Monthly Report : January 2009

19/02/2009

Monthly Report: 1

2009 January marked a very crucial phase of Hockey Ctizen Group (HCG).

A project conceived in 2008 – ‘One Thousand Hockey Legs (OTHL)’ -- took shape with the initiation of hockey in five schools in Puducherry (Pondicherry) groundwork for which was done in November and December 2008.

OTHL was chosen for Puducherry, because we wanted to explore a city where Hockey doesn’t exist much, a small city where we could make a difference with our idea. Very interestingly this city has a paradise that not many know of, i.e. a synthetic turf in Sports Authority of India Complex.

In January, we made order for equipment (sticks, shin guards, balls, stockings) to Jalandhar based manufacturers. Equipment reached almost in time to the local Project Officer, K Manickam.

Schools re-opened in the first week of January after New Year’s vacation. Equipment, for about 20 students, was given away in the assembly to the following schools:

1. Petite Seminaire Sr. Secondary School
2. Swami Vivekananda Hr. Sec School (Thirubhuvanai)
3. Amalorpavam Hr Sec School

B. David, who believes in the idea of volunteering, was present as Chief Guest from HCG on these occasions, and the schools launched the programme with his motivational and technical guidance.

The process of appointing ‘Paid’ coaches started and it materialized in the post Pongal days.
In the post Pongal phase, OTHL was inaugurated in other two schools

1. Vivekananda Hr. Sec. School (Lawspet)
2. Govt. Hr. Secondary School, Kuruvinatham

Bangalore based volunter Shashank was present when OTHL was started in the above two schools.

Shashank explained to the coaches the vision of Hockey Citizen Group. Detailed feedback forms were given to the coaches. A monthly calendar for invitational matches was given out. A schedule for a final tournament in December this year was also provided. Spade work for organizing a monthly quiz competition being undertaken.

It was decided to have two sessions per week for roughly two hours each. Although, initially, we were supposed to have 20 children, however, the children beat us with their enthusiasm and as of now, on an average per school, we have 30 children playing Hockey for 4 hours in a week.

Website (othl.stick2hockey.com) is an important component of the OTHL project. About 15 articles, details of all the five schools, names of the OTHL enrolled players already displayed in the site.

It can be gainfully said it has been an extraordinary start.

The immediate tasks before the HCG at this stage are:
*--To keep track of the performance of the various schools and see to it that none of them are stuck anywhere – at present, we are trying our best to be in touch over the phone with the various coaches and school principals
*--To make at least one personal visit to Pondicherry every month to ensure, monitor and improve the scheme.
*--To standardize various forms and initiate others involved into it so that proper input is obtained regularly for systematic functioning of the scheme.
*--Distribute more equipment based on need, especially practice balls
*--An exploratory visit to Kolkata; where a volunteer has come forward to take OTHL concept to local schools.
*--To educate at least 10 percent of OTHL students to the website to learn and enjoy their own team on the web.
*--To fix Quiz masters and chart out details of Quiz sessions
*--Respond to those who logged into the website – and see how their services can be utilized in the OTHL Project.

January 2009 Monthly Report Filed by Shashank Gupta