Students in the city are high on hockey as they are getting a chance to meet and interact with international players.

Teams are visiting a number of schools and children’s homes and discussing about the sport with enthusiasts, apart from taking pictures and engaging in a number of activities.

Players of Belgium have recently visited the DAV Public School Chandrasekharpur. They were taken in a procession with band music and Odissi dance led by NCC cadets. The Belgium team also played a friendly match and danced to the tunes of popular Rangabati, along with the students.

The captain of the touring team, Thomas Briels, and coach Shane Mcleod spoke on the occasion and praised lavishly the rousing welcome they received throughout their stay. Principal K. C. Satapathy, co-ordinator Indira Bhattacharya and student representatives felicitated the guests with garlands and Odissi pattachitra.

In another development, it was an exciting and fun-filled day for 250 children at the SOS Children’s Village at Khandagiri here on Wednesday as they found members of the South Africa’s national hockey team amidst them. The players spent some quality time with the kids, while many of whom got their fan-moment. “They shared their beautiful experiences with us and also listened to many children. The asked them about their future plans. It was a great opportunity for us to meet international players in our village,” said Pushpa Mallick, a Class X student, who performed Odissi for the guests.

Players of the team Diungwana Tyson and Ntuli Nqobile did a tango with the kids and enjoyed Odissi by the children of the village.

In the SOS Children’s Village as many as 250 parentless and abandoned children stay. “The environment here is so peaceful, and the students are so excited about hockey. The mothers are really beautiful as they have been nurturing these kids as their own and taking all care of them,” said South African captain Tim Drummond.