MAMTA KHARAB: THE GOLDEN GIRL OF WOMEN’S HOCKEY

While India’s world ranking in terms of hockey is only attributed to the men’s hockey team of India, we fail to acknowledge the efforts put in by the equally able women’s hockey team counterparts. Born into a country where women are still responsible for handling the household and the children, (while the public economic sphere is the man’s world), these women have showed immense courage and dedication to take up the dual role of a homemaker and a professional, fighting against all odds to reach where they are today. Amongst many, one name that pops up is that of Mamta Kharab, who is nicknamed the ‘golden girl’ of women’s hockey for her exceptional contribution to the sport.

Born in the year 1982 in a lower middle class family in Haryana, everyday existence was a challenge for this family of 7. Her father’s job of a primary school teacher could not afford to pay for these 7 sibling’s meals.  But that did not deter her family from enrolling her into a school in the locality and further graduate from MD University, Rohtak. 

As for her impressive career, Mamta played a number of National and International Hockey matches/championships for India.  She is the current captain of the Indian women's hockey team. During the 2002 Commonwealth Games, she scored the winning goal which gave India the Gold after 32 years. She also served as the model for the character of Komal Chautala in the 2007 Bollywood hit, Chak De India. Now she is working in Haryana police as a Deputy Supritendent of Police. She is a recipient of the Arjuna Award.

Mamta Kharab's rise is an example of the struggle that women in Haryana have to make to realise their sporting ambitions. If she can muster her courage, you can too. If you have the passion for the game, you should go live it. With the popularity of the hockey league, the sport is regaining its long lost glory. It’s only a little time to see India become the best hockey team again!

Executing The One-Touch Shot

Expanding your hockey skills? Have you mastered the Sweep shot aka one-touch passes as yet?

One-touch shots can be an effective way to keep the opponent team on their heels. When executed perfectly, these are the fastest and most perfect manoeuvres in the game because neither has the stick to go back in a backswing nor follow-through. You can score a goal, deflect the ball in a favourable position or defend your goalpost, all at the drop of a hat (or even quicker) without allowing the opposition to build pressure over the ball carrier.

Here are a few tips from world’s best hockey team.

•    Be well aware of where your teammates are positioned and the possible direction you can shoot the ball to at all times. This way you have chalked out a trajectory even before you receive the ball.

•    A word of caution here is this shot is too similar in technique to a deflecting shot, so make up your mind firmly what you want to do with the ball before you receive it. A classic examples where one-touch shot can be helpful is for a quick-pass to a teammate open for goal (think of the surprise element) or even when the team’s defence chucks the ball in the neutral zone quickly transitioning the game from defence to attack, explains a shooter of hockey team of India.

•    Not only should you know where your teammates are positioned but whether they are left-handed or right-handed. To take maximum benefit of the surprise element you must manoeuvre the ball to your teammate’s wheelhouse- the area where he can catch and release the shot in one clean swipe.

•    In the split second when you realize you are being passed the ball and you decide to take a 1-touch, don’t forget to adjust your hand lower on the stick to give proper strength to the shot. From high up, the shot may lack the strength you intended to put in it.

•    Last, remember that the shot is all about anticipation. How you work it out in your head is more difficult than actual execution so try to keep mentally ahead by one or two plays.

For Aspiring Hockey Players-Part (2)

In-lined with the last blog post, titled as for aspiring hockey players, I’ll talk about many things two other imperatives that you need to be assure to play like professionals of best hockey team in India. Look, make it very clear to yourself that merely thinking that one fine day you’ll begin playing like professionals, sharing the spot light amid thousands and lakhs then, hang on…be practical! Things do not really happen this way. There’s no short cut to hard work and if you intend  be one like that of Indian players or be a part of  hockey franchise in Delhi, you have to step ahead and got to go that way that leads to hard work and demands a lot of practice but the ultimate resultant is definitely worth it.

Similar to fueling your body in just the right way, you should be smart enough to follow the other two imperatives which are hydrating and recovering.

Hydrating self is something that speaks out aloud than anything else. Once you put a halt to consuming junk food and go the healthy way, its water and consumption of more of liquids that have to be prioritized. Drink as much water as you can and alongside, there are many energy giving drinks that you can rely on too. Schedule your fluid intake as it will fulfill the body’s requirement and will also help in keeping you enthusiastic while playing.

Recover: when I say recover, I do not imply in any way that you were not fit enough to be on-field but I simply mean that you should exercise vigorously so that in case there’s any stiff muscle, it will help you recover from that strain.

For Aspiring Hockey Players-Part (1)

If you are a hockey lover and aspire to take your hobby at a new level altogether and play this sport on a national level, there are whole lots of things that you’ll have to consider. There has to be a proper diet plan and you need to adhere to it as a slight negligence in it in any way will not just affect your health, but eventually you’ll turn out weaker and this is not going to help you in any way. Hence, if you aspire to be bang-on similar to the Hockey team of India, you’ll have to make sure that you adhere to a full-fledged eating regimen.

The celebrities that you prefer cheering up in those packed auditoriums is not because they are playing, but because they play it really well, iterates a professional from India's Best Hockey league. Now the choice is all yours against whether you are interested in playing and do some more of it or play your heart out and be applauded by the fans. The most important thing that you need to consider is in order to foster your strengths while playing you will have to hydrate, recover and fuel.

As aforementioned, give the body apt and optimal fuel. No matter how much you get tempted towards the junk food, simply cut down the crap as even if didn’t make you realize the effects immediately, it simply will in long term prospects. Stock-on some healthy foods like berries, almonds, cashews, raw carrots, and bananas. Avoid sugar made products as it deters body performance which will just be the last thing in the wish list.

There are two other imperatives that a hockey player should be serious about and I would be taking it up on my following blog. Till then stay tuned to this space.

Towards a 'Sporty' India

The very premise of sports education kicks off at the school-level in the garb of physical education. Despite the innumerous wonders of playing sports, it continues to be brushed aside as a matter of lesser significance. That physical education is often neglected in India is pretty unsettling, and schools need to realize the importance of physical education in the curriculum, says a player from the top hockey team.

Wrong Notions

One of the most prominent reasons why physical education is lackadaisical in structure and is often pushed to the backburner is that schools don't really understand sports in whole. It is often considered as a source of recreation, nothing less, nothing more. So in short, sports is only there for fun, and it should be taken in such a manner only. As flawed as these notions are, there arises a need to outgrow the frivolities for the sake of sportsmanship in literal sense. 

It is an undisputed fact that physical education and sports create healthy individuals and a healthy society. Sports are shell-shot method to contributing to the nation-building process. It is unnerving that despite hockey being our national sport, we haven't done as much to raise its bar, to ameliorate its deteriorating condition. 

Now arises the why. Why couldn't we lend sports the credibility, the worth it deserves? The budgetry allocation of sports, says a team player from hockey leagues in India, is woeful, and shoddy.  There is an acute sense of nepotism in the sports sector, owing to which many qualified sportsmen are left in a lurch, wallowing in denial. 

Pitching in more for modern facilities like playground, equipment, strategies, techniques and qualified coaches can help pulling sports from the dire state. Establishing universities that only look into sports can help exalting it on a national level, too, says a team player from hockey team India. 

Yoga Exercises For Hockey Players

People deserve a break from their respective work, but apparently, hockey players don’t. The pre-season beginnings can leave the players in a void and their flexibilities and stamina in a rut. But a little bit of yoga can surely help them keep up on the game along with maintaining form and function during the season. Here is how! Have a look.

High Lunge

This pose will help strengthen the groins and help build stamina. Lift the torso off the leg so as to allow the spine to elongate further. Push the shoulders away from the ears and try to reach out forward using the upper body to take on the explosive action of skating forward. The Delhi Waverider hockey team religiously follows this pose for great results.

Plank

Plank is the most useful of exercises and serves as a great core strengthener. You can follow this yoga exercise by actively pushing the heels back while hugging the thigh muscles to bones. Keep the breath slow and steady and make sure that your neck is in continuation with the long spine by tucking the chin towards your chest.

Warrior-2 Balance

The balancing act sure helps many score the points! It is splendid, for reasons more than one. The forward reach of the torso and extension of the back leg helps one engage the core and lengthen the spine. The gluteus medius is also engaged by opening a leg up which further helps in pushing action of a breakaway skate.

Downward dog

This pose helps strengthen the shoulders. It is a great way to protect against dislocation. But, dolphin needs to be practised with great care. You need to ensure that elbows are parallel and directly under the shoulders. Go carefully about this pose if you have rotator cuff injuries. Stay in forward facing dog stretch for better results.

Essential Tips For Hockey Tryout

The tryout season is here! While it is too stressful for the young players it is a crucial milestone which they need to pass before being selected to go ahead with their interest. With hockey season across the corner, the young players need to buckle up and make the best of the opportunity, says a member of the best hockey team in India.

While the process is both exciting and unnerving, the players need to put their best foot forward to prove their mettle and make their presence felt to make it to the top hockey team. Since the tryouts usually begin with the new academic year, the players need to manage a lot on their plate successfully says a board member of India’s Hockey League.

To make you better equipped with the hockey tryout challenge, here are some handy tips to ensure that you both perform and learn well along with casual fun to it:

• It is not going to be the end of your hockey career

Note that even if you don’t make it to the team you are aspiring to, this is not the end of the world. There is no need to freak out; there are other teams as well which need players like you so strive for these. Failures always remind about the scope of improvement that you have.

• Do not sulk

Needless to say, give your best. Get on the field and give your best shot. Believe that hard work pays. Do not indulge in dissecting every irrelevant detail once you are done with your session. What is done is done, stay positive and prepared for the result, iterates an eminent member of the best hockey team in India.

• Stay prepared

It is better not to add any unnecessary anxieties to the week which is scheduled for tryout. Just double-check your timings for the tryout and look into your packing. Make sure that all the equipment’s you need to take along are packed.

For more details please check www.delhi-waveriders.in/.

A Parent’s Guide To Hockey For Their Kids

Struggling to find the perfect fit of a sport for your kid? Give field hockey a shot and both you and your child will be adopting not a sport but a lifestyle you will be proud of. If like me, safety is your concern being a parent of a lively and outgoing child, field hockey is your best bet. It is a non-contact sport where risks of hitting the ball or being hit by another player is minimal. Being a tactical skill, players will focus on game play and building technique rather than showing off their strength.

Or, if you are looking for a game to improve your kid’s health and social skills, this sport again beats others. Being a team sport kids bond up really well and constant activity keeps them fit and mentally agile, says players of hockey leagues in India. Well the benefits of it are immense and out of the scope of this particular blog. Here we will discuss what you would want to know first as you choose hockey for your kid.

Safety and equipment

Before your child can say turf, the first thing you would want to ensure is that he is braced up with proper safety equipment and gear, advices a Indian hockey player and coach. Well, for mums, nothing comes before protection so let’s start with the essentials. You would want to invest in a good quality mouth guard. They protect your child from mouth injuries by falling face first and also they are a must. If you will go for cheaper versions, they are uncomfortable to wear and may compromise safety. Next you need a shin guard and some nice cleats. Cleats in particular are a fashion statement. 

So children may tend to overlook protection and quality. Well, the blend of both is pretty costly, and not advised for growing kids. Your job would be to keep them firm on quality footwear. If he is not the goalie, there is no other protection required. Just buy him a good stick and he is good to go! 

For more info please check www.delhi-waveriders.in/.

Delhi Waveriders: Hockey Team’s Winning Story

The India’s Hockey League (HIL) was inaugurated during the year 2013 and has been recorded as the latest development in the sport of Hockey since history. The fascinating concept of a city-based franchise system like we saw during the IPL has proved to be quite a success, even in Hockey. Each city franchise featured players from different parts of the world who played alongside some of our best domestic players.
 

It would have been a crazy idea when it was first put forward. Who would’ve thought that the Delhi Waveriders led by Sardar Singh would emerge as such a successful hockey team? They were runners-up to Ranchi Rhinos in the first edition of HIL, while they bagged the title the following year.
AK Bansal, who was the team’s coach during the first season of HIL, says the success of his team owes to the flexibility and openness of all the players. They all learnt to adjust with each other, no matter how different they were culturally. Delhi’s hockey team consisted of big names from abroad like Jason Wilson and Matthew Gohdes from Australia, Mujtaba from Denmark, and Simon Childs from New Zealand among others. They played alongside some of our best players from within the country.
 

In the championship-winning year (2014), skipper Sardar Singh emerged as the disciplined midfielder, while Rupinder Pal Singh, Kiwi Steve Edwards and Aussie Tristan White playing on the defense side contributed to the team’s strong point. They collectively led Delhi Waveriders to win during the second edition of Hockey India League.
 

All in all, it was a great year for the Sardar-led team who choked the life out of their opponents by executing their strategy well. HIL might have changed the way Hockey is played around the world, thus bringing our national sport to get the attention it deserves.

How To Handle The Stick In Hockey

What’s the thing with stick handling in hockey? Read on to know more.
 

One of the most crucial stick handling basics is to keep your head up. After all, you can’t know what might happen while you are busy looking at the puck- your callousness might serve as a blessing in disguise for the opponent and he might get away with a shot or two, says a hockey player from the hockey team of India. You are likely to lose scores at the hands of the opponent you didn’t know was near you that ways.

 

The second tip that might come across as a game-saver is not to hold the stick too tightly, or as they put it in hockey-terms – use soft hands. Handle it gently so that you don’t tighten your grip. Think of it as an egg, and handle it carefully enough so as not to break the shell.
 

The next thing that ought to be taken into consideration, says a member of Hockey League in India, is the length of the stick. The shorter your stick, the easier it would be for you to pull across a shot, and the better it would be. On the ice, your stick should come up close to chin, and of the ice, a stick close till nose would be good enough.
 

Stick handling is not as easy as it may look like on the boundary. While practicing stick handling, try to reach out as far as possible on both the sides with the puck. This will help you maneuver the other players around and take over the game.
 

Stick handling is one thing that requires a great deal of commandment. That’s the first thing that should be on the cards in case you are planning to take up on the field.

Woman On The Field!

For many sports and woman are still are a distant and unrealized phenomenon. The chauvinistic universe which still does not admit and are sticking hard to the orthodox notions often create problems to the gateway for females for any contact with the outside world. It is almost derogatory how women are almost considered meek and fragile to make it to the top ladder for a long lasting career in sports and men, on the other paradigm are encouraged vehemently to pursue their career in sports. In such case Delhi franchise in hockey and other sports would have all been a man’s world.

 

If it would have been a generalized notion, there is no chance that woman would have been able to even step foot on the ground and the athlete world would have been a barren land with no female sport enthusiast or a member of hockey team of India. All accolades to the sensibilities of those who actively encouraged woman to come to the forefront and establish themselves on the pedestal in the sports world. Ours is a world where enthusiasm for sports parallels that to a firm belief in one’s faith and religion. Yes religion is the word! Sport is a religion in many parts of the world today and women are active participants in these and have qualified for an essential position in these.
 

However the road to success has not been easy. Several sacrifices and challenges have gone in the making of heroic figures like Mary Kom in boxing and Mamta Kharab, the ‘golden girl’ in women hockey team of India amongst others. But many a time owing to this pressure their nutritional requirement takes a back seat and health is compensated with, which results in several health problems like:
 

-Light headedness on the field.
 

-Losing weight irrationally, especially in those who are undernourished.
 

-Irregular monthly cycle and an early menopause.
 

-Delay or stunted growth in many young athletes.

Maintaining Balance Between Studies And Game

The biggest challenge in a young player’s life is to strike a balance between academics and sports. While sports are a passion for them, basic academic education cannot be sacrificed with. And both these activities call for dedication and time. To quench your passion you must sacrifice your time and physical comforts, but basic education gives you the cognitive skill and social standing that is imperative in life. So creating a balance between the two worlds becomes important.
 

Hockey team champs give some advice to budding players to manage and overcome such hurdles.

 

•    On a foremost note, a fixed schedule is the something common between all sportsmen, irrespective of the game they follow and this is something that will help you balance your studies as well. Plan your month in advance and try to stick to it. It will define your game and help you incorporate other activities including studies as well.
 

•    Small achievable goals on an everyday basis are far more feasible than hoping to do the impossible. After the game you have limited time and physical stamina but even a small achievement like completing one chapter each day will keep you motivated.
 

•    Learn to overcome distractions. A player of hockey team Delhi says, ‘the problem with players is they have to live a life of a hermit, with little time to spare’. Thus, whenever you are doing something you don’t necessarily like --such as studies-- then distractions aren’t hard to come by. Social media, smart phones and gadgets are a sheer waste of time that could be invested elsewhere.
 

•    Learn to say no. there are times when practice session is all about fun. The coach is not free and your friends are interested in something cool and interesting. But ask yourself, will it help your game or your grades? So, learn to say no when you see precious time being eaten up for nothing.
 

•    Use up the time that is wasted in commutation. While mom drops you to school or sports complex you can easily spend your time revising what you learnt last night.
 

•    And finally, don’t forget to take care of your nutrition. A balanced and healthy diet will help your game tremendously and improve stamina and concentration level as well.

Master Wrist Shot

The wrist shot is in fact one of the most effective shots in field hockey. Being one of the precise shots it is released fairly quickly owing to the speed and force with which it is hit. This is the shot which a player must engage into learning if he intends to make a place in big and popular hockey teams. True that it is not that as quick as a slap shot is but with proper techniques and with the strength of your upper body, wrist shot can count and pass for one of the most powerful shots.
 

Basics
 

Ensure that you have a proper grip over the stick and learn to have a proper hockey stance as all the professionals in various hockey league India are versed with. To add power to your wrist shot move your lower hand halfway and position the body at a 45-degree angle in regard to the net. Bring your stick behind and place it in the middle of the blade and rotate the wrist to ensure that the blade is tilted over the puck. Shift your weight on your back leg then.

Initiate a sweeping action while you transfer your weight towards the front foot and rotate your body forward. When the stick blade crosses your body, transfer your weight on the stick while pushing it forward with your lower hand and backward with the hand on the top. The stick will be released as it will reach your front foot. In the action make sure that your shoulders are square to the net. If you are a keen observer, you will see this technique several times when the hockey teams are in the ground.
 

At the time of this release of the puck, the wrist turns putting the puck in action when the blade turns out. Once the puck is released, set the target by pointing the toe of the stick. In addition to this the height of your shot depends on the magnitude by which you rotate the stick.
And just this! Happy sweating!

Why You Should Watch Hockey

Hockey might not be as popular as baseball, cricket or basketball, yet it is one of those sports that require deep knowledge and attention to detail to comprehend. Hockey leagues India have long been trying to push the sport back on the top, and supporting their cause are a few reasons that can definitely motivate a start.
 

It is fast-paced
 

With hockey, it’s a non-stop action on the field. Unlike many other games like baseball and football, there are a very few breaks and on an average a player plays for as long as 45 seconds at a time. It shouldn’t come as a surprise if you find yourself gasping for breath, just like the players.
 

It takes skill to play the sport
 

It takes dexterity of another magnitude to understand the game and play it in line with the game ethics. Players need to be in excellent shape and should have a strong base. Being able to handle the equipment with deft and technique is indispensable; the game depends entirely on the sportsperson’s pick on the stick. To be able to chisel a way out through the traffic is another imperative that the player must possess. 
 

It takes physicality to stay in the sport
 

If you have seen hockey players of Hockey leagues in India, you would know how much of physical fitness is required to dish out a fair game on the ground. Hockey, undeniably, is one of the most physical sports around and at times protection equipment can’t help much with the hitting thing. Blocking pucks requires physical fitness of a magnanimous degree. The players need to be pepped up all the time to play the game with ease and vigour.

Hockey, as it turns out, is the most challenging of all sports in India. And if challenges are your cup of tea, give hockey a shot!

Food For A Player’s Thought

Who understands the importance of a healthy diet than a sportsperson who has to shell it all out for a game that commands nothing less than an eternity of dedication and hard work?
 

A healthy diet is essential to the daily regimen of a sportsman, for it enables him to gain endurance and energy to sustain the long practise sessions.  Endurance is still an underrated term, what players, especially of national league like in Hockey League India need is a chiselled body that can support their survival and struggle at best. A healthy diet, replete with proteins, vitamins and carbohydrates is a step closer to achieving that.
 

Proteins are considered to be the linchpin of all a sportsperson’s diet. Popularly addressed as the building block of muscles and skeleton, proteins are the most essential to a sport’s diet. Chicken and egg whites are a must for all the aggressive players. A vegan counterpart of the a protein rich dirt can comprise of skimmed milk, yoghurt, beans, pulses etc. There might be some players who could be lactose intolerant; protein supplements can pull them out of the rut in that case.
 

Remaining hydrated throughout the game is not only important, but is a dire necessity too. Be it the leading cricket team league or Hockey leagues in India, players need to gulp down oodles of water to make sure they survive the game on the field. Fainting, which is frequently observed on the field, can easily be shirked away if the player is well hydrated.
 

Cutting out on excess fats is another thing that should be borne in mind. Consumption of excess fats can cause bloating and lower the stamina of the player. It can meddle with the capacity and strength of the player, hence leading to deteriorating performances.

Cricket Or Hockey? What’s Your Choice

In a country like India, where sports ranging from cricket to Kabaddi are supported, played and applauded, there is no dearth of sports where an enthusiast can’t carve a career in. Besides the unsettling fact that all that we have in India is a gamut of engineers, doctors and chartered accountants, the number that is still penetrating sports, not because sports house a potential similar to other career fields when it comes to making a career, but because they tend to follow their irrevocable passion for the game.
 

 

Yet, the world of dreams is as good as shattered when the label of popularity brings the sport down and also people’s love and interest towards it. The several measures that decide the popularity of a sport are measured in terms of attendance figures, TV audience and revenue earned.
 

Take cricket for instance. That it has escalated into people’s hearts and mind and along with it in the top charts is no enigma. People have witnessed the pages of its success unfolding before their eyes right when India won the 1983 World Cup. Undisputedly, it is among the top three sports in the top 10 big nations of the world. As condescending as it may sound, cricket has somehow pushed out from people’s minds the national sport of India- hockey. I wouldn’t flinch a bit in saying that till a few years back we did have the best hockey team with a barrage of some extremely dedicated and motivated players, and that with appropriate efforts we can still conquer the coveted position of the best hockey team India, but that would be possible only when we encourage the bussing generation to treat hockey the same way as cricket; And also when we use media and the advertising industry to promote hockey that has long been thriving in the backburner. 
 

Hockey can be refurbished as the D Indian sport, once people understand the importance it holds in a broader perspective. 

How To Groom Your Child To Become A Hockey Player

Cricket is not the only sport that has taken the youngsters today by a storm. As it turns out, several other sports like hockey, badminton, tennis and basketball are catching the ropes in a proto.  Surprisingly, hockey, which has long represented a rather hazy picture, is reviving life. Many children today are fiercely inspired by some of the best hockey teams in India, and are moving to learn the game. Parents’ support and encouragement, in that case, becomes imperative. Here is how parents can prepare the ground for their children.
 

Start at an early age
 

Be it any activity- sports, dance or music, the early the child starts, the better. He will have years at his hand to capitalize the skills and present them on at a later stage in life. Hence, motivate your child to take up open skates, sticks and plugs. Set the stage and gear them up, right from the beginning.
 

Enrol your child in a house league
 

There are various teams that have taken up a franchise of some great hockey teams. Enrolling your child in some grand hockey franchise Delhi will buckle him up and put him in a spot where dedication and hard work will be the sole way out. In a house league, the child will learn invariably more about the game than anywhere else.
 

Encouragement always helps
 

There will be a time when everything will appear trashy, when things will not work as planned and the child will be subjected to a downward spiral. While he may think of giving up, you don’t. Encourage him to maintain his composure and talk out his areas of problems. Don’t bombard him with unrealistic solutions though.  Keep calm and help him achieve his dreams. This is probably the time when he needs mental support the most.

Scope Of Hockey In Present Times

Essentially every sportsperson intends to make a name for himself, contributing to his team’s victory. Hockey being a national sport in India has many young and passionate followers, but when it comes to showcasing correct sporting techniques, many lack the required skills owing to the monetary marginalization the sport faces.
 

Though with the rising number of hockey leagues in India, many sports enthusiasts have got a platform to make it to our national hockey team, the fact remains we in India do not have enough resources to meet the growing popularity of the sport.
 

To help such sportsperson’, here are few tips for them from few members of the hockey team India.
-Realize the importance of a right position for making a shot. A right position ensures a perfect and clean shot.
 

-Stay ready for the pass. As one of the member of hockey team India states being active on the field have got to do with a healthy mind. It is a mental block better left to the coaches to deal with.
 

- Since shooting high increases the probability of making a goal, many players make sure they shoot high. But in several hockey leagues in India it has been observed that players go down on their knees, to block the shots, leaving the higher portion of the net unprotected. So it is important to come up with a right action plan.
 

-It is most advisable to stay fit. Staying fit includes following a daily work out regime and sticking to a healthy diet. It is utmost necessary to remain hydrated and maintaining an optimal amount of water level in body.
 

My concluding words will be while there are many hearts which beat for hockey, there still remain various obstacles to tackle. The sport strongly needs your constant encouragement and appreciation for the players to bring laurels.

Top Three Sports Of The World

India is a country with a wide range of sports where each and every sport is respected and played. But still in this competitive world I the field of advertising and popularity there are a few sports that come in the top ranks on the list of people. There are various criterion by which the popularity of a sport can be measured that are attendance figures, TV audience and the revenues earned. Below are the top three sports that are there the world on the basis of their popularity.
 

1.   Football: This sport has a worldwide popularity of huge fans that no other sport has earned till now. Fans of Football varies from old to young and rich to poor. This game in played in around 208 different nations. Basically, these came was originally originated in China and then developed by the English men. There are different type of football games that we also call as Futsal and Indoor Soccer.
 

2.   Cricket: Cricket is the second most popular game in the world. Not just the second most popular game in the world, it is among the top three sports in the top 10 big nations of the world. The BCCI, that is popularly known as Board of Control of Cricket of India is the only richest Cricket association in th world that actually proves how much this sport has attracted people towards it.
 

3.   Hockey: Yes, the national game of India comes at the third position when we the consider the basis of popularity all over the world. The hockey leagues in India attracts so many people from outside countries and even from different parts of India. Many youngsters see their names in the future's top hockey team India and that shows how much Indians value their national game.

Why Should You Encourage Your Child To Play Hockey

Playing hockey is not just a profession, but pursuing it as a hobby has numerous benefits. When the present generation is busy exploiting social media, defeating aliens in virtual worlds and eating junk, you should be proud of yourself if you could get your child move around in his hockey gear. Excellent exercise, an enjoyable sport, helps in career, builds character and inculcates good habits for life: on top of all this it’s fun to play and watch.

With hockey league in India picking u popularity, more children follow this game crazily. However, if you get your child to play it as well, you will be a happy parent who made the right choice. Following are only a few benefits of playing hockey.

Fitness

This is the case with all the sports but hockey tops the list. Besides a fit and lean body, with just the right amount of muscle fat, hockey doesn’t strain your ligaments like football and cricket. Moreover, beside physical fitness it improves motor coordination as well.

Team Spirit

Joining a hockey team develops the individual in you in a much better way. You learn to trust and protect your mates, which is a skill closing extinction. This helps your child build better relations and be a better human. He also learns to be a team-player by side-lining his own interests and playing for the teams. He becomes tolerant towards others and learns to handle competition in a healthy way.

Strength

The sport builds inner strength of hands and legs improving your child’s stamina, says a professional hockey team’s coach. It will help him in all walks of life even much later when he quits regular play. Academics in particular can be improved as he learns to focus better and overcomes fatigue.

Healthy Habits

The passion for the game keeps them away from junk food, drugs, alcohol and anything gross as ultimately it reflects on their body and hence in game. They realize the importance of regimen and a good lifestyle. Hence, they develop healthy habits for life which are hard to inculcate in children these days.