playing. Having no AstroTurf to play at school-level can hardly be a reason to stop playing the sport.
Nupur Pradhan
Hockey is suffering due to lack of support
Hockey is suffering because of lack of support from Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporations. We have grounds, but they are not developing it. These grounds are used for multi-purpose activities which is not good for the game. We have told them to hand over the Chikalwadi ground, so that we can develop it for hockey, but they have not allowed us to do so. During the time of Suresh Kalmadi, when he was the president of Indian Olympic Association (1996-2012) Rs 4 crore budget was passed for development of Chikalwadi ground. However, the funds were used for other development activities. If the ground is developed then schools from Khadki can utilise it. We need support to develop hockey.
Manoj Bhore
