Jharkhand players who clinched the runner up position in the 5th Senior National Women’s Hockey Championship final at Uttar Pradesh on May 3 said that their fitness level was low during the championship. On their return to the State on Tuesday, they blamed lack of camps and diet facilities for the low fitness level.
“In the final match the competition was tough. For the first time ever, we played against Indian Railways at this level. All the players of the rival team were physically stronger than us. They defeated us by 12-2 goals. It was obvious because regular training camps are organised for Railways prior to any tournament but not for us,” said Anima Minz, a Ranchi based player of the contingent.
Similarly, 19-year-old Etwari Mundu, a player from Khunti was felicitated for being the Best Midfielder trophy in the Championship said, “It was a great learning experience. We can now feel the difference between a strong national team like Railways, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana. They get the scope of participating in camps but we rarely get such a chance.”
According to the Team Manager Manoj Kumar, most of the girls among the 18 players, were junior players and performed outstandingly in passing goals and marking the penalty shoot-outs. “Since the inception of the state, it was for the first time, Jharkhand represented a team where all belonged to the state. They played well. Coaches of many teams appreciated our girls. But, their physical strength in the game seemed low in comparison to the strong teams,” he added.
Kumar pointed the much awaited Sports Academy at Mega Sports Complex, Hotwar equipped with technical, accommodation and lodging facilities can serve a solution to all such problems dealt by players of the state. However, when Bhola Nath Singh, the president of Hockey Jharkhand was approached he denied accepting the hurdles. “We had organized a mixed training camp for both boys and girls in the state capital before the national meet. It will take sometime to make consistent efforts for promoting the national game as I am new to the Association,” Singh said.
Meanwhile, Team Coach Pratima accepted that the girls were tired by the last quarter of the final match paving way for Railways win. “I assure, we will host regular training camps for our players from now onwards,” she said. Sports Director Anil Kumar and Ajit Private Secretary to Sports Minister Amar Kumar Bauri ensured to provide adequate support for conducting the camps. The team was given a warm welcome at Ranchi Railway Station after their arrival today.
In order to provide transportation convenience to the players selected for national meets, Ajit on behalf of the government has asked Hockey Jharkhand to provide the list of state players contesting for national meet atleast one month before the scheduled Championship. “The winning team had to travel in second sleeper class since the association submitted the players name at the eleventh hour. It might have affected their performance. The Association was requested to submit the list a month before the tourney as the Government wants them to avail seats of third AC in future,” sources maintained.