): My Blubbers on Tamilnadu Hockey :(

I phones, ipads, laptops getting even cheaper with smart phones moving very fastly in TN markets, but when it comes to the sporting aspect, is technology underdeveloped or unused? I’d say that it is unused rather than telling underdeveloped.Taking Hockey alone into account,its always the contemporary way of coaching in TamilNadu.The development at the grass root is totally off.

Why is there no coaching development seminars or workshops organized?Why is there no long term plan as it is in wvery other country?Why not the tutors educate themselves before coaching their lads?Good questions,but answers…? Their isno point in blaming the administration,TNHA (Tamilnadu Hockey Association)or Hockey Unit of Tamilnadu both not going to do any good for the development.They are always busy conducting tournaments TIT FOR TAT.Domestic tournaments in Tamil nadu suddenly organized after WSH.I don’t think that the whole of hockey society of TN was busy with WSH except only 6 of them including the coaches.I don’t feel that it was a good sign.,but after WSH it is all TNHA and Hockey Unit of Tamilnadu conducting tournaments every week (say a fortnight) not giving time for the players to prepare.Unlike other associations of TN we don’t have a yearly calendar….eventually no scope for the players to prepare.

Coming again to the technical aspect,its extreme usage of technology in other nations even at the grass roots.All high end superb softwares provide provide free tril versions.Why not they use atleast these trial versions?All coaching materials are available for free online..but nobody cares using them for development.No scope for the players to understand their style of play before moving into the field.Nothing is professional and hockey is not to be named semiprofessional…its amateur. Department teams are very busy recuiting and even having guest players who are non natives of TN.No clue of what is so special in them and what our TN players lack Poor TN guys ,their talents are not spotted even for the national squad  Pathetic situation in Tamilnadu hockey. Development must be the ultimate aim ,whatever faction it may be…let not the talents rot.

Sevens at Arupukottai

That was a decent play by our Kovilpatti boys Maharaja,Mukel,Mariappan,Madhan,Murali,Nagaraj along with a spectacular goal keeper which finished Runners at the Sevens tournament at Arupukottai.The tournament was superbly organised by some of the youngsters of the native.The team lost 3-2 to Adiaman Engg.College which had some experienced hands into the team.But still our young bloods came up with a good show playing 2 all, unluckily conceded the last goal just few minutes before the whistle blew.My favorite of the day was Madhan with his excellent skill and stick work,running all around the field.He was apt for the Best player which was rightly given to him.On the whole our guys could have played even better anyway CONGRATS!!

For those who DO ....Template 2

Prematch Team Talk Template

Field Templates for good domestic hockey...

Coaching Planner (Full Pitch)
Here are some of the templates which can really make a big change in domestic hockey to provide some standard coaching for the players with my aim of providing some stuff for the development of the game at domestic level in India.These are just copy paste contents but still they are of great use to the readers.See u soon in the next post....Bye  

Hockey Stadium at KVP yells.....

KOVILPATTI HOCKEY GROUND
G. KUPPUSAMY NAIDU HOCKEY STADIUM,
PASUVANTHANAI ROAD, BHARATHI NAGAR, KOVILPATTI

Dear well-wishers and sports loving Gentlemen,

I am Kovilpatti HOCKEY GROUND, wants to share my feelings with you. Please hear my history and present day sufferings.

Do not think me like an ordinary Land situated in Kovilpatti. I am proud to say I am a national monument representing our national game of Hockey. I am a seat to various hockey matches for the last 50 years in this town. My heritage is similar to Sabarmathi Ashram and Saranath Tower, etc. What Amritsar to Sikhs and Varanasi to Hindus I am to Hockey in Tamilnadu.

Hockey was introduced in India by British Army regiments and the game soon found favour among the native Indians. The first hockey club in India came up in Calcutta in 1885-86. The game became popular in Bombay, The Punjab, Madras State. Gradually this game gained its importance amongst the masses and more and more people started playing it.

Making its Olympic debut at the 1928 Amsterdam Games, Indian hockey team cruised home to its first Olympic gold without conceding a single goal. The hallmark of this ruthless domination was the wizardry of Indian hockey legend Dhyan Chand who mesmerized the Amsterdam crowd with his dazzling skills. Olympian Dhyan Chand visited Kovilpatti in 1962 and played on me.

After the victory of Berlin Olympic Gold in 1936, the small village of Kovilpatti knew about hockey. In his fond love on hockey, Dr.Durairaj, himself a hockey player encouraged students and the youngsters of Kovilpatti to play hockey. He along with his friends and philanthropists founded Kovilpatti Sports Club in 1944 and organised state level Hockey Tournaments.

His pioneering enthusiasm and effective efforts of his friends paved way for my rebirth as hockey ground in the year 1960. I was purchased by Dr.Durairaj and his friends like Sri. Durairaj Naidu and Sri. N.Ponnusamy Nadar for a public purpose. It was my earlier prestigious status.The next 30 years precisely golden era for my field as it is one of the well maintained Gravel Hockey ground in India. Thanks to the generous courtesy of Lakshmi Mills, the game of Hockey flourished in a highest scale . Whenever Hockey matches held at my venue the town of Kovilpatti wore a festival look . Definitely Lakshmi Mills Group donated so much of money , manpower and their inputs for the growth of the game. Kovilpatti public ever cherish the L.M.group’s contribution to hockey.

In order to develop the game, Dr.Durairaj coordinated with Lakshmi Mills, Kovilpatti founded G.Kuppusamy Naidu Memorial Trust and All India Hockey Tournament, which is ceased to exist till 9 years back. However, players and athletes are regularly practicing in my soil and Nethaji Hockey Club, Rajiv Gandhi Club, etc are conducting yearly tournaments here.
Mr.K.Selvaraj, Regional Manager, Kovilpatti Branch occupied as secretary of the trust in the latter years. Mr.Selvarj who was expelled as manager of Lakshmi Mills three or four years back is playing havoc with me in the year 2008. He is trying to sell me to a land broker and a rice smuggler.His motive is bad.It is against the fundamental principles of TRUST. records for his cause and got a Court Order is very bad. It is against the fundamental principles of the trust.
One should remember while Dr.Durairaj handed over me to the above trust as GIFT clearly specified that land should be maintained ever as a ground for the welfare of the game. As a secretary instead of safeguarding the hockey monument trying to convert me for housing purposes.

It is a plain fact that Mr. K. Selvaraj or his trust never purchased me but I was a gift to them. So he has no right to dispose a public property like me . Till now my property title deed is under the banner Kovilpatti Sports Club in all Govt. documents. Mr.Selvaraj , patron of KRA Vidhyasram Matriculation School had chosen this kind of unethical activity a shock to everybody . He is one of the ancestors of Jameen Family of nearby Ilayarasanendal.

As my issue became a public dispute, right thinking people of Kovilpatti jumped into fray.They approached Revenue authorities for justice.It was informed in the public meeting convened by Ground Retrieval Committee and CPI(M) on 7/1/09 at Kovilpatti - RDO Mr. Sudharsan rather than dealing this issue in a justifiable manner chose a wrong path. He misused all his powers and acting like an Agent to Land MAFIA. Mr. Sudharsan and high officials had not taken any care about me and trying to support land mafia. Kovilpatti RDO had no any sincerity for the public cause. He is looking me just like an ordinary land ignoring my heritage.Adjacent and allied with me there is PURAMPOKE GOVT.LANDS. So far nobody from the Revenue side protected that valuable land.

Speakers in the above meeting highlighted that RDO enforced 144 Act two or three times to help land dacoits . Police DSP Mr. Kannan , a man of fewer knowledge on sensitive matters collaborated with land brokers it was informed.. He was keeping mum when myself and my spouses ie. Trees , compound wall, rest shed and G.K.Naidu Statue were demolished by brokers.

RDO & DSP purely relying and taking decisions on the records submitted by Mr. Selvaraj. That records are not authentic. Even a subordinate staff in a Taluk Office well knew the landed properties of most of the Jameens are all subject to various disputes due to controversial measurements figures . Also they have no fear to encroach on other’s land . Same is the case of Selvaraj that DSP & RDO did not know . An ideal RDO and DSP would have taken both criminal actions and civil suits on Selvaraj and land mafias but both have no such courage at all . Both of them remaining idle in this issue . These are all narrated by speakers from Retrieval Committee.

In his attempt to sell me, it is learned, records submitted by K. Selvaraj is all framed and tampered. It require resurvey to be conducted by State Survey Dept. Further, no Trust member have right to sell for his own ends the trust's properties. "Trust properties should be safeguarded and promoted" it is the duty of the trust. A trust which did not purchase a property / land have no right to sell the same. These are all my contentions.

Ground demolition & seizure matter was sympathetically heard & photographed by news reporters.But no any news flash or analysis in their papers. It is high time Government of Tamil Nadu and Sports Ministry should intervene to adopt and keep me for playing purposes for ever.

Thank you for listening my story which is somewhat pathetic . I will not remain pathetic ever. May it be a small hardship. I remain with a firm hope that I will survive as a ground in 2012.
Extract from kovilpattihockeyground.blogspot.com

Is that all for Hockey in Kovilpatti??

To,

Mr. Mukul Chatterjee,

Director - Administration,

Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports,

New Delhi.

Once a wellknown Hockey ground now

face pathetic problem in Kovilpatti

Sports loving people would know very well and definitelly accept Kovilpatti and Palayamkottai are the booster to the game of Hockey in Tamil Nadu State as like as Patiala and Jalandhar of Punjab State.

G.Kuppusamy Naidu Hockey Stadium in Kovilpatti was started and developed in earlier part of 1960's by Lakshmi Mills and Kovilpatti Sports Club. By this two organisations the Hockey Team was participated numerable events and became famouus in Tamil Nadu as well as in other parts of the country. Most of the sports loving persons in this region knew well about the rules of the Hockey game and have very much interested in participating or witnessing the All India G.K.Naidu Tournament.

The Hindu, a leading newspaper, in the edition dated 3rd June 1995 highlighted and give much importance about this G.K.Naidu Hocky Tournament and the Ground under the heading "Something to shout about ". Till now Hockey players and Athelitics are regularly practising in this Ground . All India Rajiv Gandhi Annual Hockey Tournament is conducted in this ground.

Now all this becoming sweet memories only. It is came to known that Mr. K. Selvaraj, former Regional Manager, Lakshmi Mills, who is the only present member of the G. Kuppusamy Naidu Trust has decided to sale this famous ground. This makes very disapppoinment of everyone in Kovilpatti. Some Anti - Social elements belonging in the Real Estate and Rice Mill field are very much interested to take over this ground and with the help of Mr. K.Selvaraj they smashed the outer wall and uprooted the trees and put a digital board to display that the association has arranged to provide alternate ground in som other far away place from the present location. All this people joined together to cheating the people.

Political parties specially CPI (M) stuggling hard and fight against to this evil force and try to recapture the ground with the support of Hockey lovers. Revenue Authorities of Kovilpatti handling this issue. The Hockey game players and lovers were very much interest to know about ithis matter.

This is the hightime that Govt. of Tamil Nadu and the Ministry of Youth Affairs to take immediate action in this matter and give new life to Hockey game. This is main wishes of Kovilpatti Hockey game lovers.

Please do the needful and take immediate action to save the Hockey Ground.

Thanking you,

With warm regards,

     Photo copy of The Hindu paper issue dt. 03.06.1995.

HUMBLED HOCKEY - Money music will make FIH sing again

HUMBLED HOCKEY - Money music will make FIH sing again
While the International Hockey Federation has been making a lot of noise about propriety and making all the threatening noises, a display of dollars that the FIH needs desperately could well make it change its tune about the Champions Trophy.
M.S. Unnikrishnan
International Hockey Federation (FIH) president Leandro Negre must really be missing the incarcerated Suresh Kalmadi in this time of crises for Indian hockey. When Kalmadi was around, particularly during the turbulent days leading to the formation of Hockey India and the run up to the hosting of the World Cup in Delhi in March 2010, he played his cards well and pulled the right strings to get things moving and cracking at a fast pace.
The thumping success of the World Cup held at the renovated, world-class Dhyan Chand Stadium impressed the FIH top brass. They also realised the enormous potential of generating much-needed funds by selling hockey in India. Kalmadi and his team got many sponsors for the World Cup and filled the FIH coffers as never before.
In fact, whenever Negre made one of his many visits to Delhi to inspect the progress of the preparations for the World Cup, he was given a royal treatment and left a happy man. After the World Cup, the FIH saw a lot of merit in awarding the Champions Trophy and the Olympic Qualifying tournament to Delhi, as India was perceived as a cash cow. The FIH also promised to award many other important events to India for the revival of the game here.
But with Kalmadi’s arrest in connection with the Commonwealth Games scams, things took a tumble overnight, as it were, as Hockey India was left without a charismatic head -- it is still without a president after Vidya Stokes resigned to fall in line with the Government fiat on tenure and age-limit - forcing secretary-general Narinder Batra to hold the fort.
Managing day-to-day administration and getting a challenging event like the Champions Trophy going by roping in the right kind of sponsors, are two different ball games and the present management was not rising to the FIH’s expectations. Though Kalmadi held no formal post in HI, it was common knowledge that he wielded ‘the’ power and played the lead role in the successful conduct of the World Cup.
Moreover, HI’s monopoly over the game took a beating when the Government was forced to recognise the existence of the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) following a Delhi High Court ruling. When Ajay Maken was appointed Sports Minister, he took active interest in getting the two hockey bodies either merged, or form a working relationship, which raised the hackles of the FIH.
FIH suddenly became aggressive, as it contended that it would only deal with HI, as the Champions Trophy and the Olympic Qualifiers were awarded to HI. FIH threatened to pull out these events if the “joint board” arrangement mentioned in the “settlement minutes” of IHF and HI was not rescinded, as the FIH Executive Board felt that the settlement “breaches not only the FIH Statutes, but also the Olympic Charter”.
Maken was willing to talk to Negre and hoped to settle the matter when the FIH chief visited Delhi on September 13. But Negre pre-empted that decision and in a two-page letter to Maken, in reply to the Government’s response to the initial IHF posers, he stunned everyone connected with Indian hockey by announcing that the Champions Trophy would be moved out of India.
But Negre conveniently left out the name of the alternate venue, leaving space for bargaining -- to extract his pound of monetary flesh. The FIH threat was intended to blackmail the Government and HI to give in to its demands, which was evident in the small print of the last paragraph of the letter, which read: “The other point upon which I am being pressed by my Executive Board is in relation to the amount of approximately US$500,000, which is owed to FIH, pursuant to contract for the men’s World Cup held in Delhi in March, 2010.The release of this money is apparently being refused by the Reserve Bank of India. It would help if a written explanation is provided as to the reasons why this money is being withheld together with the steps that the FIH is required to take in order that payment can be made. The money is clearly the property of the FIH”.
So that’s it. It all boils down to money and money alone. If Maken manages to make the RBI release the blocked dollars, Negre will once again sing the Indian tune, like a canary! Perhaps the FIH also fears that the World Series Hockey league, to be held under the aegis of the IHF, without sanction from the FIH, will take the thunder away from the Champions Trophy and might eat into the sponsorship business of hockey.

NOTE:The Tribune 9/9/2011