By Our Sports Reporter
CHANDIGARH, Feb 3 — Go to Hansraj Skating Club any day, and you
will find 11-year old Chandita Kamboj practicing roller hockey. A
student of St. Stephan’s School, Chandita spends nearly six hours
every day sharpening her skills and taking tips from her seniors and
coach Balwinder Johal.
Chandita took to roller hockey in September last year, and her game
and ball control was such that the selectors included her in the
Haryana state under-14 team, and she helped her state win the gold
medal. She was also part of the Haryana schools under-14 skating team
which won the gold medal at the National Schools Games held at
Panchkula. She also won the gold medal in the Haryana State meet as
member of the Panchkula under-14 team.
She has now set her sights on finding a berth in the Indian seniors
roller hockey team. She hopes to make it to this year’s Asian
Roller. Skating meet to be held in Taipei in September-October. Her
dream is to help India win the gold medal in this event. In 1999,
India had won the bronze medal.
The 11-year-old girl was asked if she would be able to make it to
the senior team. She replied with confidence. “Why not? I am working
hard and getting guidance from international roller hockey players and
an experienced coach. At that time she was discussing ways to improve
her style with her senior colleagues, Meenakshi Kohli and Amrita
Singh.
Her father, Mr I.D. Kamboj, maintains that it was her own decision
to take to skating seriously after she had watched a skating event at
Chandigarh. Now she had become so devoted to skating that she would
prefer to miss a wedding or other family functions if these would
interfere with her skating practice.
