NEW DELHI: Former captain of the Indian women's hockey team, Rani Rampal, has taken the initiative to foster the growth of promising players by conducting a specialised training camp for strikers. This event is set to take place at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.
The camp is a collaborative effort between the Sports and Youth Services Department of Odisha, the Odisha Naval Tata Hockey High-Performance Centre, and the Hockey Association of Odisha.
Scheduled to span from August 14 to 19, the camp presents a unique opportunity for aspiring players from all corners of the state to receive guidance and insights from one of the most accomplished strikers in the history of the Indian women's team.
The event is geared towards nurturing the talents of 25 carefully selected players. The beneficiary pool encompasses participants from key institutions such as the Odisha Naval Tata Hockey High-Performance Centre, Sports Hostel in Panposh, SAI STC Sundargarh, and SAI NCOE Bhopal.
Talking about the camp, Rani Rampal said, "This camp is a great initiative. It is a chance for me to share my knowledge, skills and experience with these players in Odisha. During the camp, my main focus will be on the technical, physical and mental aspect of the game and intense training sessions."
Rani also shared her thoughts on the sports ecosystem in Odisha.
She said, "With so many initiatives and development over the past few years, Odisha is on the sports map of the world. The facilities over here are very modern and are of world class level.
"The hockey programme in Odisha is very extensive with a great focus on sports science, nutrition and psychology. I am looking forward to my time here."
Rani led India to a historic fourth-place finish in the Tokyo Olympics.
She made her debut in 2008 and at the age of 14, becoming the youngest ever hockey player India fielded.
(With PTI inputs)
