Chennai: When Bose Kannan signed up to the physical education course at YMCA College, Nandanam, in 2005-06 under Kannan Pugazhendi was more a career choice.
His father, could not support his son’s dream to pursue cricket, want him to learn physiotherapy.
Initially not interested, Kannan saw how Pugazhendi used to treat injured players and realized it could be a way for him to stay connected with sports.
The Little Mount Youngster immediately studied the rope into physiotherapist and his trip peaked on Thursday in a bronze medal when the Indian men’s hockey team beat Germany in third place playoff match.
Part of the Supporting Staff of the Indian team, the presence of Kannan in Tokyo also ensured Tamil Nadu, who has a record of sending players every time the Indian Hockey team won a medal at the Olympics, did not demonstrate this time.
Kannan though not the only one from TN.
Coming from the Coonor District, Ashok Kumar C video analyst has become an important member of the back room staff for the past two years and prepares a team with vital data about opponents.
While Kumar has become a former district level hockey player, Kannan’s initiation into sports has been intentional.
When the Indian Hockey team physiotherapist David Macdonald came out last September, the team was very looking for a replacement.
In London Kannan on the recommendation of Rupivebal Singh and Chennai-based Dragflicker and physiotherapist played an important role in helping Indian players stay fit.
It was a complicated task for Kannan because he had no experience working with hockey players, after working with cricket until then.
Aware of the trap he knew he had to make a difference.
“I consider it a challenge.
But the players and coaches (Graham Reid) made him a smooth journey because they trusted my method for 10 months.
I am happy that I did not disappoint them when the players hardly suffered large injuries in the lead to Olympics, “Kannan, who will be 40 years old on Friday, told Toyo from Tokyo.
Kumar, who had worked with the Junior Boys Boys and Girls Indian team before, said the scarcity of video analysts in Hockey incited him to take it as a profession.
“Every year a handful of coaches will appear in our sports.
But video analyst at Indian Hockey is unique.
So I took it after completing my machine engineering degree from Coimbatore,” said the 30-year-old player.
With the task of their Olympics done for now, both of them want to return to their family.
While Kumar had not seen his family in one and a half years, Kannan with his four-year-old son in February when Hockey India gave a two-week break team.
“I can’t travel because I signed Covid.
So I can’t wait to go back to my family in nilgiris and show them a medal,” Kumar said.
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