Rourkela: Many of the Belgium players competing in the Pro League have been in India for more than seven weeks and they have got quite a fan following here in Odisha, especially for the likes of Arthur van Doren and Alexander Hendrickx, who played a pivotal role in helping Kalinga Lancers win the Hockey India League.It was evident in the crowd celebration during Belgium’s win in the first game against Argentina on Tuesday.And why wouldn’t they! The Belgians paid a visit to the Panposh Sports Hostel before the tournament one afternoon and spent considerable time with nearly 90 junior and sub-junior players giving them training tips and making them do drills.Speaking about the experience, Tom Boon, one of the stars of the Belgium team, said, “It’s always nice to give something back. Hockey brought me so many things and when I have time, I enjoy doing this, especially in India. It was a pretty nice experience and anytime I’m back here, I’m happy to do it.”Boon, who top scored in the HIL with 19 goals for Ranchi Royals and began the Pro League on a high with a hat-trick against Argentina, added, “They were pretty excited to have us around. I gave training only to the girls and they were very good. It was a nice moment and I hope they will keep dreaming and keep training to one day become an international player.”Their captain Arthur van Doren was more than pleased to see the facilities at the sports hostel where several Indian stars began their career.“It’s good to see that they’re creating a lot of discipline by making the kids train, study and live together. I think that’s something really nice. You see that Odisha is one of the leading states in India to do so and I think they’re doing extremely well,” said van Doren.One of the youngsters present at the session, Dibit Madki, was naturally pleased with the experience. “They stuck with the basics like receiving the ball, making a spin and then passing it to the next player; dodging the defenders and playing one-vs-one,” said Madki, a junior player who has been in Panposh for three years now.Not only the players but Belgium coaching staff was also there and shared inputs with the coaches at the hostel.“They told us to work on their strength, power and speed,” said Kalu Charan Choudhury, a social duty officer at Panposh Sports Hostel and a coach with experience of more than 35 years having trained the likes of Birendra Lakra, Nilam Sanjeep Xess and Amit Rohidas.Whether or not the Belgians return for longer sessions later, the visit has already left an imprint on young minds who will now dream a little bigger.
