Hockey village India kids train with German U-21 team

Kids from Hockey village India got an unique opportunity to learn the tricks of the game from the German U-21 team who is here to participate in the ongoing Hero Junior Men`s World Cup.

New Delhi: Kids from Hockey village of India got an unique opportunity to learn the tricks of the game from the German U-21 team who is here to participate in the ongoing Hero Junior Men`s World Cup. The German side took out time ahead from their compact World Cup schedule to educate young boys and girls from the academy in Rajasthan on drills and dribbling tactics.

German Ambassador to India Michael Steiner hosted the session of around 50 kids from Garh Himmat Singh village in Dausa district, at the embassy here yesterday. Andrea Thumshirn, the coach and founder of the academy, said such experiences would help develop further interest of the children in the sport. "Some of the kids are very good. The experience of meeting these talented German players will motivate them to take up the game more seriously. It will generate aspiration amongst kids to represent their country some day," said Andrea, who has been running the academy since 2011. On the occasion, Steiner said: "It was amazing to see how well both teams, the German Under-21 and the Hockey Village, trained and interacted together. It proves that hockey is part of the sport DNA both in India and in Germany ? on a senior as well as on a junior level." He also hoped for India-Germany final at the quadrennial event. "My personal wish would be a final between the Indian and the German Under-21 team at this year`s World Cup. Of course, I would come to watch. And I would love to see some young kids from the Hockey Village in Rajasthan playing one day in the German Hockey League," he added.