Bhubaneswar: With an aim to ensure availability of modern gym equipment for budding athletes at grassroot level, the State Government has decided to procure latest gym equipment and install those in different sports hostels and hockey training centres across the State.
Odisha’s sports ecosystem has been strengthened over the years through efforts on many fronts, including infrastructure development, the creation of High-Performance Centers, the hosting of national and international sporting events, and implementation of initiatives for grassroots sports promotion, talent identification, etc.
So, the Department of Sports and Youth Services (DSYS) intends to procure gym equipment from amongst reputed brands for set up modern gyms at 19 sports hostels and 19 hockey training centres, official sources said.
The gyms will be opened at sports hostels located at Odisha Football Academy, Balasore, Baripada, Berhampur, Bhawanipatna, Bhubaneswar, Bolangir, Cuttack, Government College of Physical Education, Kulundi (Sambalpur), Government College of Physical Education, Tamando (Bhubaneswar), Keonjhar, Malkangiri, Nayagarh, Panposh, Rourkela, Phulbani, Puri, Sambalpur and Sundergarh.
Similarly, the Hockey Training Centres at Lathikata, Tangarpali, Bisra, 4. Gurundia, Lahunipara, Balisankara, Kutra, Lephripara, Nuagaon, Rajgangpur, Bonai, Bargaon, Kuarmunda (Jhunmur), Subdega and Koida in Sundergarh, Ghansara in Sambalpur, Jajpur and Chatrapur in Ganjam will get gyms soon.
The Department has invited tenders from experienced gym equipment providers for supply, installation and maintenance of the equipment.
The hockey training centres (HTCs) are having synthetic turfs and coaches who are experts in grassroot development and have undergone training with David John, Director of Hockey for Odisha
The HTCs have been set up by the Sports and Youth Services Department (DSYS) in partnership with Odisha Naval Tata Hockey High-Performance Centre.
The Sports Department has ensured that the HTCs are well-equipped with required training equipment, conditioning items, and first aid requirements that will enable holistic development of hockey from grassroots to elite.
DSYS is engaging schools, communities, and district parishads for maximum participation. The team is also inviting schools in urban areas to engage their teams for hockey training and development. The objective is to ensure the HTCs are functional and are very well utilised by the local kids from the nearby vicinity.