Bristling with a new level of confidence

ENTHUSIASM - WELL, the word seems to have a new meaning when watching the players in action, in the ongoing pre-Olympic hockey camp at the KSHA stadium here. For the recent success at the four nation tourney in Australia, where the Indian team overcame South Africa, Germany and Australia for the title, would surely have instilled a new level of confidence, that was seldom seen earlier.

The gold medal triumph in the Bangkok Asian Games in 1998, was a shot in the arm, the euphoria of which is still to sink in. And the recent morale-boosting victory will only pep coach Vasudevan Bhaskaran and his boys to take on the world in the coming Sydney Olympics. A debacle, if it comes about will surely not be due to lack of preparation. True, unlike other nations who have been on the Olympic trail for the last two years, India's earnest preparations began only this January. But since then the effort and exposure provided to the 32 players in the camp has exceeded all expectations.

A couple of foreign jaunts - South Africa and Spain - helped evaluate our place and the twin tournaments in Australia in March-April gave the team the confidence it so badly needed.

The month long camp that began at the KSHA stadium has had a few firsts. Unlike the previous camps, wherein the team stayed at the Sports Authority of India (South Centre) campus and often took the arduous task of travelling daily to the KSHA stadium, this time round, thanks to the initiative and insistence of coach Bhaskaran the campers were accommodated at the nearby Karnataka State Cricket Association Club House.

The change not only enabled the players get more time for training and instructions, but also avoided travel. Also with regard to entertainment and mental make-up the accommodation at the heart of the City was welcome. The lush green turf at the cricket stadium also provided for ideal morning training facility, with the advantage of using the facilities at the Sree Kanteerava stadium for weight-training and work-outs.

After a well earned rest and varied menu, the boys hop across to the hockey stadium in the afternoons for the hockey drills, which again thanks to the coach's foresight and initiative, is made interesting, though a bit demanding.

The `seven-hours-a-day' routine has had telling effect on the fitness level of the players. Veteran Dhanraj Pillay, the scourge of many a defence, after his stint in the German league still looks the fittest. But most others, barring a few who are nursing niggling injuries, are not far behind.

The lot from the silver medal winning junior Asian championship team on its part has jelled well with the seniors and the camaraderie is indeed praiseworthy. And with the visits of former Olympians like M. M. Sommaiya and their timely suggestions and appreciative gestures have done a world of good to the boys.

The coordination among the coaches too has to be lauded. Bhaskaran had a word of praise for his assistant Harender Singh. While the chief coach took care of the midfielders and backs, Harender who is still active playing the Spanish league, took charge of the forwards at the camp fine tuning their trappings and ball skills. All this while at the far end, the goalkeepers - five in all - were at their best trying to keep the flick-scoop penalty corner drills from Len Aiyappa and the rest. Len in fact seems to be mastering the craft quite appreciably, and now needs to work on the speed factor for the flick-scoops to be more effective.

Besides the drills, the coach also spends an hour or two each day lecturing to the boys about various aspects of the games as also drilling the latest rule changes, a topic that the coach talked at length with this reporter.

``Ignorance of the rules and lack of communication between the parent body and the coaches, were the reasons for India slipping in world hockey,'' said Bhaskaran, a FIH Grade One coach, who will shortly be appearing for the Masters Grade certification course. ``It was by chance that I came to know of the FIH coaches course in '95, and with the permission of the parent body (IHF) attended the same to become the first Indian to successfully complete the course. After me, quite a few have completed the primary course,'' admitted Bhaskaran.

Bhaskaran's hockey playing career that spanned from 1969 to 1982, with the crowning glory being the gold medal as captain of the 1980 Moscow Olympics squad, took to coaching like the proverbial `fish to water.' The discontentment with the IHF being the main reason for his early exit as a player.

``It came quite naturally. Soon after my playing days, I took over as the coach of Southern Railway and soon the Railway coach's mantle fell on me. Although I was involved with the junior team since '87, I took up the National team (juniors) only from '95. And the silver medal at the junior World Cup at Milton Keynes ('97) was the most rewarding experience,'' said the chief coach, who then stepped on to coach the senior India team.

Although Bhaskaran encountered a period of upheaval (so very certain with the IHF functioning), when M.K. Kaushik took over and produced the winning touch (at Bangkok) only to be dumped later, the job again fell on the genial Southern Railway Sports Officer, who since has carried on despite the brickbats and tongue lashing,+ with a sense of purpose, which should see India claw its way back to the top of World hockey.

AVINASH NAIR

Bangalore

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