Date:27/06/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/06/27/stories/2006062706322000.htm

Sport - Hockey

From Spain with love

A. Joseph Antony

HYDERABAD: What do Atletic Terrassa and Anantapur have in common? The first is a hockey club based near Barcelona, Spain, surrounded by woods and greenery, while the latter is India's most arid district after Jaisalmer.

After the Champions Trophy in Chennai last year, Spain's Andreu Enrich visited the two children, whose studies he was sponsoring at the Rural Development Trust (RDT), an Anantapur NGO. The facilities at its Sports Centre floored him and he broached starting a hockey training scheme for poor children to RDT's associate programme director, Moncho Ferrer.

No wishful thinking

That wasn't wishful thinking, for Spain's left-back arrived in June, accompanied by Clara Vancells, who also plays for Spain, Anna Serra, member of Atletic's main team and Jordi Barrio, its women's squad trainer. The quartet, along with Litus Ballbe, an under-21 international and Santi Freixa, adjudged the International Hockey Federation's best player under 23 years, formed Stick Amb L'India, which from Spanish translates to `I support India.'

Enrich, a final year Bachelor of Business Administration student, put precept into practice. On April 22, celebrated as St. George's Day in Spain, Atletic's women members sold 600 roses for the cause. A drive was launched to collect sports material and a three vs three hockey tournament for children organised.

Photo exhibition

Exploits of the club, that contributes at least half a dozen players to the Spanish squad, were displayed at a photo exhibition. Each copy fetched 30 euros. Pamphlets sent to club members and prospective sponsors appealed for support to the cause. Banks preferred to wait and watch before backing the campaign. Air tickets were arranged and the foursome arrived with 100 hockey sticks, cones, 150 balls and about 160 dress sets. Assisted by Dr. P. Johnson, chairman, Umpires Committee, Andhra Hockey Association and T. Babaiah, a BSNL player for nearly four decades, they ran a fortnight-long programme attended by about 160 boys and girls. At the end of it, Ferrer was a worried man. "The kids didn't want to go back home," he said, for the project had become such a hit. Even two hours after rigorous training, there were smiles on the children's faces, noted Jordi. "This is the best beginning I could imagine," said Enrich, 22, keen to come back in the years ahead and keep the endeavour going.