… Focus on fine-tuning of teams
INTERNATIONAL Hockey Federation (FIH) coach, Shiv Jagday, who is currently in Guyana for two weeks to work with coaches, players and officials, has said that he is pleased with the preparations of the men’s and women’s National teams ahead of the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games set for July 19August 3.
Speaking to Chronicle Sport at a recent practice session, Jagday pointed out; “It’s going very well, I am pleased with the way the men’s National team have prepared for the CAC Games, They are way ahead. The women’s team … they are focused, and they are working hard. We are now in the process; we are working on the finer parts of the game.”
Some of the key areas Jagday has pinpointed that work needs to be done are tactical intelligence, reading of plays and developing mental pictures.
“As soon as a situation arises they will now know what the solution is and make the right decisions in split seconds. It is something that is very hard to teach. As the players grow older it becomes more difficult, but if they are younger it becomes easier.
However, they are picking up, they are intelligent players. Of course other areas are tactics, separating the ball in the bag, creating goal-scoring opportunities, what you do when you have the ball, what you do when you’re off the ball and so forth.”
The National coaches, Robert Fernandes (men’s), Philip Fernandes (women’s) and Damon Woodroffe (women’s) came in for high praise from Jagday, as he pointed out; “they have built a tremendous base and now I’m just building on it.”
Jagday learned his hockey in his native India but has coached at the international level in both the USA and Canada. Shiv has been conducting international clinics and coaching teams for the past 40 years.
After a successful stint in the 1980s as the Canadian men’s national team coach where he led them to their most successful international period of two Olympic appearances, two World Cups and two Pan American gold medals, Jagday branched out into developmental coaching worldwide.
His first such assignment was to Guyana in 1988 at the invitation of then President of the Guyana Hockey Board of Control, Chris Fernandes.
During the next two weeks, 40 boys and 30 girls between the ages of 13 and 19 will attend the junior sessions while 30 coaches are also expected to benefit.
