Lagatar24 Network
Ranchi, Feb 9: After almost a decade three men’s hockey players from Jharkhand have been selected for the junior Indian men’s hockey team’s national camp to be held in Bengaluru from February to March 31. Aseem Tirkey and Dennis Kerketta (Simdega) and Birsa Odeya (Khunti) are among the players selected for the camp.
In 2015-16, all three started practising at Gumla Centre, where all three learned hockey tricks without a coach. After 2019, all three were selected at the Centre for Excellence in Hockey, run by the Sports Authority of Jharkhand, where Arjuna Awardee coach NS Saini sculpted all three.
NS Saini said that the players of the centre are doing better and as a result of this they have been selected for the camp. At the same time, Jharkhand Hockey President Bholanath Singh said that our female players are constantly getting selected in the India team and now male players are also doing well.
Manoj Konbegi, Vice President of Jharkhand Hockey and President of Hockey Simdega, expressed happiness over the selection of all three players and said that players from places like Koromia of Simdega are now making their ground to the India Camp.
“In Jharkhand, there is a lot of talent in the boys too, but most of the players go out due to employment opportunities and good training. The players of Jharkhand are harmed because of this. In the junior national team in which three players from Jharkhand have been selected, 10 players of Jharkhand itself will play from Bihar team as they have been selected from Danapur Army,” Manoj said.
