The hockey tournament, organised with the aim of strengthening sporting ties between Kodagu and Kerala, entertained sports enthusiasts. The three-day event witnessed the participation of several teams. All participating teams were provided complimentary burgers, juice, coffee and tea throughout the tournament.
A hockey festival of this scale, which had not been held in Kodagu for several years, was successfully organised this time, making the event a memorable occasion.
Final Results in Various Categories
Under-16 Girls: In the final, the DYES Ponnampet Sports Hostel team defeated the Kudige Sports School team 1-0 to emerge champions.Thapasvi Thangamma scored the winning goal.
Boys’ Sub-Junior: The Munadu team put up an impressive performance to clinch the championship.
Women’s Masters: Coorg Wonder defeated Bengaluru’s Royal Challengers to win the title.
Men’s Masters: The Kodava Hockey Academy defeated Coorg Dynamites 4-2 to emerge champions.
Individual Awards – Girls’ Category: Best Goalkeeper: Gagana H.B.
Best Player: Anchal Dechamma
Highest Goal Scorer of the Tournament: Greeshma Ponnappa
Promising Young Player: Tanya M.M.
Mulliyal Jewellers encouraged promising young players by presenting them with silver coins.
The programme began with a prayer and the singing of the Kannada Rajyotsava song by Puthamane Vidya Jagadeesh.
The Swami Vivekananda Youth Association of Shirangala-Madapur presented traditional Kodava Kolaat and Baalopaat performances.
The valedictory ceremony was attended by several distinguished personalities from the world of hockey and sports, including P.E. Kalaiah, a member of the 1975 World Cup-winning team; Olympian Cheppudira S. Poonacha; Olympian Lieutenant Colonel Baleyada K. Subramani; World Cup player Koothanda Poonacha; Kodava Hockey Academy president Pandanda Bopanna; Kundyolanda Dinesh Kariappa; Coorg Hawks founder MakeriraBelluKuttappa; tournament director Karavanda Appanna; Hockey Coorg secretary Ammandira Chetan; and UTSC Thalassery representatives Johnson Master, Javeed, Moosa and Rajasekhar.
Masood, coach of India’s Under-19 cricket team, was also present. Other dignitaries included chief guests Areyada Praveen Ponnanna; Babu Somaiah and Partha Changappa of the Wanderers; Anju Subramani; Minni Anniraj, Director of Sai Sports School; the medical team from the Madikeri District Health Centre; and Lakshmish, correspondent and photographer of the Shakthi daily newspaper.
Veteran commentator Cheppudira Karyappa, along with TheethimadaSomanna, provided lively commentary that kept the spectators entertained.
Senior sports enthusiasts observed that tournaments of this kind, particularly those featuring sub-junior boys’ and girls’ teams, should be organised regularly in Kodagu. Only through sustained opportunities of this nature can talented young players emerge and go on to represent Karnataka and India at higher levels.
In this regard, the FAP Cup hockey festival organised by Coorg Hawks and UTSC Thalassery was widely appreciated.
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