Rajgir, Bihar, April 14 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Hockey skipper Ketan Kushwaha, who led from the front to set the tone for the victory by scoring the opening goal just four minutes into the final to clinch the title at the Sub Junior Men’s National Championship, said “open communication and mutual belief” were the key in their title win.

Uttar Pradesh Hockey’s clinical 5-2 victory in the final against Hockey Madhya Pradesh capped off a tournament where they remained unbeaten.

Reflecting on the triumph, Kushwaha said, “Scoring that early goal gave me a strong feeling that we could keep the momentum going and add more to our score. We worked seamlessly as a unit to maintain that pressure and eventually secure the championship.”

“The support we shared in the dressing room was incredible. We were constantly talking to one another, identifying our mistakes, and discussing how to rectify them on the pitch. That open communication and mutual belief were exactly what pushed us forward to win the final,” he added.

Uttar Pradesh Hockey president Dr. RP Singh hailed the victory as a testament to the state’s sustained investment in nurturing young talent from the ground up.

“Winning the 16th Hockey India Sub Junior Men’s National Championship is a moment of immense pride, not just for Uttar Pradesh Hockey but for every young boy who has spent countless hours on the field working toward this dream. When I look back at our journey — from our bronze in 2014 to where we stand today — it reflects the systematic, patient work that goes into building a genuine hockey culture at the grassroots level,” Singh said.

“This gold is not an accident. It is the fruit of a long-term vision: identifying and nurturing young players early, giving them structured coaching, proper facilities, and a competitive environment that sharpens them year after year. Each year, the boys who come from Uttar Pradesh in these premier domestic competitions, arrive more prepared, more confident, and more tactically aware than the year before.

“The credit belongs to dedicated coaches, to Rajnish Mishra for his relentless work in nurturing this environment, and most importantly to the players themselves, who have represented Uttar Pradesh with character and discipline,” he added.

He also hailed Upender Chauhan, who was the coach of UP Hockey Team that recently clinched Sub Junior Men National Championship, for his dedication.

“We are equally committed to growing our women’s and senior programmes and actively working to replicate this kind of structured development across those streams as well. But today, we celebrate these young men — and we do so knowing that this is not a peak, it is a milestone on a much longer journey,” Dr. Singh concluded.

The championship triumph is the latest chapter in a remarkable run of form for Uttar Pradesh Hockey. Since 2021, the state has amassed an impressive 13 medals across national championships — including five gold medals — spanning their sub junior men, junior men, and senior men categories, in addition to medals in the women’s sub junior and junior competitions.