Printed Article: Times of India

Jude Felix’s Academy to train boys from orphanage

BANGALORE: Jude Felix’s transition from an outstanding central midfielder to a coach will be complete when he launches a hockey academy for an orphanage.

Felix, whose transformation from a dashing inside right to a cerebral centre half was seen as a natural progression for a player so gifted, will impart the same knowledge that he imbibed over the years as a player, captain and later as a coach with his club in Singapore.

The 43-year-old veteran will tutor 60 boys from the St Mary’s orphanage in D’Costa Layout – 20 each in the age groups of eight, 10 and 12 – in a long-term plan that will see them emerge as players of quality by the time they are 17.

While children in the first two age categories will be expected to graduate to the older age groups, the 12-year-olds will be part of a five-year programme designed to develop their personality.

“It will be a holistic approach that will make them good hockey players and good human beings. We want them to be competitive enough to make it to sports hostels, state teams and the national team, which, of course, is our ultimate goal,” Jude said.

A concept fuelled by Fr John Anthony, who runs the St Mary’s orphanage, and sponsored by Lions Club, the Jude Felix Hockey Academy will be inaugurated on Saturday with an exhibition match that will feature former cricket captain Rahul Dravid, Olympians MP Ganesh, Dhanraj Pillay and Anil Aldrin. Others who have been invited include former India international Tony J Fernandes, who made the first of the monetary contributions, Olympic athlete
Eric Prabhakar and Devaraj, the founder of the Royal Hockey Club where Jude played a couple of decades ago.

“I have always wanted to work with the underprivileged. But once I met Fr Anthony the idea of coaching the children in the orphanage evolved. Fr Anthony was firm that he wanted the kids to take up hockey, although there were suggestions that he could set up an academy in cricket,” said Jude.

Courtesy: Times of India