Karnataka Junior Ice Hockey Teams Win Silver Medals After Training Near Whitefield

Over 70 young inline hockey players from Karnataka, trained by coaches from the Gunjur Skating Rinks near Whitefield, successfully transitioned to ice hockey and won silver medals at the first-ever junior national championships in Dehradun last week. Under-15 and under-12 players underwent a rapid 10-day development camp at the Himadri Ice Rink in April before competing in the national tournament.

The young athletes, all aged under 15 years, were primarily inline hockey players accustomed to four-wheeled skating boots on outdoor surfaces. To prepare for the tournament, they had to adapt to ice blades and cold indoor stadiums in a short period.

According to the coaches, the transition was remarkably quick. Dhanvi Muthuswamy, the 11-year-old captain of the Karnataka Under-12 girls' team, stated that it took only about an hour to adjust to the ice. Tanvik Kota, the eight-year-old captain of the Under-12 boys' team, added that the switch was easy and fun.

The initiative was led by 30-year-old Aryan Vijeth, a national-level inline hockey player and founder of the Gunjur Skating Rinks near Whitefield and Varthur, along with 24-year-old coach Arun Rawat. Both coaches expressed satisfaction with the results, noting that taking a large group from a tropical state to train on ice was a significant risk.

The newly formed Ice Hockey Association of Karnataka, which was established in January this year, received crucial backing from parents, many of whom are IT professionals. The parents funded both the April training camp and the tournament travel.

Additionally, the Ice Hockey Association of India supported the team by appointing international player and coach Ashish Rawat to provide technical assistance during the 10-day camp.

The adaptation paid off during the national championships, which followed international rules for the Under-12 and Under-15 categories. Matches were played on a half-court with three on-field players and a goalkeeper per team, lasting 30 minutes across three 10-minute periods.

While both Under-12 squads finished as runners-up to claim silver medals, the Under-15 boys' and girls' teams finished in fourth place. Coaches Vijeth and Rawat hope the achievement will inspire more local youth to take up the sport.