Dar Academy’s BK Club clinch Army Chief’s Hockey title

LAHORE: BK Club, comprising entirely of Dar Hockey Academy players, won the 2nd Chief of Army Staff Inter-Club Lahore District Hockey Championship after defeating Rana Zaheer Club in a thrilling penalty shootout at the Defence Hockey Arena.

The final, which ended 3-3 in regulation time, saw BK Club emerge victorious with a 3-1 score in the shootout. The match was played at the Manzoor-ul-Hassan Hockey Stadium in Lahore Cantonment.

Olympic gold medalist Dr. Tariq Aziz, who captained Pakistan’s triumphant 1968 team, and Akhtar Rasool, who led Pakistan to World Cup glory in 1982, were the chief guests at the event.

The victory further solidifies Dar Hockey Academy’s reputation as Pakistan hockey’s premier talent pipeline. The academy’s influence was recently demonstrated when eight of its players contributed to Customs’ victory in the 68th National Championship.

BK Club, named after the late Billu Khan, pays tribute to a grassroots coach who played an instrumental role in training young talent during Dar Hockey Academy’s formative years. The club’s success highlights the continuing legacy of Khan’s dedication to developing hockey talent at the grassroots level.

The academy has maintained its position as the primary source of players for Pakistan’s national and age-group teams over the past decade, consistently producing talent that excels at various levels of competition.