Gathvik Narayan Kolla, the Captain of the Hockey team, met up with the BOSM English Press to discuss the team’s preparations for BOSM 2024.

Gathvik stated that the team practised twice daily. The morning sessions amounted to 45 minutes to one hour, and they comprised of fitness-related drills. The evening sessions stretched up to at least two hours, and they mostly consisted of drills related to the game and a practice match as well.

Gathvik cited issues with the rains, as each rainy day equalled a rest day, and he specifically mentioned that the team couldn’t afford any more involuntary rest days. He also remarked that the juniors and second-year students, especially those in ‘phoenix’ branches, were finding it difficult to juggle their academics with practice. He expressed pride when talking about the team’s previous achievements in outstation competitions, and was confident that they would put up a good performance for BOSM 2024.

The Captain detailed that the recruitment process was the same as every other year: they conducted a camp every semester to invite interested individuals and teach them the sport, since not a lot of people were known to have prior experience, unlike other sports such as basketball, badminton, etc. Once the camp was up and running, Gathvik remarked that those who showed potential and had further interest would continue with the team.

When questioned about his interactions with the CoSSAc, the Captain answered that most of his queries had been shared with the Sports Secretary and the Joint Sports Secretaries, who promptly followed up on them and were constantly checking up on him and the team.

As the interview drew to an end, Gathvik encouraged all the students to take up a sport to keep them physically fit and healthy. He called on the student body to attend the matches to cheer them on since the team had put in a lot of effort, and they would be motivated to perform better with the BITSians’ support.