In a landmark moment for Mizoram and for Indian women's hockey, five girls from the state have been selected by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) to join the National Centres of Excellence (NCOE) for hockey. (More Hockey News)
These selections come on the back of the recently concluded 2024-25 season of the ASMITA Sub-Junior Hockey League 바카라 a league that has increasingly become a crucial pathway for identifying grassroots talent for the future of Indian hockey.
Among the 15 under-16 girls chosen for induction into various NCOEs, Mizoram has the largest representation with five players 바카라 Laldinpuii, Vanlarinluii, Lalnulfelli, Loicy Lalthanpuii, and Lalfakwami 바카라 being selected across centres in Mumbai, Delhi, and Kolkata.
Other selected players hail from Haryana (three), Jharkhand and Odisha (two each), and one each from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh 바카라 a vivid reflection of the sport바카라s wide reach and growing popularity among young girls across the country.
Piyush Dubey, High Performance Director of Hockey at SAI and Khelo India, underlined the significance of this selection: 바카라We have to think long-term. These girls are being prepared with the 2032 and 2036 Olympics in mind. ASMITA has been a game-changer for talent identification and is filling a long-standing gap in our hockey ecosystem.바카라
The ASMITA sub-junior league saw six teams featuring 120 players compete in the final phase. A total of 17 matches were played, with a prize pool of ₹15.5 lakh. SAI Shakti emerged champions for the third year in a row, edging out Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy 2-1 in the final at Delhi바카라s National Stadium.
Odisha바카라s Naval Tata Hockey HPC finished third, while Pritam Siwach Hockey Academy came fourth.
Mizoram바카라s rise in women바카라s hockey has surprised many. Traditionally known for football and boxing talent, the state recently clinched a bronze medal in the Senior National Women바카라s Hockey Championship in Panchkula 바카라 its first ever in the competition바카라s history.
Dubey credits the state바카라s hockey surge to sustained efforts at the grassroots. 바카라The work being done by the coaches at the SAI centre in Thenzawl has been incredible,바카라 he said.
One of them is Lalrothuami, a former India junior international who has been coaching since 2011. She noted that about 40 young girls are training at the Thenzawl centre and the growing interest can be linked to smarter outreach methods.
The use of Tokyo Olympian and India senior player Lalremsiami Hmarzote in advertisements and social media has become a major draw for girls in Mizoram to take up hockey. 바카라The response from the villages has been encouraging. Two of our earlier trainees, Lalthantluangi and Lalrinpuii, are already in the junior India team. We바카라re very proud that five of our girls have now been selected for training at NCOEs,바카라 said Lalrothuami.
She believes that Mizo girls possess natural athleticism, particularly strength and stamina, which makes them competitive at the national level. However, she emphasizes the need for better exposure and consistent, high-quality training. 바카라Skill-wise, all players are equal. But these girls need more match exposure. We hope they will make full use of the NCOE facilities to continue improving,바카라 she added.
It is important to note that selection at an NCOE is not a guarantee of long-term placement. Players undergo rigorous assessments twice a year, focusing on physical fitness, performance in sports science evaluations, and core hockey skills. Those who don바카라t meet the required standards are rotated out, ensuring that only the most dedicated and promising athletes remain.
