Dabang Mumbai exhibits street hockey to extends its lease on masses

Mumbai, 10th February: Every Hockey India League Franchise need to take hockey to all corners of India, and it is a sine qua non for them to mingle with the masses, for, hockey needs to penetrate every sector to sustain and improve its profile.

Dabang Mumbai, a new out in the HHIL family, seemed to have understood the bottomline clearly, as it has been endeavouring efforts towards this objective. Recently its team celebrated what it calls ‘gully hockey’ in Mumbai.

A week before when the team came to Delhi, its coaches and the team interacted with a NGO kids, called One Thousand Hockey Legs, and made them ‘fevicol’ed to them.

Dabang Mumbai players, fresh from their victory in the Hockey India League on last Sunday against Kalinga Lancers, had fun engaging with the young fans and supporters. They spent time playing and interacting with the students of the city based HR College.

Over 200 students participated in the games and training sessions as the players explained them the nuances of the game and tactics, while hundreds watch them create magic with their hockey sticks.

The ‘gully hockey’ initiative is part of Dabang Mumbai’s effort to promote the game across cross section of the society and explore the different avenues that Mumbaikars could utilize to follow their passion for hockey and go out and play the game.

This newly-formed Mumbai outfit of the Hero Hockey Indian League (HHIL) and owned by DoIT Sports Management Pvt. Ltd, has always believed that the future of sports development in India depends largely on a “RUrban” model where the sport should not be restricted to available surfaces and conditions.

On the contrary utilizing various avenues and surfaces only works towards encouraging and groom future talent.

DoIT Sports Management Director Radha Kapoor expressed her confidence about the approach. She believes the concept will shoot off the popularity of the sport in the city.

“Dabang’ is an expression of the irrepressible spirit of victory. By spearheading the hockey movement in key regions of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa, Dabang Mumbai reinforces its commitment towards India’s most prestigious sport – Hockey. The primary objective of the Dabang MumbaiFranchise will be to create a grass-root program that lends a steady stream of talented youngsters to India, eight-time Olympic Champions, and support in its continued effort to reclaim World supremacy in the sport.”

Speaking on the occasion, Dabang Mumbai’s strategic advisor and mentor Viren Rasquinha said, “the only way to produce more hockey stars from Mumbai is to take the game to the masses. Dabang Mumbai’s grass – root initiative aims at introducing the game to a large number of youngsters and then identifying and nurturing their talent to produce more international champions.”

Dabang Mumbai has already undertaken some concrete steps towards development of grass-root talent in the city and adjoining areas by initiating Coaches and young players being trained by Dabang Mumbai players and coaching staffs. The team has also tied up with famous European club, HC Bloemendaal and as part of this technical alliance; special clinics will be organized twice a year for the hockey enthusiasts and budding talents in the city and around.

“The gully hockey initiative will definitely provide a boost to the sport in the colleges and we are extremely proud that our city team Dabang Mumbai has selected HR College for such a buddy game,” HR College principal said.