Tokyo 2020: The moment to build big is here

Every Olympic success tells a story. Sometimes of the culmination of an unforgettable journey, and sometimes, like with India’s astonishing hockey medal at Tokyo 2020, of the dawn of a new day. The prize may be made of bronze, but in the context of Indian sport, it’s worth several golds.

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The 18-member squad, which scripted this moment with blood, sweat, guts and grit over two frenetic weeks, could go down in history as the pioneers of India’s hockey renaissance. They have done their bit; it’s up to us now to build on the foundation. Here are five things we need to do:

Enough of the past. Get back to the future

It’s great to celebrate India’s eight hockey gold medals, and the wizardry of the legendary players from the 1920s to the 1970s – we will always have that -- but it’s time to move on. Though legacy is important, those exploits are ancient history. India’s tendency to get caught up in its glorious past doesn’t serve a constructive purpose in any field, particularly not in sport. We must accept that hockey has changed over the decades; the rules, the turf, the traits needed to excel in it, are all different now. Let’s acknowledge that this is India’s first Olympic medal in 41 years. To dwell on events from before that, and to contrast them with the present for the sake of lamentation is pointless.

Stop coaching the coaches

India has chopped and changed coaches, staff, and styles, too often – eight times in the last 11 years, to be precise. This stems from impatience, and reflects how arbitrary our sports federations can be. The last two weeks have shown that men’s coach Graham Reid and women’s coach Sjoerd Marijne are on the right track – not just in the results, also in how players respond to them. We must strengthen their hand and use their expertise to enhance coaching networks at the junior levels. Success has many fathers -- the powers that be in Indian hockey will be tempted to stamp their authority by tinkering with the national team set-up. Please, stay away, there are other areas that need your attention.

Turfs for everyone

This, for one.

The Astroturf was first adopted in the 1970s. Given India’s abundant size and population, and deficient resources, the big challenge from the start was going to be laying enough surfaces to cover all our hockey nurseries. Nearly 50 years later, that problem persists. Most young players still start on grass in the villages, and step on an artificial turf only when they’re in their late teens, often travelling for miles on foot every day. Meanwhile, the European powerhouses treat turfs as a pre-requisite to playing hockey. It gives them the same advantage that a tennis player who practices on hardcourt would have against someone who’s drawn chalk lines on a driveway.

Show them the money

Invest in facilities, coaches, and talent hunts at the grassroots, and in making hockey a viable profession for second- and third-rung players. A lot has been said this week about how the Odisha government supported India’s national hockey teams (men and women, senior and junior), how it pumped in ₹150 crore over five years despite being a poor state, and how it offered the squads a training base. This is an example for all states to follow. Hockey needs a self-sustaining network across the country, like the one cricket has. Sponsoring the national team is one part of it; the key is for states to promote local teams. It may not be as rewarding or eye-catching, but these are the real building blocks.

Hockey, hockey everywhere

Hockey may have been brought to India by British servicemen in the 19th century, but it is our de-facto national sport. And, therefore, it should percolate to our lives. Just as badminton courts and table-tennis tables dot the urban landscape in China, basketball courts are found in every neighbourhood in the US, and wrestling mats are laid out at streetside gyms in Bulgaria, hockey needs to be all around us – in schools, in playgrounds, as a pastime, as exercise, as a daily activity.

The more we play, the more we’ll win.

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