Controversy over appointment of new coach

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The appointment of a new hockey coach at the G.V.Raja Sports School has snowballed into a controversy.

The move sparked off protests from the students and the school Parent Teachers Association (PTA).

The students, about 95 of them, refused to report for practise on Tuesday and boycotted classes on Wednesday.

The agitating students also locked up the teachers in the staff room for about 20 minutes.

The students were demanding the reinstatement of hockey coaches Ramesh Kolappa and V. Jayakumar.

The students ended the agitation following an assurance that the Director of Public Instruction (DPI), the joint director and the sports organiser would visit the school on Thursday to sort out the matter.

Voluntary service

The row started when the Education Department appointed Sajeesh as coach when Kolappa and Jayakumar were already doing voluntary service as coaches for the last 11 years.

The students and the PTA were up in arms against the decision and had accused the Education department of falling prey at the hands of those people who wanted to destroy the school.

“The school doesn’t have a coach in volleyball, basketball and is short of coaches in athletics and other disciplines.

“But instead of appointing coaches in other disciplines they have appointed a coach in hockey when it was not needed.

“We want both Ramesh Kolappa and Jayakumar to continue as coaches as they have done an excellent job and were doing honorary service for the last 11 years. In their absence we fear that the standard of the school will come down in hockey.

Memorandum

“We will be submitting a memorandum to the Sports, Minister, Education Minister and the DPI,” said PTA president Somarajan.

Since taking over as the coaches in 1997 at the behest of the then DPI, Lida Jacob, the duo had guided the school to 11 consecutive wins in the best school tournament.

International goalkeeper Sreejesh and other junior internationals like Vivek, Nithin Raj and Shamshudeen blossomed under their training.

Making a mark

The school also made a mark at national level when its girl’s team qualified for the super division league of the all-India Nehru Cup hockey tournament and was declared as the best promising team of the tournament last year.

Chacko Joseph, the sports organiser, however, said that both Kolappa and Jayakumar were not removed as coaches.

“We have only appointed a qualified coach as per the norms of the department. I have asked the two coaches to continue but they refused.

“Regarding shortage of coaches in other disciplines we have asked the Kerala State Sports Council to help us.

“It is a needless controversy and students are being dragged into it,” he said.

“Both of us were working as a team and had produced results. It will be difficult for us to work with another coach with whom we are not comfortable with and hence decided not to continue as coaches,” said Jayakumar.