Hockey greats Mervyn Fernandis (front) and Joaquim Carvalho contributing back to the game of hockey.
PANAJI
Following the resounding success of the 48th St. Peter’s eight-a-side hockey tournament, the hockey fever continues as the 14th Joe Fernandis Memorial Hockey Tournament kicked off on June 2 at the St. Stanislaus High School Astroturf Ground in Bandra, Mumbai.
Spectators were recently treated to electrifying matches featuring top teams like the Indian Navy, Champions Training Centre (CTC), Western Railway, Mumbai Customs, Mumbai Port Authority, Savio Sports, and Astergunj, all showcasing high-intensity, fast-paced hockey in the St. Peter’s Tournament.
These top-tier teams return to the field in the Joe Fernandis Memorial Tournament, joined by new entrants Central Railway and Union Bank, ensuring a thrilling fortnight of hockey running through to June 15.
The tournament is a tribute to the late Joe Fernandis, a stalwart of hockey in Ambernath, who played for Goan Sports and the Lusitanians in the 1950s, and represented the erstwhile Bombay State in the Nationals. Fondly remembered as “Uncle Joe,” his legacy of promoting grassroots hockey lives on through this tournament.
“My dad was passionate about promoting hockey in Ambernath. He launched this tournament to nurture young talent before his passing in 2014,” said his son, Olympian Mervyn Fernandis, who has since moved the tournament to a modern astroturf surface in Bandra.
The Joe Fernandis Memorial Hockey Tournament is jointly organised by St. Peter’s Youth Centre and the Ambernath Hockey Welfare Association (AHWA), with technical guidance from hockey legends Joaquim Carvalho and Mervyn Fernandis.
