BHUBANESWAR 29-Oct-2013 268
Hockey Gangpur-Odisha, a new associate member of Hockey India, started its activities on a modest note by organising a state-level coaching camp here at the Astro-turf Hockey Complex in Kalinga Stadium from today. As many as 23 junior players, including a couple of internationals, joined four-week-long camp, which was inaugurated by State Sports Secretary H K Tripathy.
``The aim of the camp is to form a core team to represent Hockey Gangpur-Odisha in different National championships. Players for the camp have been chosen from Rourkela-based Panposh Sports Hostel, SAI Training Centre (Sundargarh), KIIT (Bhubaneswar) and a rural tournament held earlier this year. Another 12 players will join the camp in a couple of days,`` said HGO secretary Debasish Gouda.
Junior India coach Lajrus Barla and former Odisha captain Surendra Barla will supervise the camp with the help of fitness trainer Laxman from Hyderabad. ``Most of the campers are well-versed with the basics of hockey and also have the experience of representing Odisha in different National championships. Hence, the main goal of the camp will be to develop understanding and coordination among the player and combine them into a young and vibrant team,`` said Barla.
Speaking on the Hockey Gangpur-Odisha, secretary Gouda said the new state body would work diligently for promotion of the stick-and-ball game mainly in tribal areas. ``HGO is a players` body with seven internationals in the governing council and it will work for the interest of the players, especially those who are not getting chance to play for the state and the country,`` he claimed.
Headed by former India captain and Rajya Sabha Member Dilip Tirkey, HOG has in its rank Olympian Lajrus Barla, former India captains Ignace Tirkey and Jyoti Sunita Kulu as vice-presidents and Olympian William Xalxo along with former India captains Prabodh Tirkey and Subhadra Pradhan as joint-secretaries.
Former India captain Prabodh Tirkey, international Birendra Lakra along with Infrastructure Development Corporation of Odisha CMD Ratan Kumar Agarwal, Odisha Council of Sports consultant VVSN Rao, former Assistant Sports Director Ashok Kumar Mohanty and Kalinga Stadium in-charge Kumar Ranjan Panda were present at the opening ceremony of the camp, which would conclude on November 25.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOTO: Players, guests and HGO functionaries at the opening ceremony of the coaching camp in Bhubaneswar on October 29, 2013.
