Stick checked
Sayed Roshan
MSSA’s U-16 hockey league struggling to attract enough participation.
The sorry state of Indian hockey is being reflected through lack of interest in the sport among school children with Mumbai Schools Sports Association (MSSA) even struggling to attract teams for their U-16 league that begins on September 10.
Last year, there were 15 teams in the girls’ event for the Panchgani OB Trophy. MSSA can take heart from the fact that the number of boys’ teams participating in the event has gone up from 10 last year to 12, but one of the most successful teams - St Andrew’s, Bandra - has pulled out this year after failing to find enough players to form a team.
Dearth of players
“There are very few players left in the school to play in under-16 hockey tournament. Andrew’s has a good name in hockey. It is very sad that we do not have players to play this game,” said Saby Noronha, coach of St Andrew’s.
In fact, only eight players turned up for selection, while a team needs a minimum squad of 18 to compete.
MSSA Hockey Secretary Sarah Alphonso admitted that the trend of worrying and that was the reason behind the changed rules this season.
“This year, to get more entries, we amended the rules on experimental basis, where maximum six Under-14 players can participate in the under-16 league. This step was taken because if the team’s players are busy with their exams, the school can let their under-14 players play. It is sad that even then the entries are less.”
“Because of SSC, the players do not come for the game and therefore the coach has to pull out from registering their team in the tournament. The coaches should try more to motivate the players and even the parents should also understand that even sports should be given priorities,” added Alphonso.
MSSA Football Results
Girls’ Under-16 (MSSA Ground, Azad Maidan): Bombay Int. (Babulnath)(3) (Achni Parikh 1, Rya Jetha 2 ) Beat Canossa H.S. (Mahim)(0), Apostolic Carmel (Bandra)(2) (Giselle Curzai 2) Beat J.B. Petit (Fort)(0), St. Lawrence (Borivali) failed to turn up for their match against The Cathedral & John Connon (Fort), Christ Church (Byculla) DREW WITH Shri Mamamabi (Kalachowki), Carmel of St. Joseph (Malad) (9) ( Everly Braganza 4, Evelyn Rodrigues 2, Alishqa Trinidade 1, Disha Parmar 2) Beat Greenlawns (B.P. Road) (0)
Boys’ Under-16-ASKO (St. Xavier’s Ground Parel): Greenlawns H.S. (B.P.Road)(3) (jash Mehta1, Parshav Shah 1,Raj singhani 1,) Beat BKM H.S. (Chowpatty)(0), St. Joseph H.S. (Wadala)(4)Adnan Rangari 1, Rocky Fernandes 1, Nihar Choutani 2) Beat NSS Hill Spring (Tardeo) (0), St. Mary’s ICSE (Mazagaon) (10) ( Denzel Colaco 4, Naved Kagalwala 5, Aliyan Virani 1 ) Beat Mammabai H.S. (Chinchpokli)(0)
MSSA’s U-16 hockey league struggling to attract enough participation.
The sorry state of Indian hockey is being reflected through lack of interest in the sport among school children with Mumbai Schools Sports Association (MSSA) even struggling to attract teams for their U-16 league that begins on September 10.
While MSSA’s football league has about 170 schools participating in boys’ under-16 and 40 in girls’ u-16 category, the hockey event has managed just 12 boys teams and 10 girls teams this year. This is despite the organisers allowing the schools to have a maximum of six U-14 players in the squad on an experimental basis this year to boost participation.
Last year, there were 15 teams in the girls’ event for the Panchgani OB Trophy. MSSA can take heart from the fact that the number of boys’ teams participating in the event has gone up from 10 last year to 12, but one of the most successful teams - St Andrew’s, Bandra - has pulled out this year after failing to find enough players to form a team.
Dearth of players
“There are very few players left in the school to play in under-16 hockey tournament. Andrew’s has a good name in hockey. It is very sad that we do not have players to play this game,” said Saby Noronha, coach of St Andrew’s.
In fact, only eight players turned up for selection, while a team needs a minimum squad of 18 to compete.
MSSA Hockey Secretary Sarah Alphonso admitted that the trend of worrying and that was the reason behind the changed rules this season.
“This year, to get more entries, we amended the rules on experimental basis, where maximum six Under-14 players can participate in the under-16 league. This step was taken because if the team’s players are busy with their exams, the school can let their under-14 players play. It is sad that even then the entries are less.”
“Because of SSC, the players do not come for the game and therefore the coach has to pull out from registering their team in the tournament. The coaches should try more to motivate the players and even the parents should also understand that even sports should be given priorities,” added Alphonso.
MSSA Football Results
Girls’ Under-16 (MSSA Ground, Azad Maidan): Bombay Int. (Babulnath)(3) (Achni Parikh 1, Rya Jetha 2 ) Beat Canossa H.S. (Mahim)(0), Apostolic Carmel (Bandra)(2) (Giselle Curzai 2) Beat J.B. Petit (Fort)(0), St. Lawrence (Borivali) failed to turn up for their match against The Cathedral & John Connon (Fort), Christ Church (Byculla) DREW WITH Shri Mamamabi (Kalachowki), Carmel of St. Joseph (Malad) (9) ( Everly Braganza 4, Evelyn Rodrigues 2, Alishqa Trinidade 1, Disha Parmar 2) Beat Greenlawns (B.P. Road) (0)
Boys’ Under-16-ASKO (St. Xavier’s Ground Parel): Greenlawns H.S. (B.P.Road)(3) (jash Mehta1, Parshav Shah 1,Raj singhani 1,) Beat BKM H.S. (Chowpatty)(0), St. Joseph H.S. (Wadala)(4)Adnan Rangari 1, Rocky Fernandes 1, Nihar Choutani 2) Beat NSS Hill Spring (Tardeo) (0), St. Mary’s ICSE (Mazagaon) (10) ( Denzel Colaco 4, Naved Kagalwala 5, Aliyan Virani 1 ) Beat Mammabai H.S. (Chinchpokli)(0)
