New Delhi: The Indian men and women goalkeepers along with the goalkeeping coaches are currently being trained together through a 3-week camp at the MDC National Stadium under an initiative of Hockey India and Sports Authority of India. The camp is being conducted by world renowned goal-keeping specialist Dave Staniforth from South Africa. The camp is a huge boost for the Men and Women team goalkeepers as the learning from here will help them work on their techniques under the bar, keeping themselves in contention for medals at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
The camp which commenced on 5th will go on till 28th September 2015, consists of 7 goalkeeping coaches, 14 men goalkeepers including the Senior and the Junior goalkeepers and 14 women goalkeepers including Senior and Junior goalkeepers.
Among the trainees, top-rated custodian PR Sreejesh, young Akash Chikte, Harjot Singh, Subodh Tirkey, Suraj Karkera, Abhinav Pandey alongwith others is improving their goal-keeping skills in the camp. Within the Women trainees, experienced Savita Punia, young goalkeeper Rajani Etimarpu, Yogita Bali, and Sweta are learning the new tricks from the specialist and looking at inculcating the learnings during the upcoming tournaments and taking the experience to the mega tournament slated for RIO next year. The 7 goalkeeping coaches includes names like Mr. Romeo James and Ms. Helen Mary along with others who will get to learn the new techniques of goalkeeping and which they will further use the training to teach and guide the young guns across India.
Speaking on the Goalkeeping Training Camp, Dave Staniforth, Goalkeeping Specialist stated, “The programme is based on many aspects of goalkeeping which include the technical aspects like shot stopping, clearing, closing down and defending set pieces as well as the non-technical aspect like communicating with a defence, match day preparation, using video analysis, the mental aspects of goalkeeping and post match or practice recovery. Most importantly, my focus is on educating and training ‘The Group’ which consists not only of players but the coaches too.’
Speaking on the Camp, Roelant Oltmans, Director, High-Performance added, “Mr. Staniforth will work with us for the entire training period. This is definitely going to boost the confidence of current goalkeepers of the national teams. Dave will be working with a pool of 30 goalkeepers who has been selected from all over the country. He will work on the technical aspects of the goalkeeping. Along with him, there will goalkeeping coaches from around the country who will work with Dave and train the goal-keepers. The camp will help Indian goalkeeper coaches to continue this goalkeeping legacy over the years.
Adding to Roelant Oltmans, Indian Coach Romeo James said, “Indian goalkeepers don’t get enough coaching and training at the grass-root level and they miss a few basic techniques at a young age. This is a challenge for Goalkeeping Coach of Senior and Junior National Teams because they have to re-teach the basic techniques and rectify bad moves. With Camp like this will help the players as well as the coaches to know the right way of learning and teaching goalkeeping. These young goalkeepers will now continue their training as per Dave’s teaching and Indian Coaches also take these teaching to their respective teams and academies in different part of the country.”
As a player, Dave Staniforth has 65 international caps and has represented South Africa in the XXVII Olympic Games in Athens 2004, Commonwealth Games in Manchester 2002, 10th FIH Hockey World Cup in Kuala Lumpur 2002, three times FIH Champions Challenge in Kuala Lumpur 2001, Johannesburg 2003 and Alexandria 2005 and 8th All Africa Games in Nigeria 2003.
Dave Staniforth had previously coached the Senior & Juniors Indian Hockey teams in the year 2013. He also has to his credit of being a Goalkeeper Coach & Video Analyst in HIL seasons 2013 and 2014. In the HIL 2015, he was with the Uttar Pradesh Wizards as Goalkeeping Coach. Dave also runs a goalkeeping academy - Dave Staniforth Academy – in Durban.