Jude plans big for junior India side
LUCKNOW : Former India hockey captain Jude Felix Sebastian loves challenges in the game as he feels it is a process to make one stronger to solve the problems of life even when one is out of the ground.
For now, coaching young Indians is the biggest challenge for him and he is enjoying it. For the last three months, Felix, the newly-appointed junior India coach, has been starting and ending his days with youngsters on a hockey turf. With every passing day, he himself is learning something new besides coaching the boys.
“That is how my life is, and I am enjoying it. Learning is a continuous process and I am happy that boys are learning fast,” Felix told the HT on Wednesday evening after his boys won the prestigious All-India KD Singh ‘Babu’ hockey tournament defeating Punjab National bank 3-2, at the Padmashree Mohd Shahid stadium here.
“It is a good win to check our preparation as boys are getting ready to take up the challenges at the 7th Sultan of Johor Cup (junior men) tournament, which begins on October 22 in Malaysia. For the last 40 days, we have been training hard here at the SAI centre. I am hopeful of a good show from the boys,” said Felix.
He brings with him a vast experience as a highly reputed coach. “My association with these boys is just three months old. They have come from different backgrounds, mental set up and training style. Turning them into a unit was a tough job though, I have got a group of talented guys, who are the future of senior India side,” he said.
Terming Australia and Great Britain challenging sides at the upcoming Malaysia event, Jude said Indian juniors should make these two teams run for their money in the event.
“I would like to begin my stint with a win but I still believe the boys need to do a lot. Mistakes are bound to happen and how they keep learning from their mistakes would be important,” said Felix, who led the India team in the 1993 World Cup and in the 1994 Asian Games at Hiroshima.
The former half-back admitted that his 15-month stint as assistant coach with the senior India side was a great learning experience for him. “It was quite an exciting time for me with the team as I learnt quite a few things. That experience is helping me in nurturing juniors and I want their knowledge bank full about the game,” he said.
Felix has played more than 250 international matches and represented India in 1988 and 1992 Olympics. Speaking on the preparation for 2020 Junior World Cup where India would be the defending champions, Jude said he had already started the process and there would be intense scheduling like exposure trips, tournaments and training of players.