COACHES: Amin Rahim, K. Embaraj, S. Velappan, M. Nadarajan, Yahya Atan, Tai Beng Hai and Terry Walsh.
SEVEN top coachs in Malaysia gathered over the weekend to train a lucky group of 30 Under-12 hockey players at the grass pitch of Universiti Putra Malaysia.
The 1Mas-Milo programme ran over the weekend, and the participants, some of them who just learned the basics like holding a hockey the right way, received a certificate each.
Each participant paid RM30 for the programme.
Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) Technical director Terry Walsh, 1Mas Director Tai Beng Hai, 1Mas development coach K. Embaraj, goalkeepers coach M. Nadarajan, MHC development coach S. Velappan and former No 1 penalty corner specialist Amin Rahim
and veteran coach Yahya Atan were literally on their knees teaching the kids.
These are the future of the country, and we need to get down to their level to coach them so that there is continuity leading up to the top level in 10 years time," said Walsh.
The next programme will be held in August, and for a longer period.
"The plan is to have a longer period of raining in August, like eight days, where the participants will be exposed a litle more to the sport. We are also conducting similar programmes for soccer and gymnastics," said Nestle Malaysia Sports Marketing
Director Ng Ping Loong.
The programme is expectd be held in many other states.
"We need to go to the grassroots and watch, as well as train these kids more often. This is the only way to keep a healthy hockey culture in the country," said Walsh.
