BENGALURU: The Department of Youth Services and Sports (DYES) hockey team, which comprises the cream of Karnataka’s talent, played its last competitive match under the aegis of Hockey Karnataka (HK) exactly a year ago, winning the HK junior men’s (U-19) championship.
The team continued to train at the Hockey stadium after the event, the players even turned out for other teams — state, university or district. But DYES did not find an opportunity thereafter to come together as a unit to play in a HK tournament thanks to a barren calendar.
The Sports Authority of India, Sports Hostel, Kudige and Hubli Hockey Academy — all hockey nurseries — met with the same fate as HK hasn’t conducted any tournament since March 11 last year.
It is baffling how the sport’s governing body, with Olympians and former internationals at the helm, could have passed up on the opportunity to revive its activities especially after a couple of seasons were lost due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Lack of tournaments has adversely affected talent identification and team selection for various National tournaments. Currently, state teams for National championships are being finalised through selection trials in Bengaluru. But quality is not always assured owing to absence of match play.
On the other hand, the erstwhile Karnataka State Hockey Association, rechristened Bengaluru Hockey Association (BHA), has conducted around 11 tournaments — including inter-school, five-a-side, men’s, women’s and girls’ events — over the past 12 months. This, without any recognition from the state association or National federation.
Although HK and BHA function on either side of the pitch at the stadium, their paths haven’t crossed due to differences between the two factions. As a result, HK does not permit players or teams affiliated to them to compete in BHA tournaments, leading to DYES and SAI missing around nine tournaments this year.
HK secretary-general AB Subbaiah pointed to a packed domestic calendar as the primary reason for the lack of state-level competitions for a year. “There was an issue of availability of players since most of them were competing in tournaments like the South Zone and All-India Inter-University, various Khelo India competitions, National Games and other events.”
The former goalkeeping ace said the focus was on local and young talent. “We don’t want to conduct tournaments and then give entry to teams from Andhra, Kerala etc. Also, Hockey Karnataka’s aim is to nurture young talent, not to give opportunities to 40 or 50-year-olds.”
But Subbaiah admitted that the absence of a calendar was detrimental to the sport and said corrective action would be taken soon. “We can’t conduct tournaments now due to examinations, but from April, the plan is to have regular programs and competitions,” he stated.
