PANAJI
What does it take to keep children away from mobile phones and get them interested in sports? The challenges are multifold. Striking a balance between studies and sports is one of the many hurdles which children and parents alike come across in their pursuit of sporting success.
Considering all the ground realities, the Society of Missionaries of St Francis Xavier, commonly known as the Pillar Fathers, led by former hockey player Fr Dominic Alvares have fine-tuned their hockey development programme launched under ‘Sports for Youth Development', to suit the interests and needs of the students of Honda village in Sattari taluka, including special tuition classes as part of the hockey training programme.
“We have around 82 children training; 46 boys and 36 girls from class 3 till class 10. We have regular practice at Honda and since children are facing difficulties in their studies, we have arranged tuition for 9 students of Honda HS," said Fr George Sundersingh Nandiyala.
Fr George, a Cuncolim-born priest, is now overseeing the project which was started by Fr Alvares.
Honda is home to an industrial estate and is also a mining village, with several children playing hockey coming from families that have recently relocated to the area for work in the industries or whose parents work in the mining sector.
Hockey was introduced to Sattari in 2008, not through any State hockey association, but thanks to the efforts of the Pilar Fathers. Fr George was among the few who benefited from this initiative and was one of the early students of the sport.
“It all began on September 26, 2008, when Fr Dominic Alvares took the initiative to introduce hockey at Government College Sanquelim, along with four seminarians pursuing their Bachelor’s degrees. It was then that we recognized the sporting talent among the boys of Sattari, who quickly excelled in hockey. Within three years, they reached the finals of a university tournament, with at least four of them were probables for nationals,” recalls Fr George about his entry into the sport.
“In 2009, Fr Dominic formed a girls' hockey team at the same college. Some of them played for nationals. After Fr Dominic was transferred from Bhirondem Valpoi, hockey came to a halt in Sattari,” Fr George said.
"In 2021, Fr Dominic returned to Sattari, this time in Honda. With his innovative approach, the Society of Pilar (Goa Province) launched the programme 'Pilar Fathers Sports for Youth Development,' focusing particularly on empowering girls through hockey."
Turning to the developments in Honda, Fr George noted that in 2023, a camp was held at Honda High School, marking a pivotal moment for the programme.
“The Society of Pilar, Goa Province, is dedicated to empowering children in Sattari through hockey. They have appointed priests skilled in sports to lead this initiative,” he stated. “The Society is providing financial support for the programme, and we also receive contributions from well-wishers who are passionate about the game.”
The programme, which launched in 2021, places a strong emphasis on empowering girls through hockey while also teaching the sport to both boys and girls. “We are committed to empowering girls through hockey, and we work on improving their speed to compete at higher levels,” Fr George explained.
Despite challenges related to infrastructure and equipment, the priests are determined to continue their efforts in the spirit of sportsmanship. “Honda High School does not have a proper ground for practice, but we train every day on a muddy field, even during the rainy season,” he added.
When asked how to enhance hockey in Goa, Fr George said, “We should have many high-level tournaments in Goa by inviting other states so that our players get ready to match their level.”
