The Hindu: Kariappa praises coaches from TN

By K. Keerthivasan

B.J. Kariappa, the high performance manager (south zone), said that Tamil Nadu has shown keen interest in the Hockey India Online Academy Program (HIOP) structured by Roelant Oltmans, the chief coach of the Indian men’s team and high performance director.

“HIOP is aimed at making a standardised coaching pattern wherein every coach in any corner of the country will adopt a similar coaching pattern. Four academies in TN have already enrolled in HIOP. Within a month, the rest will register,” he told The Hindu here on Sunday, after visiting several academies in the State in the last five months.

From October, Kariappa has visited nine academies — Lakshmi Ammal Memorial Hockey Academy (Kovilpatti), Kamarajar Hockey Academy (Virudhunagar), Manaparai HA (Tiruchi), RV Academy, TNHA, V. Raja Academy and the Thirumalvalavan HA (all Chennai), Nilgiris Sports Development Trust and Rural Welfare HA (Vellore) — to witness first hand the coaching standards and the number of players across age groups.

“Our main objective is to popularise grassroots hockey and ensure the sport is taught in keeping with the trends in modern hockey,” he said, while adding that HIOP offers coaching at the basic, intermediate and elite levels.

After taking charge in September 2015, Kariappa has made visits to Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, Kolkata, Gwalior and Anantpur. “I had to make trips to parts of north India as coach M. Kaushik resigned as north zone high performance manager in October last,” he said.

Explaining how coaching has changed in modern times, Kariappa said that it has become a two-way communication with the player and coach. “It should be an interactive session with the players. After every session the coach has to clarify the players’ doubts. We are particular that coaches teach the right way,” he said.

He was all praise for the Tamil Nadu coaches’ commitment and desire to give it their all. “Despite the lack of funds, they work hard, sometimes putting money from their own pocket. That is great,” he said.

The 49-year-old, based in Bangalore, said he would give feedback to Hockey India on the developments made by the coaches, and that he would also identify talented junior and sub-junior players from the State for National camps.

On India’s chances in the Rio Olympics, Kariappa, who has worked with Michael Nobbs of Australia, South African Greg Clarke (former coach of Indian junior boys) and Harendra Singh, said, “India can finish in the top five at Rio. That will be the best possible result.”