PANAJI
In an initiative that could provide a fresh model for grassroots hockey development in Goa, Fr Agnel Educational Hub, Verna, has integrated hockey into the school's regular Physical Education (PE) timetable, giving young children an opportunity to learn the sport during school hours.
Instead of relying on separate evening coaching sessions, the institution has opened its hockey programme to boys and girls from Classes I to III, making the sport part of their everyday physical education. The initiative, launched with the aim of introducing hockey at an early age, has completed a year and is beginning to show encouraging signs.
What sets the programme apart is its emphasis on accessibility and inclusion. Hockey is not being offered only as an extracurricular activity or reserved for students who already have an interest in competitive sport. Rather, children are being introduced to the fundamentals of the game as part of their regular school experience.
Fr Agnelo Gomes, Director of Fr Agnel Educational Hub, said the initiative was designed to make sporting participation more accessible while reducing the practical challenges parents face in taking children to separate coaching sessions.
Hockey within the school timetable
Through the programme, children become familiar with the hockey stick, ball, movement and basic techniques in a school-based environment. The focus for students in Classes I to III remains on participation, coordination, movement and enjoyment rather than immediate competitive results.
After a year, children who initially had little or no exposure to hockey are learning to control, push and dribble the ball. The sessions also provide opportunities to develop coordination, confidence and familiarity with playing on turf.
The approach is based on the belief that early exposure can help children discover their interest in a sport without the pressure of competition.
Building a grassroots pathway
The Fr Agnel initiative also raises a broader question about the role schools can play in strengthening Goa's hockey development.
The state has a proud hockey tradition and has produced players who have represented India. However, sustaining a consistent pipeline of players to the highest level remains a challenge.
Fr Gomes believes the process of rebuilding the sport should begin by taking hockey to children rather than waiting for children to seek out the game. By introducing students to hockey during their formative years, the programme seeks to create a foundation on which interested players can later develop through structured training and competition.
Experienced players support programme
The school has also drawn on the experience of former players and coaches to strengthen the initiative.
An international-level player has been conducting coaching sessions two to three times a week, while former players Joaquim Carvalho and Merwyn Fernandis have supported the programme and interacted with students and parents.
Their involvement gives children access to experienced hockey personnel while reinforcing the importance of technique, discipline and enjoyment of the game.
The programme's development has been supported by investment in infrastructure. According to Gomes, the hockey turf was established within three months, reflecting the institution's commitment to creating a suitable environment for sporting activity.
Call for greater institutional support
Fr Gomes believes sporting organisations and government bodies should identify and support educational institutions that are investing in grassroots sport.
He has called for greater involvement from Hockey India, the Sports Authority of India and the Sports Authority of Goa, urging them to look beyond tournaments and contribute to the development of school-based programmes.
Such support, he said, could include coaching expertise, equipment, guidance and pathways for talented children to progress into higher levels of competition.
Sport as part of education
Hockey is part of a broader sporting culture at Fr Agnel Educational Hub. The institution has also developed football teams that have represented Goa in national-level competitions, including at the Under-15 and Under-17 levels.
For Fr Gomes, sport is an integral part of a child's overall development and should not be separated from education.
A year into the hockey programme, there are no guarantees that every child introduced to the sport in Class I will go on to become a competitive player. However, the initiative's importance lies in creating an opportunity for discovery and development.
By offering boys and girls from Classes I to III regular hockey exposure through PE periods, Fr Agnel is attempting to establish a grassroots pathway that could lead interested children towards structured competition in the future.
