When the Indian hockey squad, which included young Kodava V Raghunath, did not qualify for the 2008 Olympics, he went into something of a depression. “I felt victimized,” says Raghunath, adding, “I couldn’t digest the criticism coming our way.
We were the only (Indian) team that could have to Beijing, and when we failed to qualify, people were hard on us.”
But Raghunath got back to focusing on the game and his goal was the 2012 London Olympics. “Some of the members of the 2008 team have retired, but five of us from that old team have been retained and will go to London,” says Raghunath. While the 2008 disqualification kept playing on his mind till recently, Raghunath and his team could barely sleep the night they qualified for the London Olympics.
The team, which has been training hard under the observant eye of Michael Nobbs and David John, has a newfound confidence.
“The team has been performing well mentally and physically. At the end of the day, it’s all about mind games and we are training really hard this time,” says Raghunath, who has also been training in high-altitude places with lower levels of oxygen. He adds, “Strength training is our primary focus and some of us have gained weight, while others have lost some.”
It is also interesting to know that since they have qualified for the Olympics, the members of the Indian hockey team have been receiving quite a few sponsorship offers. “A lot of corporates have come forward to support us, but we need to win a lot of tournaments. That is when they will push the game,” says Raghunath.
He feels that promoting hockey in india is important, but adds that it will happen only when the hockey team makes winning a habit. Quiz him about the popularity that cricket commands over the national game and the young lad is quick to say, “I never compare sports. For me, at the end of the day, wearing the country’s jersey is important.” But it does help when celebrities promote a particular game, to which Raghunath replies, “Actor Suniel Shetty recently got signed up as the ambassador for Indian hockey and I think it will definitely go a long way in popularizing the game.”
Raghunath’s father, who was also a hockey player himself, encouraged his son to get into the game and today he is a happy man. Raghunath also feels that the training he has received in Bangalore is what has helped him become a better player. “Karnataka is doing well in hockey and the state is encouraging the game. Five members of the hockey team going to London are from here,” says Raghunath, who has got a lot more from the game than what he has given. “We are looking for a podium finish this year,” he signs off.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> Sports> Hockey / by Taniya Talukdar / TNN, May 27th, 2012
