Jude Felix named coach of junior hockey team

New Delhi, Aug 22 Hockey India (HI) on Tuesday announced the appointment of former India captain Jude Felix Sebastian as coach for the junior men's team.

The 33-member junior men's core group will train under Felix as they prepare for defending their title of Junior Men World Champions, HI said.

"Jude Felix brings with him vast experience as former India captain as well as a highly reputed coach. Under him, we want to strengthen the junior core group," stated HI High Performance Director David John.

"With HI's programmes structured to bring good results in the 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games, I would expect players from this junior core group to push the seniors for a spot in the team."

As a player, Felix was a vital cog in the Indian team as a half-back. He is an Arjuna Awardee (1995) and led the Indian team in the 1993 World Cup and in the Asian Games in 1994 at Hiroshima.

Felix has played more than 250 international matches and represented India in two Olympic Games in 1988 (Korea) and 1992 (Barcelona), two World Cups in 1990 (Pakistan) and 1994 (Sydney), two Asian Games in 1990 (Beijing) and 1994 (Hiroshima) and three Champions Trophy tournaments in 1985 (Australia), 1987 (Pakistan) and 1989 (Berlin).

He has also worked as player-cum-coach with the Racing Club in Paris (European League and French League) in 1997 -2000. He was also the coach of the Dutch U-18 National Team in the Leo Van Der Kar in 1997.

His previous stint with the national team was in 2014 when he assisted the men's team chief coach Terry Walsh prior to the 2014 Asian Games.

"I am excited to take up this new role. The junior core group was picked on the basis of their performance in the National Championships and this group will be further pruned down to a 18-member squad for the Sultan of Johor Cup, our first international tournament for this year," stated Felix.