Youth in Manipur to get professional training in hockey

With an aim to produce more professional hockey players from the state, Manipur has initiated a programme to provide professional training to youngsters in a move towards grooming them in sports, especially in hockey.

The state will groom hundreds of promising young hockey players at the only existing turf ground at the Khuman Lampak Sports Complex in Imphal.

Meanwhile, most of the enthusiastic young hockey players will also get opportunities to play in various clubs and organisations after undergoing training.

To encourage more youngsters to start playing the game and promote the game, Manipur Hockey has been organising and conducting various summer camps. Several tournaments including inter-state tournaments were also hosted twice this year to create a platform for budding players.

The state is considered as the powerhouse of sports as the province has produced many iconic players and has brought home laurels and recognition for the country.

Celebrating the achievements and glory in the sports spectrum, many youngsters from the state are now following the footsteps of celebrated sports stars of the region.

In hockey, Manipur has so far produced three Olympians - Pangambam Nilkomol Singh, Ksh. Thoiba Singh and Kothajit Singh Khadangbam and two Arjun awardees - Tingonleima Chanu Devi and Surjalata Devi.

Talking about the initiative, Ichan, Manipur Hockey coach, said, "We need to give our maximum support to the youngsters who would like to pursue their career in sports. And to do that, even the local grounds need to be upgraded and maintained because most of them have become unusable during the raining season due to knee-deep mud."

Ibungo, a hockey player, said, "I am happy I am getting trained in hockey. And whoever is selected from the training gets a chance to play hockey in other places as well. I have been only interested in playing hockey from the start and today, I am getting to play."

Most of the players here are, however, from underprivileged backgrounds and require considerable support from the government and the clubs in terms of food and equipment.

With enough prospects and potential in sports, youngsters in the region now need the help of the state government in upgrading the infrastructure and other facilities.