Ex-Olympian's hockey academy a nursery of budding players

Amritsar, April 17

Olympian Balwinder Singh Shammi, who was recently selected as a member of the Hockey India selection committee, has been running an academy for hockey players in the holy city for the past two decades.

His dedication towards the game and financial support by Sahil Sandhu, Sumit Kochar, Dr Avtar Singh and DIG Sukhminder Singh Mann led to the establishment of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Hockey Academy. The academy has done wonders in hockey by producing three Olympians — Shamsher Singh, Ramandeep Singh and Dilpreet Singh — and over 150 national players. Every year the academy imparts training to nearly 60 youngsters.

Shammi during his seven years long eventful international career played in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, two world cups in London, 1986, and Lahore in 1990, 1986 Asian Games, Asia Cups at Dhaka and Delhi. He is now a selector of Punjab hockey team and is employed with the Railways.

He said there was a huge potential in the players from Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur districts. There are several villages, including Attari, Mehta, Sathiala, Butala, Timowal, Marar, Pakharpura and Chahlan in the area, where hockey had been adopted as a folk culture. He felt that apart from a good sports environment in the city, players required excellent of infrastructure and proper coaching.

There is only one AstroTurf in the city at Guru Nanak Dev University. He says it needed to be replaced with a new one. There is no other AstroTurf in the city, where budding players can practice.

Working as chief ticket inspector at the Amritsar Railway Station, Divisional Railway Manager Dr Seema Sharma congratulated the Olympian for being appointed as a member of the Hockey India selection committee, today.