By Paritosh Pramanik
WITH those entrusted to develop and promote hockey in Nagpur hardly doing anything, the selection trials for the Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy (men) to be held in the city in May has come as a fresh lease of life for the players.
Hockey has been dead in Nagpur and the concerned authorities are hardly taking any steps in conducting any tournaments since the past couple of years.
According to a notification from the Sports and Youth Affairs Department, TT Nagar Stadium, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy will be conducting selection trials in Nagpur to pick players for its residential academy.
The trials will be held from April 29 to May 29 at different districts of Madhya Pradesh and Nagpur.
In Nagpur, the trials will be held at Vidarbha Hockey Association ground, Amravati Road on May 8.
According to the notification, a copy of which is with ‘The Hitavada’, MP Hockey Academy coach Olympian Sameer Dad will be coming to Nagpur on May 8 to select the men players.
“We will be picking players in the age group of 14 and 18 years. Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy has to select 80 per cent players from Madhya Pradesh and 20 per cent from other parts of the country,” informed Olympian Dad while talking to ‘The Hitavada’ on Monday evening.
“The selection trials will be held in four phases with the first phase starting on April 29 from Guna in Madhya Pradesh. The second phase will begin from May 6, third from May 20 and the last phase on May 27-29 at major Dhyanchand Hockey Stadium in Bhopal,” elaborated Dad, who played for India in 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Along with Olympian Dad who is the chief selector of MP Hockey Academy, two others — Lokendra Sharma, Higher Technical coach cum advisor and Dr Habib Hasan district Hockey coach — will be travelling to Nagpur for the one-day selection trials.
The other selection panel includes Dr Shipra Shrivastava and Amit Rathore.
“I have been informed about the rich talent of hockey in Nagpur and Amravati by Irshad Mirza. Hence, we decided to pick the best of the players,” said Dad.
“Players not only from Nagpur but also from Amravati and other districts will be able to take part in the selection trials,” stated Olympian Dad.
Those interested in appearing for the trials will have to carry Aadhaar Card, birth certificate, residence proof and photographs.
