Draft prepared to promote hockey
Imphal, Aug. 3: Manipur Hockey president and former Olympian Ksh. Thoiba Singh declared that the organisation would submit a draft policy for development of the sport in the state to youth affairs and sports minister this month at Manipur Press Club today.
“Structure of hockey in the state needs revamping, as we are hardly able to produce noteworthy players anymore. Hockey Manipur has worked out a draft policy to fill the void and help shape our players for national and international contests. For that we need to reach out to the far-flung areas of the state and groom talent from the grassroots,” Singh said.
Before Astroturf was introduced, many players, like Olympian P. Nilakomal, World Cup player L. Tiken Singh and Kullajit Singh from the state made it big at the national and international levels.
Manipur Hockey was formed after a directive from International Hockey Federation to Indian Olympic Association to merge the men and women’s hockey associations into a single one in 2009.
Since then, the foremost agenda of Manipur Hockey was development of infrastructure in the state and grooming players from the junior level. Ksh.
Thoiba Singh is also a member of the development committee and a member of the national selection committee of Hockey India.
Thoiba Singh added that the upcoming Junior World Cup, 2014 in India would be a great opportunity for state youths to show off their mettle.
Thoiba Singh brushed aside the recent controversy between Hockey Manipur and Manipur Hockey, saying it was no time for mudslinging.
World Cup veteran Tiken Singh appealed to parents to guide their wards in making the most of sports opportunities.