Six-a-side hockey scores a winner

Everyone concerned feels that the shorter format is the need of the hour to save and sustain the longer version by Vinod Kumar

ANY CHANGE in the established format of a sport normally draws a mixed reaction from the people concerned. While some would see it as a welcome change, the others would scoff at it. But six-a-side hockey, the truncated format, seems to have extracted a unanimous approval from all quarters. Calling it the need of the hour, many even went to the extent of saying that six-aside was the way to go if hockey is to be revived.
Former India skipper and Olympian Pargat Singh is a staunch supporter of the new format. "Changes brought about as per the need and time are always good. The format had to be brought about as we neither have enough grounds nor players for the original format," he said, adding, "most of the schools do not have enough players to prepare a team. So this format would certainly help the game revive at school level," he said.
Dwelling on how they were planning to give it a further boost, he said they organised six-a- side tournament for girls in Jalandhar last year and following its success, they would hold all tournaments in junior and sub-junior section under this format. "The normal format would be used only in senior section," he said.
"It's very common in European countries and is now picking up in India as well. As it requires small area, we should set up astroturfs in all hockey pockets," said Col Harcharan Singh, former Olympian and member of 1975 World Cup winning team.
He added that the format demands great skills and fitness and the ones excelling here would find the goings quite easy in the normal format which provides much more breathing space.
"It provides huge opportunity to the players to improve their skills. Players have to manoeuvre the ball in much less space with great speed, which helps them in longer version of the game," said Indian forward Rajpal Singh.
The admirers of this format feel that it could even bring in elusive sponsors into hockey. "It provides much more thrill and action and is therefore a delight for the spectators. And with spectators showing interest, the sponsors too would have an incentive to enter this arena," said one of the hockey players.
But others aren't too enthusiastic about its commer cial potential unless it is telecast on television. "Although the spectators' interest and the smaller area, which would give the banners and logos better visibility, should attract sponsors, but a major thrust could come only once it's telecast.
If we can market this version of game, it has got great a commercial potential," said former Olympian Sukhbir Gill, also the organiser of just concluded 5th Olympian Dharam Singh Memorial Six a Side Hockey Tournament.
Goals it can score ? Will help the game revive at school level ? Will improve the skills and speed of the players ? Can rope in sponsors if telecast
ANY CHANGE in the estab- lished format of a sport nor- mally draws a mixed reac- tion from the people con- cerned. While some would see it as a welcome change, the others would scoff at it. But six-a-side hockey, the truncated format, seems to have extracted a unanimous approval from all quarters. Calling it the need of the hour, many even went to the extent of saying that six-a- side was the way to go if hockey is to be revived. Former India skipper and Olympian Pargat Singh is a staunch supporter of the new format. "Changes brought about as per the need and time are always good. The format had to be brought about as we neither have enough grounds nor players for the original for- mat," he said, adding, "most of the schools do not have enough players to prepare a team. So this format would certainly help the game re- vive at school level," he said. Dwelling on how they were planning to give it a fur- ther boost, he said they or- ganised six-a- side tourna- ment for girls in Jalandhar last year and following its success, they would hold all tournaments in junior and sub-junior section under this format. "The normal format would be used only in senior section," he said. "It's very common in Euro- pean countries and is now picking up in India as well. As it requires small area, we should set up astroturfs in all hockey pockets," said Col Harcharan Singh, former Olympian and member of 1975 World Cup winning team. He added that the format demands great skills and fit- ness and the ones excelling here would find the goings quite easy in the normal for- mat which provides much more breathing space. "It provides huge opportu- nity to the players to improve their skills. Players have to manoeuvre the ball in much less space with great speed, which helps them in longer version of the game," said In- dian forward Rajpal Singh. The admirers of this for- mat feel that it could even bring in elusive sponsors into hockey. "It provides much more thrill and action and is therefore a delight for the spectators. And with spectators showing interest, the sponsors too would have an incentive to enter this arena," said one of the hock- ey players. But others aren't too en- thusiastic about its commer- cial potential unless it is tele- cast on television. "Although the spectators' interest and the smaller area, which would give the banners and logos better visibility, should attract sponsors, but a major thrust could come only once it's telecast. If we can market this ver- sion of game, it has got great a commercial potential," said former Olympian Sukhbir Gill, also the organ- iser of just concluded 5th Olympian Dharam Singh Memorial Six a Side Hockey Tournament. Goals it can score ? Will help the game revive at school level ? Will improve the skills and speed of the players ? Can rope in sponsors if telecast