By Gyanendra Ningombam
Coaching which is always correlated with physical education and sports science is all important on which the entire spectrum of development of a player revolves around. But, in the Manipur majority of coaches, trainees and officials are neither physical in concept and looks nor do they genuinely spread the gospel of education among players.
And add to it, bulk of persons connected with Hockey, the lovely National Game, being far from sporting and possessing no move than superflores knowledge of sports medicine, the systematice slide continues unabated. The situation again worsens because professional coaches and trainers do not try to explore far reaching changes of coaching pattern in the modem Hockey. They never try to enhance their experiences duly indicated by FIH and other wing confederations from time to time instead they sit idle loving to talk and often talking tall. One renown sports personality deeply associated with physical education and sports medicine narrates – If talks and holding seminars or meetings could being players in Indian Squad, Manipur State would then grab all players in the Indian Squad. Truly, the idea and concept behind holding the very kind of conference or work out is indeed very useful provided decision taken are fully implemented. And there is thrustfull follow up on all matters discussed and debated.
Before discussing present coaching method incoperating with physical education and sports science there is urgent need to undertake a survey as to what is the level of coaching style and pattern in the state. Frankly speaking, in Manipur coaching method in Hockey is just considered to be obsolute. This main reason is that most of the trainers are not sufficiently educated and they have been unable to keep pace with far reaching changes that have been taking place in the mythology of coaching. To Manipur coaches, running with a ball with a stick at one`s hand, is a prime consideration. They bother or concentrate only on technicalities concerned with technic of Hockey. For there, I think, this is the be all and end all. They are still failing to realise that the technique has to be blended with sports biology, which play a very important role in conditioning, evaluation, and adaptation of organism to the stress of training loads. You know, in modern Hockey it is essential for a player to be physically fit as a fiddle and only when a player is on top physical condition can he transmit message to his mind for performance in highly competition. Utility and usefulness of biology with sports science have been fully realised by modern coaches worldwide. But is a sad story in this state, Where despite availability of sports medicine experts., not much heed is given to it by the coaches. Besides coaches are still lacking far behind the concept of coaching management
