U-21s enjoying BAF camp

The 18 under-21 hockey team players are enjoying their time at the Bangladesh Air Force's Bangabandhu Base at the Dhaka Cantonment since joining the conditioning camp two weeks ago following a five-month break due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF) took the initiative to bring the under-21 players back into action following the break with the hope of giving them some space to regain their fitness. The players, confined inside the BAF base, are training under supervision of coaching staff of BAF hockey team.

"We needed this conditioning camp because we were sitting idle for nearly five to six months due to the coronavirus pandemic. The date of U-21 AHF Junior Asia Cup can be fixed anytime, so it is really important for us to remain in training," Mohammad Nayeemuddin, a member of the team, said yesterday.

"We are really enjoying the environment, ground and gym facilities, accommodation and food here and everything looks different here because BAF's coaches and representative of BHF president wing Commander Rafiqur Rahman is helping us a lot," said Nayeem, who has also been a member of the senior national team since 2017.

"The response of the players is really good. They are helping me a lot in maintaining schedule, training two sessions a day," coach Mohammad Moniruzzman said. "As it is totally a conditioning camp, it is not possible to judge their present condition before we go through a test on Thursday. But the condition is far better than it was on the first day."

The players underwent Covid-19 test on August 9 and training started the following with 14 players as two players had tested positive. Later, four more players joined the camp following negative Covid-19 tests.

"We want to continue this conditioning training till mid-September. If we can bring the players back to their right fitness, I think it will help them in tactical training under the national coach," hoped Moniruzzaman, who captained BAF team for 11 years.

Nayeemuddin also urged the authority concerned to continue the training after the conclusion of the conditioning camp for good results in the Junior Asia Cup.

"We have joined the camp with a target of doing well in Junior Asia Cup. If there is no continuation of this training, then all of our efforts will go in vain," Nayeemuddin said, also urging the game's local governing body to start domestic competitions immediately.

BHF's acting general secretary Mohammad Yousuf said they would continue the training camp if their proposal of hosting the Junior Asia Cup in early January is accepted by the Asian Hockey Confederation.

"AHF wants the U-21 Junior Asia Cup to be held February but it will be tough for us to host Junior Asia Cup and Asian Champions Trophy in February and March. So we have proposed to host Junior Asia Cup in the first week of January," Yousuf said. "If our proposal is accepted, the training of the under-21 team will continue, otherwise we may start the training camp of the national team."