INDIAN hockey has felt the need for drastic changes to quite some time now. Changes that would improve the standard, give a fillip to the image of the game in the country and gradually restore India to its pristine glory.
The change has now come about — but not in the manner one would envisage. Nay, such a dramatic transformation will take its own time. The change has occur quite some time now. Chaied in the supreme power that controls the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) with M/A.M: Ramaswamy stepping down and R. Prasad being unanimously elected president. And this in turn, could trigger off several changes on approach.
A new chief will have new ideas. He will want to adopt a fresher approach while taking care and caution to steer clear of past mistakes. But it is easier said than done. He had come to occupy the chair at a time when few sane minds would envy him the post.
Nevertheless, he has his “ideas”. He intends feeding data of all aspects of the game into a computer to trace the root of problems and devise corrective measures. ;
Prasad aims to be “fair in selection, perfect in coaching and build up team spirit”. He is said to be aman who speaks out for the players and their cause. Bravo!
Butitis the players themselves who have lost faith in the IHF of which Prasad has been Vice-president for seven years. Ask them in confidence and the chances are that not one good word about the IHF officials and their functioning will you get.
Like the liver is the seat of life in the human body, the players are the mainstay of the sport in the country. Without them there can be no team and hence the brains of the governing body would have no purpose.
Prasad intends to converse with a cross-section of hockey lovers to find out methods to uplift the game. He would be doing the players a great favor and himself an honest service it he confines his investigations to frank and candid debates with: the players themselves.
There are a whole lot of other things Prasad hopes to do for the betterment of the game. He wants to form a team of dedicated workers to run the game smoothly. He is anxious that the administration of the game be given a proper direction. He is of the opinion that umpiring standards can improve and irked at the way players are treated and national toumeys conducted. Above all, he seeks to establish the players, coaches, and managers into a cohesive unit. And so on and so forth.
Each an honorable intention indeed. But the Indian government too must play its part in ensuring ready funds to provide better facilities and modern equipment to enable players attain the status of world beaters and the IHF a solid ground on which to function.
Failing this, Prasad’s dreams will remain exactly what they are. And his hopes of leading India into the computer age and into the 91¢¢ century will be aborted. It would be a great pity, too. Moreover, never mind the opinion of the masses, hockey and not cricket, is still considered the national sport of India. Till next week, Sportingly yours,
RS.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 17, 1987
