Final time he was in Ranchi, Jude Menezes loved a momentous excessive in his teaching profession. The previous India goalkeeper, who performed greater than 100 worldwide matches and represented the nation on the Sydney Olympics, masterminded Japan’s third-place end on the Olympic qualifiers as a coach. And at the price of India, his staff booked its tickets to Paris 2024.
He’s now again within the metropolis, this time because the coach of Soorma Hockey Membership because the inaugural version of Hockey India League for ladies begins on Sunday. “It brings again nice recollections right here for me,” Menezes informed The Indian Specific. “It’s a contented searching floor. However oh, it was a nerve-wracking event. You undergo some darkish locations. If you’re profitable, every part is nice. However if you’re not, there’s apprehension about what may occur. It actually checks your composure and places a whole lot of stress on you. I used to be lucky to be on the precise aspect of the equation.”
The Mumbai-born Menezes started his teaching journey in New Zealand, the place he has lived along with his household since 2002. The stint in Japan noticed him ascend to the function of head coach. Now lastly he will get to teach Indian internationals within the four-team league. He’s the one former India worldwide in a head coach capability throughout the eight groups within the males’s HIL and 4 within the ladies’s.
“I’m privileged and grateful for the chance. I watched the previous couple of editions within the earlier model (males’s) and needed to be part of it,” he mentioned.
A lift for the worldwide sport
Menezes is satisfied HIL received’t simply be a lift for Indian ladies’s hockey however for the worldwide sport. On the subject of Indian sport, franchise leagues for ladies are nonetheless not broadly prevalent — the Ladies’s Premier League for cricket began solely three years again however has already proven encouraging indicators when it comes to funding and recognition.
“It’s an enormous step for the way forward for ladies’s hockey. Just like the IPL, which grew to become a mega occasion, this may very well be the beginning of one thing large. It would enhance Indian and world hockey. It would make the game extra thrilling, hopefully draw extra crowds, and appeal to extra sponsorship. I hope it skyrockets from right here,” he mentioned.
Working with Indian kids can have a particular which means. “Completely gold. These alternatives are uncommon, I’m lucky to have this opportunity and I’ve labored exhausting for it. It’s not nearly teaching hockey; it’s about life. I’m making an attempt to convey out the most effective in folks on and off the sector,” he mentioned.
“We’ve bought three or 4 younger under-21s with distinctive expertise. It’s an awesome studying alternative for them, working with somebody like Maria Verschoor, a double Olympic gold medalist. She already gels nicely with the younger athletes. The abroad ladies have been unbelievable with the entire group and the younger Indians will profit essentially the most.”
And as a goalkeeper himself, he might be working with India’s finest, Savita Punia. “She is a unbelievable chief, works tougher than most individuals I do know. Simply a whole lot of respect between us. She’s had a unbelievable profession, an actual rock within the Indian protection. I’ve had a couple of losses in opposition to India, and Savita has at all times been key in guarding that objective. It’s nice that she’s on my aspect now,” he mentioned.
For Menezes, one of many challenges working with the Japanese squad was, after all, communication. Shihori Oikawa, a participant who speaks fluent English, had helped Menezes get his message throughout. Curiously, he insisted that the gamers repeat what his message was to make sure it wasn’t misplaced. “Probably the most highly effective lesson I realized was to be extra observant. When somebody speaks your language and understands what you’re saying, communication will be taken with no consideration. However when somebody doesn’t, it’s important to change into expert at delivering your message. I realized it’s not about what you say, however what they take away.”
Having lived outdoors India for a very long time now, Menezes wants to choose up his Hindi-speaking expertise now. He joked, “I spent 4 or 5 days in Bombay and brushed up on my Bambaiya Hindi. It’s not too dangerous (smiles). I used to be blissful to be again there for Christmas and eventually bought an opportunity to spend Christmas with my household after eight years. I feel I’m slotting into Hindi nicely. I combine it up in staff talks. I ask the ladies in the event that they perceive my Hindi. They are saying it’s excellent, however I don’t learn about that. However once I sit within the rickshaws in Bombay, I really feel like I’m at dwelling.”
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