KARACHI: When Pakistan hockey desperately struggling to make a place in world hockey once again, the hopes and efforts of former legends also still striving and they are working hard to promote the game at grass root level to find out the fresh and budding talent. They are also establishing hockey academies to teach this beautiful and national game to younger generation and one of the names is Olympian Shahnaz Sheikh, who are ready for this purpose, The News has learnt on Tuesday. One of great forwards of his time, Shahnaz Sheikh informed this scribe from Rawalpindi that a new green astro turf has been laid in Rawalpindi, with the facility of floodlights. Punjab government had established the stadium after the name of Shahnaz Sheikh, to pay him homage. He said that Punjab government bear all the expenditures of the new astro turf imported from Holland. The 98 percent development work including laying of the turf has been completed. Only finishing touches are yet to be given on the site. He said that Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif, former MNA Hanif Abbasi, played an important role to establish the new hockey stadium in Rawalpindi, without their support and help it could not be possible. Sports Board Punjab (SBP) and Rawalpindi Hockey Association (RHA) executed the plan due to which a dream come true and he hoped that soon young and fresh talent will be groomed from here under the supervision of former greats of hockey. He said that floodlights have also been installed at the stadium and more than five thousands spectators sitting arrangements in the stadium. He said that one of the main thing is that the stadium has also imported astro turf cleansing machine, which is no other stadium has in the country. Shahnaz Sheikh said that he was working hard past many years to establish the stadium where he set up a hockey academy to train the art of the game to younger generation. He said that he wanted that when World X1 will visit Pakistan, in January, a match has been proposed in Rawalpindi, and he wanted that this match to be organized here. Shahnaz Sheikh has said that he has requested PHF to organize the match of World X1 with Pakistan hockey team here at the newly astro turf, which will be good one for its inauguration. Shahnaz Sheikh, who considered a magician in the game due to his tactics and art of the game, when he played, desperately wanted to train and learnt the game to younger generation, and whatever he earned the name, fame and honor to the country, he returned through services of his coaching, especially at a time when Pakistan desperately needed the fresh and budding talent, thus, he has established the hockey academy, to groom the players. He informed that registration of the boys at the academy will be started from December, and it will be operational from January, nest year. He said that boys Under 14 to Under 18 will be registered in the hockey academy for training purpose.The great forward of his time said that news of newly astro turf and flood light hockey stadium spread like a wild fire in the hockey fraternity and departments and hockey lovers are contacting him to organize their hockey events and tournaments here, a sign that how much hockey lovers desperate to organize the hockey events and promote the national game at grass root level. He said that new hockey Stadium will prove a life line in the national hockey in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and its adjoining areas.
