Sub-junior National hockey tourney to take off in Vadodara

VADODARA: The 4th sub junior boys hockey national tournament will take off in Vadodara on Saturday morning at Kala Bhavan Ground and Baroda High School ONGC ground. Royal scion Samarjitsinh Gaekwad will inaugurate the tournament that is being held for the first time in Gujarat.
Over 450 boys from 21 states from the country will participate in the tournament that has been organized by Hockey India (HI).The tournament is expected to draw big crowds in the city that is home to many national hockey players.
Players from states like Bihar, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Hyderabad, Arunachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Tripura and Gujarat are participating in the tournament.
The games will be held at Kala Bhavan hockey ground, SRP grounds and hockey ground of M S University. Baroda High School ONGC has agreed to provide lodging, food and transport facilities for the tourney.
"If such big tournaments are held in Gujarat then the local players can learn a lot and pick up hockey playing skills. Organizing such events can also help revive the sport in our state," said Nilesh Patel, chairman of the tournament.