Date:16/01/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/01/16/stories/2006011607171800.htm

Sport - Volleyball

Speed, Kerala's new weapon

KOCHI: One could almost feel the question marks buzzing around as he spoke about the team's new strategy.

After bringing home just a dull bronze last year, Kerala will be using speed as its big weapon when it opens its campaign at the National volleyball championship in Pune on Monday.

While this has raised a lot of excitement in the team, there are a few shivers too. "We'll probably be the first State to try out the fast game at the National championship. We've been experimenting with it at the State coaching camp... there'll be a lot of short-ball attacks," said the Kerala captain and Kochi Refineries star, international R. Rajeev.

"But we're a bit worried too, we've not fully settled down with the new pace. And we have some very good teams in our group. If speed doesn't click, I think we'll go back to our normal style."

But the Kerala coach Sunny Joseph, now popular as the man with the Midas touch in the National volleyball circuit, is game for taking chances.

"Well, everybody is scared to take risks, but somebody has to bell the cat," said Sunny, the Kerala coach.

With teams like National League champion Kochi Refineries Limited, Services giant Indian Navy and former Federation Cup champion Cochin Port Trust, Ernakulam in the strongest district in the country.

But at the recent State championship in Kozhikode, Alappuzha, virtually the Muthoot team which Sunny now coaches, jolted Ernakulam and won the title.

"I just had 42 days with the Muthoot team but when I introduced speed, the others had no answer," said Sunny, who has coached Kerala men and women's teams to National crowns earlier.

It is this speed which Sunny will now be using to choke the big guns such as Haryana, Uttaranchal and Railways in Pune.

Apart from Rajiv and Tom Joseph, one of the best attackers in Asia, Kerala, which last won the National men's crown in early 2001, has some big names such as former internationals Kishore Kumar and setter B. Anil.

"But under the new system, the team's fortunes will not depend on just one or two players. In fact, every player will be contributing, even the substitutes," said Sunny.

The footballers lost the Santosh Trophy recently in Kochi. Will our volleyballers return with the cup of joy from Pune? — Principal Correspondent