In pursuit of developing coaches from the grassroots and enabling them to meet the requirements and the ever-growing demands of international hockey, the sports' governing body in India launched the Hockey India Coaching Education Pathway in March 2019.
The meticulously designed program, which has aimed to provide certification to those candidates who are already coaches or wish to pursue coaching as a career option, has benefitted over 1000 candidates since 2019.
This simplified education structure has provided certification to develop coaches from grassroots through to a high performance/international level. The program has consisted of a combination of web-based modules and face-to-face interactive courses, underpinned by a competency-based assessment process.
A host of former India Hockey players and coaches from every region of the country have attended various Hockey India Coaching Education Pathway courses since its launch in 2019.
Speaking on participating in the Hockey India Coaching Education Pathway 2021, Arjuna Awardee and Olympian Dr AB Subbaiah said: "The Coaching Education Pathway started by Hockey India is a very good program. I recommend all the young aspiring coaches of India, who want to pick up coaching seriously, to undergo the Hockey India Coaching Education Pathway. This is where one can learn all the modern techniques from the very experienced national coaches as well as former players, who have undergone FIH level coaching courses."
Former India Captain and Olympian Bharat Chetri also lauded the Hockey India Coaching Education Pathway, saying: "I feel having a systematic coaching structure is a massive aspect when it comes to the development of players and the sport in the country. The improvement that we have seen in the last decade where both our teams have risen in FIH World Rankings is down to Hockey India's efforts of improving both the domestic structure, as well as providing upcoming coaches with the right insights through the Hockey India Coaching Education Pathway."
Olympian and Arjuna Awardee Deepika said that she has learned how to utilize her experience as a player to coach young players at the grassroots level.
"I have learned a lot through the Hockey India Coaching Education Pathway. I have learned how to utilize my experience and passion to coach players at the grassroots level. I would like to thank Hockey India for starting the Hockey India Coaching Education Pathway for experienced players like us," said Deepika.
Indian men's hockey team goalkeeper PR Sreejesh also shared his thoughts on the Hockey India Coaches Education Pathway. "Earlier, coaches had to travel abroad to attend & get certified by FIH. It was cost-heavy as they would have to spend from their own pocket for travel and accommodation etc. But with Hockey India launching this program and subsequently organizing FIH Level 1, FIH Level 2, and higher levels here in India and FIH Educators coming to impart their knowledge, it has become so much easier to get certified. I have also spoken to some of the former players who have attended these courses to understand better and they have all given me positive responses."
A long list of former Indian players who attended Hockey India Coaches Education Pathway includes Indian Men's & Women's Hockey Team, Indian Women's Hockey Team Captain Rani, Asunta Lakra, Helen Mary, Sanggai Chanu, Soundarya Yendala, Poonam Rani, Pritam Siwach, Yogita Bali, Joydeep Kaur, Vickram Kanth, Bharat Chikara, Deepak Thakur, Shivendra Singh, Prabhjot Singh, Devesh Chauhan, Rajnish Mishra, Sameer Dad, Vikram Pillay, Devinder Walmiki, Yuvraj Walmiki, Didar Singh, Tushar Khandker, Sabu Varkey, Davinder Kumar, Lajrus Barla, Adrian D'souza, Gavin Ferreira to name a few.
The Hockey India Coaches Education Pathway hasn't only catered to the major states of the country but has encouraged candidates to join the course from all parts of India - Nagaland, Tripura, Arunachal, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Puducherry, Goa, Jharkhand, and Odisha, among others.
The Hockey India Level 'Basic' Coaching course (Online) saw the highest number of participants from the North-Eastern State Member Units which include Hockey Arunachal, Hockey Nagaland, Hockey Mizoram, Tripura Hockey, and Assam Hockey.
( With inputs from ANI )
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