howing interest too,
especially the Navy. The late Aniceto Fernandes, one of
the foremost organisers of Goan hockey and football in
Bombay, was mainly instrumental in giving shape to
tournaments in Goa, with the help of the then Chief
Minister, Dayanand Bandodkar. He also got the Goa
Hockey Association affiliated to the All India Hockey
Federation and even succeeded in getting a
representation for Goa on the apex body.

The Dempo-Souza group in the 'sixties, decided to have
a team of their own, and we all joined in. During this
time, I also coached a number of women hockey players.
Many of my colleagues on the Dempo-Souza team are no
longer alive, but for me, they have left behind some
pleasant memories. In February 1967, Aniceto conducted
the Bandodkar Hockey Tournament and I was put in charge
of running it on behalf of the Goa Hockey Association.
Then two months later, from April 15 to 23, came the
big hockey tournament for women for the Shantilal Cup,
with me in charge of the north zone as the
selector-cum-manager. Several players who had
represented India, especially from Mysore and Bombay,
were seen in action. Bandodkar must also be credited
with creating a separate Directorate of Sports and
Youth Affairs, in 1973.

The Sports Journalists Association of Goa, founded in
1982, of which I was the founder president, did
organise a road roller-skating competition on May 8,
1983, which was a great success, as was the bullock
cart race organised at Peddem grounds in Mapusa.

Presently, hockey is in a lamentable state, with little
or no activity being held and it is more tragic because
in the past, Goans elsewhere have represented India.
Players like Leo Pinto, Walter D'Souza, Maxie Vaz,
Lawrie Fernandes, Reggie Rodrigues, John Mascarenhas
and many women internationals.

Football: Thanks to the centuries-old legacy, starting
with the presence of the British troops in Goa and the
Portuguese, both of whom had a passion for the game,
football still remained the craze in the state and it
prospered with players using the paddy fields to hone
their skills. These details I have mentioned in the
book I later published titled Soccer and Goa, on behalf
of the Government of Goa.

This enthusiasm was carried forward by leaps and
bounds, making Goa one of the most feared of states in
the country, throwing up players of repute. Both the
clubs and the Goa teams, won tournaments all over the
country, with professionalism c