11. A Genius Called Master

During my school days at Dr. Ribeiro Goan School in Nairobi, Kenya I was very fortunate to come in contact with and later to be coached by this educationist and sport administrator who was known to us all as Master Anthony D’Souza. Simply because he taught Maths and English in our school.

He was or may have opted to train and select players for the school’s A and B hockey teams.

We did not know of his accomplishments as a hockey player. His very modest introduction to us was that he had played hockey for the world famous Lusitanians hockey team in Bombay. Although he was not an Olympian, he was going to be our coach.

This is how it all unfolded: he called on all those that were interested in playing hockey to turn out on a Saturday afternoon at the Railway Goan Institute ground. The turnout was very good with approximately 50 of us showing up. He immediately made a list noting the name, age and preferred position for the trials. It was after two hours or so that he gathered all of us, finalised the shortlist that he had created and read out the names.

I was happy that I made the list and it is from that day on that I’m thankful for having been under his guidance. He was one of the greatest coaches from whom I learned every skill that is used in the sport and he had the ability and flair to disperse it to you. He made me and all the other Goan Olympians famous. I personally owe everything to him. I was very fortunate as he coached me in all the skills and tricks he himself used as a player. He had played exactly the same

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positions that I did… inside right. He was so knowledgeable about the game that he could read the game within minutes of its start and execute a game plan.

Anthony was a well-respected person in the hockey circles and in my opinion one of the greatest hockey coaches that I have ever known. We are all forever indebted to him for his undivided attention in sharing with us his skills and talent in making us the great hockey players of yesteryears.

He too gained international status as he was an International Umpire and also was appointed as a coach of the Kenya team at the 1964 Tokyo and 1968 Mexico Olympic Games. In previous years he also accompanied the Kenya National Hockey team as Manager and Coach on various international tours abroad.

It was some 40 years or so when I received a heart-wrenching letter from him informing me that he had been diagnosed with terminal stomach cancer and that he did not have much time left, but was happy that he had joined his family in London, England. He passed away shortly and his passing away left a void in the hearts of the many Goan Olympians he had trained.

However till today, his name surfaces in any hockey conversation especially when one is asked, where did you learn to play the game of hockey and who were you coached by. Now you have the answer. Only one person: my coach, my friend. The late Anthony D’Souza.

You are gone but will never be forgotten by many.

Thank you for I owe it all to you. Rest In Peace, till we meet again. Hilary.

*The Wizard of Dribble (brilliant stick work). The D: half circle in front of goal which is the area from which scoring permitted. Outside the D counts for nowt.

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