Orissa hockey will remain stagnant until such time as adequate facilities are provided to players. So a plan of action needs to be drawn up and a policy needs to be framed to promote the game. Otherwise the future of hockey will remain bleak.

BETTER PERFORMANCE in sports and a couple of records to boot, contribute to the image of a nation. Brazil and China have established themselves in football and table tennis respectively. India, on the other hand, has been well known for its hockey. Unfortunately, the glorious popularity of Indian hockey has been waning ever since the European strategy arrived. Indian hockey struggled as a result. Around this time, hockey stars from Orissa made their presence felt in the team.

Infact Sundargarh district came into the limelight, courtesy the outstanding performance of the Indian hockey team. Sundargarh is only one of the districts in Orissa where hockey talent sprouts every year. But today, the talented youth are a depressed lot because of the various other difficulties they face.

However, compared to other districts in the state, the youth of this district remain more interested in hockey even today. Therefore the central and state governments have established three sports training hostels in Sundargarh district. The government only provides training but does not think of the future of the trainees. Employment still remains a dream for the players. Some desperate players are looking for alternatives to safeguard their future. There are a number of reputed companies, which have invested heavily in Orissa but they have taken no steps to encourage hockey players.

According to Dillip Tirkey, a former captain and Padmashree awardee, the hockey team in Orissa will remain underdeveloped until such time as adequate facilities are provided to players. So a plan of action needs to be drawn up and a policy needs to be framed to promote the game. Otherwise the future of hockey will remain bleak. Another major problem is that the game is played in Sundargarh district but the State Hockey Association functions from Cuttack district headquarters (HQ).

The State Hockey Association is headquartered around 250 km away and naturally, this hampers communication. The Association has no plan of action nor has it organised a good tournament for the hockey players. The player has to invest his talent and enlist the help of a coach to ensure that some other state comes forward to utilise his hockey talent. So the hockey player has to face a number of disadvantages, which keeps him under pressure all the time. Orissa hockey therefore needs reforms. According to the Olympics gold medal winner, Avinab Bindra, until the player’s requirements are fulfilled, it is worthless to expect results.