Transforma, the Rio 2016 Education Programme, continues to offer dynamic new sporting experiences to Rio's city schools. Over the last 12 months, the initiative has run quality training workshops for PE teachers as well as experimental classes for students, introducing them to, and training them in, new sports. Following rugby, badminton and Olympic and Paralympic athletics, the students recently had the chance to get back on the pitch and try their arm at another Olympic sport: hockey.

On Saturday afternoon (16 August), the Rio 2016 Committee, in partnership with the Hockey Federation of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Fherj), brought 100 students from the Rubem Berta, Princesa Isabel and Embaixador Araújo Castro city schools to the Deodoro Military Base for an intensive hockey lesson.

For the Federation, the aim was to run a full experimental training session on the pitch under competition conditions, with the latest equipment and help from professional players.

“We taught them the main techniques, like passing, dribbling and controlling the ball. Apart from enhancing physical development, hockey can contribute significantly to educating young people, instilling values like respect, overcoming challenges and teamwork,” said Carlos Dias, Fherj President. 

The practice took place at Deodoro Military Base, venue of the Olympic hockey competitions in 2016 (Photo: Rio 2016/André Redlich)

For the teachers, who also take much from the initiative, the results were equally satisfying:

“For me personally, the Transforma workshops in April were the first contact I'd had with hockey. I was fascinated,” said Roberta Martins, one of the initiative’s teachers. “We took hockey into the school and the students were very excited by the sport’s dynamic. When they found out they were going to the Military Base to practice with professional players, they got even more excited.”

Thirteen-year-old Ariel Gonçalves was also thrilled to be trying out the new sport.

“I thought hockey was really difficult, but I gradually picked it up. I became a striker and scored 7 goals,” she said, proudly.

Throughout the first six months of 2014, Transforma has been active in 52 schools, touching the lives of some 1000 students. The initiative, which aims to promote Olympic and Paralympic values, has become part of the city schools curriculum, and will be one of the key legacies of the Games.