Jharsuguda: Since its establishment in 2022, the Jharsuguda District Hockey Association has effectively sparked interest in hockey among local schoolchildren. Currently, boys and girls from over 40 schools are actively involved in the sport, with the Association supplying complete ‘Alpha’ brand equipment kits to 38 of these schools.
The grassroots initiative received a significant boost following the creation of a new water-based turf field, which has turned into a lively sports venue attracting enthusiastic young athletes from the Belpahar, Brajrajnagar, Laikera, and Kirmira blocks.
To promote the development of hockey at the grassroots level, the Association has assigned three skilled coaches to 10 local schools. Additionally, in collaboration with the District Education department, three state-level hockey players are present at various schools to train aspiring athletes. Jharsuguda district has distinguished itself by independently hosting the esteemed All-India 5-a-side Hockey Tournament for Under-17 girls.
Building on this success, the highly anticipated second edition of the tournament is set to begin on October 27, featuring twelve teams from Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh.
As the only district conducting annual inter-school competitions for junior and sub-junior boys and girls, this year’s tournament will include 40 school teams.
Jeeban Mohanty, vice-president of the Odisha Hockey Association and a senior figure in the Jharsuguda Hockey Association, announced an ambitious goal to affiliate 50 district schools with the association and train over 1,500 young players. To showcase these efforts, the association has created a 20-minute documentary highlighting its various grassroots initiatives, which has received acclaim from both the district administration and the local sports community.
Brundha D, the former National Health Mission Director and Jharsuguda district Nodal Officer, recently visited the local hockey stadium and commended a new commemorative book that chronicles the district’s activities over the past five years. This souvenir includes news articles, photographs, and messages from notable state figures.
Importantly, Jharsuguda became the first district to obtain a land title for its own 4.8-acre site last August, thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Jharsuguda district administration and Brajrajnagar MLA Suresh Pujari.
