Sports Correspondent
Lahore
Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh said that Sports Board Punjab has taken a revolutionary measure and decided to establish a Center of Excellence for the revival of hockey.
Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh said that the 10-year revolutionary project will be completed with the collaboration of Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF); DG Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh revealed this information during his meeting with a PHF Secretary Asif Bajwa and Head coach of national hockey team Olympian Kh Junaid at National Hockey Stadium on Wednesday.
During the meeting, PHF officials presented a detailed report of the project through projector to Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh. Director Admin Javed Chohan, Director Sports Hafeez Bhatti, SBP Consultant Shahid Faqeer Virk, Senior Consultant Ikram Bari and other officials were also present on this occasion.
Revealing the details of the project, Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh said that the Center of Excellence will be established at National Hockey Stadium.
“The project will be comprised of three phases of 3 years each and it will be completed within a period of 10 years. In the first phase, a batch of 60 players of 13 to 18 years of age will be given top class training setting a target to prepare a bunch of talented hockey players for Junior Hockey World Cup 2024”.
Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh further said that there is acute dearth of quality coaches, umpires, fitness trainers in the country and that’s why coaching camps for trainers and training of umpires have also been included in the project besides holding school hockey, competitive tournaments and fitness camps etc. “Moreover, the programmes of physio training, biomechanics lab, nutrition, sports medicine, video analysis lab are also included in the project,” he elaborates.
Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh further said that Sports Board Punjab will continue to make effective efforts for the promotion of hockey in the province in line with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan. “This project is being launched to regain the lost glory in hockey and for this purpose; we will utilize all of our resources”.
Talking on this occasion, PHF Secretary Asif Bajwa said: “We are targeting to raise a top standard team for Junior Hockey World Cup 2024. We have prepared a plan to take Pakistan hockey on top spot again with the cooperation of Sports Board Punjab”.
PHF Secretary Asif Bajwa said that Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulak is taking valuable measures for the promotion of hockey.
“Sports Board Punjab is extending every kind of assistance for the revival of hockey which happens to be Pakistan’s national game”.
