Navi Mumbai to play host to state-level hockey tourney

Inter-school matches will be played at Fr Agnels, NMSA grounds

For the first time, the District Sports Office (DSO) will be conducting the Inter-School State Hockey Championship in Thane district where teams in the U-14 (girls and boys) and U-17 (boys and girls) will participate. In all 32 teams from nine divisions in Maharashtra will vie for top honours in the championship.

The venue of the matches will be the Fr Agnels Multipurpose School Sports Ground and the Navi Mumbai Sports Association (NMSA) ground which have recently been worked upon for the championship. The championship will commence on November 1 and will end on November 3. Dr Dilip Rane will formally inaugurate the tourney at both the grounds.

Ravindran Nair, sports coordinator, Fr Agnel School and supervisor of the meet, says, “For the first time the State Hockey Championship is being conducted in Thane District by the DSO. We are host of the matches and will also be taking care of the boarding of the outstation teams at our Agnels Cafeteria. We will also be providing food and accommodation to the teams participating in this tournament.” Besides Agnels, St Lawrence, St. Marys and Modern College will also accommodate the playing teams. “We have taken care to ensure that the players have a comfortable outing,” said tournament director Fr S Almeida.

Citing the importance of the tournament, Agnels hockey coach Surinder Ahluwalia said that players from tenth standard will also be awarded 25 bonus marks in the forthcoming SSC examinations.

Nair further adds, “These preparations are made only to promote the game. There are various games and sports played in Navi Mumbai and we want hockey to be as important as others.”