The programme will see the Level 'Basic' and Level '1' coaching courses being conducted across the four zones South, West, North and East in February 2020, with the Hockey India Level '2' coaching course also taking place later in March 2020.
A simplified education structure consists of a combination of web-based modules and face-to-face interactive courses, underpinned by a competency based assessment process, which helps the coaches in progressing to higher levels.
The pathway is divided into 7 levels: Hockey India Level 'Basic', Hockey India Level '1', Hockey India Level '2', FIH Level 1, FIH Level 2, FIH Level 3 and FIH High Performance. Once a candidate progresses from the Hockey India Levels, they are then eligible to enroll for the FIH Academy Level 1 course, and so on.
In its initial year, this initiative from Hockey India attracted good response from across the country with over 300 candidates applying for each March 2019 and August 2019 phases of the pathway.
Hockey India had launched the first-ever Hockey India Coaching Education Pathway earlier in March 2019, designed with the aim to provide a simplified education structure to help in developing coaches from the grassroots level into world-class coaches of the high performance/international level.
With hundreds of candidates having enrolled for the pathway in 2019, the program provided certification to candidates including young upcoming hockey coaches who are already coaches or wish to pursue coaching as a career; along with NIS-qualified coaches, and former hockey players who have represented India at the highest level in the past.
The 'Basic' and Level '1' coaching course for the South Zone will take place in Kollam, Kerala from February 11th to 13th, for the West Zone in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh from February 15th to 17th, for the North Zone in New Delhi from February 19th to 21st, and for the East Zone in Ranchi, Jharkhand from February 23rd to 25th.
After the completion of the 'Basic' and Level '1' curses across the four zones, Level '2' caching curse will be held in New Delhi from March 27th to 30th, which will be conducted for candidates who have successfully cleared the initial two courses.
"I am confident that with the help of the pathway, more caches will realise their dream and take this chance to hone their coaching skills with the help of some of the best Coaches from around the world," expressed Mohd. Mushtaque Ahmad, President Hockey India.
( With inputs from IANS )