By Our Corresspondent
THE irrational metamorphosis which the hockey stick has undergone during the past decade, has made the Indian hockey a lame.
The illogical changes effected in the shape of the blade of the sticks has almost ended the magic spell of Indians in the international hockey arena.
Whereas the great hock wizards of India played with sticks having 3.5 inch playing area of the blade, most of the sticks in vogue at present in India have a blade of only 1.5inch length. This has told heavily on the performance of Indian hockey players.
Strange to say, neither the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) bosses nor those very closely connected with hockey affairs have bother end to study the technical issues involved in the indiscreet changes made in the hockey sticks.
Hockey Maestro Balkrishan Singh says that the new changes in the stick have robbed the Indian hockey of the skills of drib bling, hitting and deceptive moves after receiving the ball on the run.
Most of the e Indian sports goods manufacturers, with an eye on exports, are producing hockey sticks identical to those used in indoor hockey, a game popular in Europe. These sticks have only a small blade with curved head of only about 1.5 inch. This is due to the fact that in indoor hockey, no hit, scoop or flick is allowed.
Mr Balkrishan says that the shorter blade sticks have only one advantage that is while stopping the ball on the reverse side. But how many times this exercise is needed in the game! he asks, he expresses concern that in the absence of any research into this as pact, “our hockey is completely ruined”.
Explaining the disadvantages of the new stick, he says that the playing area has been drastically cut down to 1.5 inch while for covering the ball, an area of at least 3.5 inch is required, since the ball is 3 inch in diameter ended the art of dribbling in which Indians excelled in past.
The rate of accuracy with the new stick has reduced. This is due to the fact that the area of the hitting spot (sweet spot) has also reduced with the reduction in the length of the curved portion of the blade. He says that in game positions, the possibility of missing the mark even from a close range, is quite more since the hitting point is concentrated in a small area that available in the larger blade sticks.
This is the main reason of poor performance of India ns in converting short corners. In the recently concluded champions Trophy ace forward Thoiba singh could not hit the target from a close range at least more than four times.
Another major disadvantage of these sticks is that a player is compelled to bend down while receiving the ball and as such there are more chances of the ball getting deflected. A pointer in this regard can be the second goal which the Australian team scored against India in the Champions recently following deflection from the stick of M.P. Singh.
Besides this, the unusual bending position results in delay of next movements. As such all the major moves pushing, hitting, stopping and dribbling have become more exhausting with the stick and it is a known fact that Indians have a poorer strength visa is their Euro pea counterparts. Hockey has now come to one a game of strength and not a game of skill.
Mr Balkrishan Singh says that the IHF should take immediate steps to check this unhealthy trend which is adopting alarming proportions. The IHF, he says, should direct the use of bigger blade sticks especially for sub juniors and juniors so as to impart them skill based training, Children will never learn the skills with shorter blade sticks, he says.
Interestingly enough, Pakistan, arch rivals of India in hockey are using) sticks having comparative bigger blades although these are also reduced to some extent as compared to the older ones.
The most depressing part of the situation is that the Europeans themselves are using bigger blade sticks in outdoor hockey. It is not known how Indians developed a fancy for sticks used in indoor hockey. It is learnt that most of the top sports manufacturers in India have almost stopped making longer blade sticks as their shorter blade sticks, meant for exports, are keenly accepted by one and all here, unmindful of the disadvantages. :
The International Hoc key Federation rules regarding the stick were amended in early 80s when it was added to the clause *(b) of the rules that the maximum length of the curved head of the stick, as measured from the lowest part of the flat face, shall not exceed 4 inches”.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 10, 1989
