Ice hockey squad enthralls residents

Tribune News Service

Shimla, December 31

For Shimla, a 15-member ice hockey squad from Kaza rang in the New Year through a nice demonstration at the city’s Ice Skating Rink. On their way to Gulmarg for a national camp, the squad, comprising children aged eight to 15 years, halted at Shimla to exhibit their skills.

It’s for the first time that ice hockey players have been selected for a national camp from the state. Incidentally, the ice hockey rink was constructed at Kaza last year by the local administration and within one year 15 children have been picked for the national camp. “The response to the sport has been fantastic. At the moment we are training 180 children in the age group of eight to 20,” said Ajay Banyal, a government official accompanying the team.

He said the entire project – from constructing the ice hockey rink to arranging kits and travel expenses of the players – had been funded by the local administration. “Their gear and skates are quite costly, which is borne by the administration. Besides, these children will fly to Gulmarg from Chandigarh,” said Banyal.

He said the administration was keen to promote the sport even more in Kaza. “The rink is of international size and we have snow for five months a year. So there is a lot of scope for winter sports and the administration is keen to exploit favourable conditions for promoting the sport.”