KARACHI, July 10: A series of training camps for junior players will be conducted all over the country during July and August this year, organizers of National Bank Under-17 hockey coaching camps announced on Tuesday.

Former Test cricketer Iqbal Qasim, the head of the NBP sports department, told a press conference here at the Hockey Club of Pakistan Stadium that a total of 20 coaching camps would be organized by NBP in different cities of the country from July 17.

Iqbal said several former Olympians and internationals who are employees of the NBP, will conduct the camps.

He said that the campaign is aimed at spotting talented youngsters from all over the country in a bid to help Pakistan regain their lost glory at the world hockey stage.

Iqbal, flanked by Gulfaraz Khan, Treasurer Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), said that the camps would be set-up in Karachi, Jacobabad, Hyderabad, Khairpur, Larkana, Vihari, Bahawalpur, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Sheikhupura, Sialkot, Lahore, Abbottabad, Mardan, Peshawar and Quetta.

Former Pakistan captain Tahir Zaman, who has the experience of coaching the national senior and junior teams, leads a list of coaches who would conduct the camps.

Other coaches include former Olympians Rana Mujahid, Tariq Sheikh, Akhlaq Ahmed and internationals Ehtisham Ali Warsi, Rehman Khan, Khawar Jawed, Parvaiz Iqbal, Arif Bhopali, Arshad Hussain, M. Hamid and Abuzar Umrao.

Iqbal said that the NBP would bear the cost of running the coaching camps and would also provide playing kits and hockey sticks to all the participating players.

He said that the 20 camps include three coaching camps for Under-17 girls which would be set-up in Quetta, Sukkur and Karachi.—PPI