During the nationwide lockdown if there is any board who is focusing on guiding players and coaches it is Hockey India. Recently, they concluded scouting programs for coaches in order to pick the best talent from the grass-root level who can go on and represent India at some stage and bring laurels for the country.
They started one new program in which they are engaging National Men’s and Women’s Hockey Team to prepare them for Coaching in future so that they can serve as a coach in future if they want to once their playing days are finished.
In the program, they have introduced the education structure which is the combination of web-based modules and face-to-face interactive courses underpinned by a competency-based assessment process which helps the Coaches in progressing to higher levels.
As they have divided the pathways into seven levels on which the education modules have been designed and they are Hockey India Level Basic, Hockey India Level 1, Hockey India Level 2, FIH Level 1, FIH Level 2, FIH Level 3 and FIH High Performance.
The moment when the candidate reaches Hockey India levels then only they will be eligible to enrol for FIH Academy Level 1 Courses and upgrade further.
“Personally, I thought this was a good initiative by Hockey India to make players attend this course during the lockdown. It gave us insights into basics of coaching. Myself and SV Sunil have expressed our interest to Hockey India that we want to attend the course physically whenever it is held and get certified for the next level. We want to go through the right channel like everyone else to get certified,” stated PR Sreejesh
Sreejesh further explained how Hockey India Coaches Education Pathway could change the standard of hockey in India.
“The methods used to teach hockey at the grassroots level in India needs consistency across all regions and some places still use the old school methods of coaching. Many a times when players get selected for national program, they find it difficult to adapt. Right from warm-up, recovery to certain techniques, our playing structure and activation prior to a match, the national program is very different from what’s followed at the grassroots. I believe this course will bridge that gap with coaches at the domestic level being upgraded with modern and scientific methodology of coaching which is on the same lines as top hockey playing nations. This will help create a uniform playing structure right from the basic level,” expressed Sreejesh who is currently part of the on-going National Coaching Camp in SAI, Bengaluru.
The experienced Indian Hockey Player was quick to acknowledge that these courses designed from Hockey India will help players to consider coaching as an option when they retire. It is a great opportunity for them to think about their future while playing. As the courses will give us a brief idea of how a coach think before and after the game. As someone like me who loves to groom youngsters which I enjoyed doing during the 2016 Junior Hockey World Cup and to be honest, I loved that experience.
