The New Indian Express ·
On football’s turf, hockey finds home in Malappuram
MALAPPURAM: In a land where the sound of a football striking the ground is part of everyday life, a small school in Malappuram began a quiet sporting revolution with the rhythm of a hockey stick and ball.
In a district synonymous with an almost unmatched passion for football, building a hockey team was never going to be easy. But Chemmankadavu PMSAMA HSS in Kodur took up that challenge. Training on a small school ground and competing against the odds, its hockey team has gone on to make its mark at the national level, scripting a rare sporting success story.
Hockey was first introduced at the school in 1996 by the then physical education teacher C N Kunjumuhammed and teacher U Alikkutty. The idea was born out of both necessity and opportunity. None of the neighbouring schools had hockey teams, while the size of the school ground was insufficient for football.