FAISALABAD, Apr 02 Faisalabad’s next generation of hockey talent stepped into the spotlight as the one-day Under-18 regional trials concluded successfully at the Madina Town Hockey Stadium, with a panel of Olympians who finalized a merit-based squad to represent the division in the upcoming championship.
A spokesman of Divisional Sports Department said here on Thursday that the trials drew a large number of young players from across the region, all competing for a place in the final lineup.
Divisional Sports Officer Syed Manzar Fareed supervised the process directly while Punjab Sports Board’s representative Aslam Shah was also present on the occasion.
He said that highly experienced selection committee comprising of renowned Olympians and seasoned players evaluated skills and performance of the participants. The committee included Olympians M Khalid, Malik Shafqat and Muhammad Shabbir along with Shahid and Tanveer Gill.
Following the trials, the selected players would enter a training camp starting from Friday (April 03), where they would undergo modern structured coaching to further refine their abilities.
The finalized team would represent Faisalabad division in the Inter-Region Hockey Championship commencing from April 07 for making a strong mark against competing regions.
Speaking on the occasion, Syed Manzar Fareed emphasized that young sticks have big dreams. Therefore, the selection process was conducted strictly on merit so that the most talented players could be provided an opportunity to progress and excel at higher levels, he added.
