Eager children watching the proceedings

I and Shashank Gupta, Head-Operations, HCG, went to Don Bosco on 13th October to start hockey team there. The school has lready agreed to OTHL, we were only there to symbolically start the program by handing over the sticks to first batch.

When I met him at his hotel, Gupta surprised me with the news that he had already visited two schools in the morning -- St.Bede's HSS and S Santhome HSS, both located on the beautiful place in Chennai -- close proximity to the World's second longest beach, the Marina Beach.
In our visit to Don Bosco, Mazhar Nizam, a hockey enthusiast, also joined us. Don Bosco Boys school in Egmore is a famous institution in Chennai, which has produced the best crop of students across all fields.
Our work on that day was to distribute 20 hockey sticks and 12 hockey balls to select students at Don Bosco at the hands of the Head Master. The Physical Education Director welcomed us, introduced us to the Head Master, Father Ignatius Stanley who greeted us warmly. A bunch of 40 children from 6th to 8th classes were seated as audience for the program to start.
It all started with a prayer by the Physical Education Director before the Principal welcomed the gathering. I got the opportunity then to brief about the OTHL program to students, and quizzed them on hockey!

Who all wants to play Hockey? Raise your hands...!!

Finally, the Coach-designate of the school, Suresh Babu of ICF, gave the vote of thanks. the Head Master gave away the sticks and balls to the students, Shashank was ready with his lens to capture them for the benefit of this website.

From what I could see, the children were highly motivated to play hockey. This I guessed by the kind of questions they asked me after the program. sample these you will understand their psyche.

"I am a 11th standard student and I gave my name. But why wasn't a stick given to me ?"

"How much do we have to pay per month as fee ?"

"What do we have to bring or buy by our own?"

The proud bunch!!

I answered all these questions and cleared their doubts thus:

We focus on smaller age group because of which 11th class students did not get the sticks.

There is no monthly fee, as OTHL is our volunteer effort. Our aim is to start hockey in schools, for that we spare some money from our savings.

What the students have to buy or bring on their own? Strictly speaking we have not thought about it. Perhaps, a good pair of hockey shoes.

I was very happy to see those kids willing to play hockey with such enthusiasm.

Finally we left the school around 4 PM with good memories. OTHL has kicked off in Chennai finally -- and it happened to be the one of the best schools in Chennai, Don Bosco, is personally gratifying moment for all of us in Hockey Citizen Group.