Geeta trains hockey hopefuls

Hockey Hyderabad (HH) embarked on its first major task with the commencement of a residential camp at the Hockey Stadium in Gachibowli on Sunday.

There was an enthusiastic response when two-time Olympian Geeta began the session even as the youngsters took to the rigours as would a newcomer.

The camp for Under-16 year old boys and girls has attracted 76 future hopefuls, including a sizeable number of girls.

The practice session will get underway early morning. To provide the trainees with the competitive edge, the organizers have split them into groups who will participate in the Legends Championship.

Comprising of five teams, each of which has been named after a legend, the championship matches are scheduled to provide a touch of competition, according to HH Secretary, N Mukesh Kumar.

He, Geeta and other coaches from the Committee will oversee the progress of the trainees and also the level of their performances during the championship.

Teams vying for honours will be Dhyan Chand XI, Zafar Iqbal XI, Dhanraj Pillay XI, Baskaran XI and Pargat Singh XI.

Meanwhile, Dhanraj Pillay will be the star attraction during the championship. Apart from giving tips to the youngsters after he arrives in the city on Thursday, he will also give away prizes and certificates to the trainees on the final day.