Chandigarh, IHF sign agreement to set up CoE in hockey

Chandigarh, Dec 20 (UNI) The Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) and the Chandigarh Administration today signed an agreement initially for 10 years for setting up a Centre of Excellence in Hockey (CoE) at Chandigarh with an objective of training, developing and churning out future national and international players in the game by providing them specialised coaching and scientific training facilities of a high quality.

Sports Secretary SK Sandhu signed the agreement on behalf of the Chandigarh Administration and General Secretary Jyothikumaran on behalf of the Indian Hockey Federation.

Giving details of the agreement, Joint Director Sports Dr JPS Sidhu said that the IHF would impart expert coaching and scientific training to the selected children at the CoE.

"The aspects to be covered by the IHF are technical, tactical, physical and physiologial. The Center will have modern sports science facilities in physical fitness, mental fitness, bio mechanics, nutritions, video analysis and sports medicine facilities," Mr Sidhu said.

The CoE will have synthetic hockey fields, hi-tech gymnasium, video analysis system, video camera, video analysis software, video projection system, well qualified and experienced coaching staff, visiting sports psychologist, dietician, sports medicine doctors on regular basis, he said.

The Chandigarh Administration will provide additional artificial hockey field with flood lights and also adequate boarding and lodging facilities.

Dr Sidhu said that the IHF would depute a foreign coach and one foreign physical trainer alongwith two Indian assistant coaches for six months in a year.

UNI