KHA hails PHF’s schoolboys championship

KARACHI: Karachi Hockey Association (KHA) president Dr Junaid Ali Shah has lauded the PHF’s decision to organise an under-16 schoolboys hockey championship in 2017 and assured them KHA’s full cooperation.

Talking to ‘The News’ on Sunday during KHA’s trials for the selection of under-16 players for a training camp at Customs sports complex, he said that KHA has already been working to establish three teams: seniors, juniors (18 years old) and under-16.

He said the PHF’s decision would not only boost the national game at grassroots level but also help it spot fresh talent.

He said that when the current juniors graduated to the senior team, a huge gap would emerge, so it was important to form under-16 teams.

“Unfortunately some so-called sports organisers destroyed Pakistani sports when they abolished inter-school events in sports,” the KHA president said.

Meanwhile, a wave of jubilation spread among the hockey fraternity across the country, especially in those regions where hockey is still a popular game.

People who have been coaching young hockey players and holding tournaments said PHF’s past managements had disappointed them.

Former Olympian Qamar Zia also hailed the PHF’s decision to organise a championship for schoolboys.

He said the hockey fraternity had been waiting for such a decision.  “Unfortunately this lifeline had been cut off for a long time. A dozen synthetic turfs have been laid in the country, but there was no use of those costly turfs because hockey as a game was losing its charm due to wrong policies of previous PHF managements,” he said.

He said the PHF must ensure that teams were selected on the basis of skills or there would be no use of the exercise.