In a landmark moment for Mizoram and for Indian women's hockey, five girls from the state have been selected by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) to join the National Centres of Excellence (NCOE) for hockey. (More Hockey News)
These selections come on the back of the recently concluded 2024-25 season of the ASMITA Sub-Junior Hockey League — a league that has increasingly become a crucial pathway for identifying grassroots talent for the future of Indian hockey.
Among the 15 under-16 girls chosen for induction into various NCOEs, Mizoram has the largest representation with five players — Laldinpuii, Vanlarinluii, Lalnulfelli, Loicy Lalthanpuii, and Lalfakwami — being selected across centres in Mumbai, Delhi, and Kolkata.
Other selected players hail from Haryana (three), Jharkhand and Odisha (two each), and one each from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh — a vivid reflection of the sport라이브 바카라 wide reach and growing popularity among young girls across the country.
Piyush Dubey, High Performance Director of Hockey at SAI and Khelo India, underlined the significance of this selection: “We have to think long-term. These girls are being prepared with the 2032 and 2036 Olympics in mind. ASMITA has been a game-changer for talent identification and is filling a long-standing gap in our hockey ecosystem.”
The ASMITA sub-junior league saw six teams featuring 120 players compete in the final phase. A total of 17 matches were played, with a prize pool of ₹15.5 lakh. SAI Shakti emerged champions for the third year in a row, edging out Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy 2-1 in the final at Delhi라이브 바카라 National Stadium.
Odisha라이브 바카라 Naval Tata Hockey HPC finished third, while Pritam Siwach Hockey Academy came fourth.
Mizoram라이브 바카라 rise in women라이브 바카라 hockey has surprised many. Traditionally known for football and boxing talent, the state recently clinched a bronze medal in the Senior National Women라이브 바카라 Hockey Championship in Panchkula — its first ever in the competition라이브 바카라 history.
Dubey credits the state라이브 바카라 hockey surge to sustained efforts at the grassroots. “The work being done by the coaches at the SAI centre in Thenzawl has been incredible,” he said.
One of them is Lalrothuami, a former India junior international who has been coaching since 2011. She noted that about 40 young girls are training at the Thenzawl centre and the growing interest can be linked to smarter outreach methods.
The use of Tokyo Olympian and India senior player Lalremsiami Hmarzote in advertisements and social media has become a major draw for girls in Mizoram to take up hockey. “The response from the villages has been encouraging. Two of our earlier trainees, Lalthantluangi and Lalrinpuii, are already in the junior India team. We’re very proud that five of our girls have now been selected for training at NCOEs,” said Lalrothuami.
She believes that Mizo girls possess natural athleticism, particularly strength and stamina, which makes them competitive at the national level. However, she emphasizes the need for better exposure and consistent, high-quality training. “Skill-wise, all players are equal. But these girls need more match exposure. We hope they will make full use of the NCOE facilities to continue improving,” she added.
It is important to note that selection at an NCOE is not a guarantee of long-term placement. Players undergo rigorous assessments twice a year, focusing on physical fitness, performance in sports science evaluations, and core hockey skills. Those who don’t meet the required standards are rotated out, ensuring that only the most dedicated and promising athletes remain.
