India Has Some Of The Best Brains In Hockey: Graham Reid

India men's hockey team coach Graham Reid believes that the country has some of the best brains involved in the sport. His remark comes as Hockey India has started conducting specialised workshops for the top-level Indian coaches. "It is a great initiative by Hockey India to utilise this spare time by ensuring the development process of the younger coaches in the country is not hindered, and they can continue learning through online sessions as well. In my opinion, India has some of the best brains when it comes to hockey, and I think it gives me great joy in being able to help their bright, young minds in further developing their knowledge of coaching," Reid said in an official statement issued by Hockey India.

"Sometimes what we forget is that coaching is also about psychology and I am trying to ensure that these fantastic young Coaches are able to consider and develop all ingredients which make a top coach," he added.

Hockey India is conducting specialised workshops for top-level Indian coaches who hold a minimum of an FIH Level ''1'' Coach Certification.

These workshops are being organised online by Hockey India from July to August 2020 and will see six foreign coaches/experts conducting various sessions for the Indian coaches in order to further enhance their knowledge and skills.

These workshops will enable Hockey India in perpetuating the whole process of the Coaching Education Pathway for the Indian coaches and ensuring better utilisation of the services of foreign coaches/experts available, and also ensure that the top-level Indian coaches are benefiting from these intense and thorough sessions to progress in their respective careers and turn into world-class coaches.

The workshops include over 90 Indian Coaches divided across 6 subgroups and the Hockey specific topics such as Skills Acquisition, Interchanges & Rotations, and Sports Science topics - Program Prescription for Youth and Female athletes, Initial Stages of rehabilitation, etc. are being covered.

Among the conductors from these workshops are foreign coaches/experts currently assigned with the Indian Senior and Junior Men''s and Women''s teams, including Graham Reid (Chief Coach, Indian Men's Hockey Team), Erik Wonink (Coach, Indian Junior Women's Hockey Team), Wayne Lombard (Scientific Advisor, Indian Women's Hockey Team), Robin Arkell (Scientific Advisor, Indian Men's Hockey Team), David MacDonald (Physiotherapist, Indian Men's Hockey Team) and co-educator David John (Director High Performance, Hockey India).