The picture shows (left to right): John Greaves, chairman of Cambridge South Hockey Club; Neil Sneade, secretary; and Bhavdeep Virdi, Men’s 1st XI player at the club with Jon Spratley, director at 4

31/10/2015

One Thousands Hockey Legs (OTHL) have last year appeared under Global Projects series of the Federation Internationale de Hockey (FIH).

Even before that ever since Delhi based Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Hockey Citizen Group -- which innovated and put on board its flagship program OTHL – put in efforts aiming enhanced appeal to wider spectrum of people, societies, nations, cultures in order to transform its underprivileged kids into a an enlightened minds.

Its mentor K. Arumugam even visited many Clubs during his professional, global assignments such as The Hague World Cup, Sultan Azlan Shah Cup etc in order to explore possibilities of OTHL team visits, seeking avenues to train our kids in foreign soils and work out exchange of teams. The efforts did not result in instant success, though helped enormously on PR counts.

Such effort, now by providence, got a shot in the arm.

It all started with a call from Bhavdeep Virdee, an England citizen, who was on a professional trip to India.

“I wish to meet your kids and interact with them” was the simple request from other end of the phone mid way October last year.

As a policy, we encourage visitors especially volunteers.

Which he was one, turned out to be so later.

On a shining morning, Bhavdeep Virdee visited Saket, one of our established centres in Southern part of Delhi.

About a hundred kids were there getting training under watchful eyes of three coaches when he turned up.

Virdee did not waste time before getting an idea of what is being done and then went on to divide boys into many groups and putting them in different drills.

He also interacted with our coaches, and assessed our needs, targets, achievements with an amazing zeal.

His visit did not turn out to be a single day affair, continued with exchange of ideas, views and meaningful discussion.

He has sent goalkeeping manual, donation, continued dialogue with OTHL.

The icing on the cake is the latest development.

Cambridge South Hockey Club, together with their sponsor 42 Technology came forward earlier in January this year to enhance cooperation, extend areas of interaction and experience altogether in helping out children of other part of the world.

The Club has already sent good quantity of sticks, balls, and other equipment, and is in the process of helping beyond.

Hockey Citizen Group and its OTHL boys express their happiness and gratefulness towards the Club’s interest in our activity and looking forward to move together in the coming days.