Brazilian Kho-Kho Coach Laura in Sunday KhoKho Series World Edition

We welcome Brazilian Laura the very energetic coach of Kho-Kho in Sunday Kho-Kho Series World Edition.She is always one step forward for KhoKho and doing hardwork in Brazil for KhoKho.

She is a good learner and trainer.Today we are Introducing her in this World Edition of Sunday KhoKho Series .Thanks to IKKF and KKFI for their support and hardwork to take KhoKho across 6 Continents of the World.

                                  Laura Matte Doering

                              (Brazilian KhoKho Coach)

Q1. Tell me about your journey to KhoKho?

Ans. My journey in Kho Kho is recent, but very intense. Since the invitation to the World Cup until today, I have been reinventing myself to try to develop the sport in my country while also looking for alternatives to popularize it. I have participated in interviews with major television stations and, at the same time, I am organizing the first national championship in Brazil, creating teams in three states of the country.

Q2. How Kho Kho started in Brazil?

Ans. Kho Kho started in Brazil in August 2024. I was invited by the general secretary of the international KhoKho Federation to begin activities in Brazil and, with that, begin the process of developing Kho Kho in the country. Following the invitation, we did some training with athletes from other sports to make an official call-up for the World Cup, which would follow.

Q3. How was your experience in KhoKho Worldcup?

Ans.Participating in the first Kho Kho World Cup was the best experience I've ever had in my life. Being able to see the best athletes in the world up close, and even face them (we played against India and Nepal) was, without a doubt, an unforgettable and memorable experience. We learned a lot at the event and will train even harder to be better prepared for the next opportunity, be it national or international.

Q4. Any match that becomes unforgettable memory for you in World Cup .Please explain.

Ans. The game against India was the most memorable, because in addition to being our first official Kho Kho game in the history of our country, it was incredible to feel the vibration of the opposing fans, including applauding us when we made good plays. Being face to face with the best in the world encouraged us to want to train more and better so that we can face them again at another opportunity. Furthermore, it was the first press conference I held in my life, together with my captain, and it was a very significant moment for me. Year after the match, we still joined the Indian athletes to celebrate the magic of the sport, as we left the changing rooms. A day that will forever be marked in our memories.

Q5. Brazil is famous for football .How you pick the players for KhoKho as it's a big challenge to motivate players towards a new game ?

Ans. Motivating athletes who like to compete at high performance is not that difficult, the difficult thing in my opinion is to make them understand that, in the new sport they are getting to know, they are just crawling, taking their first steps, and need a lot of training, patience and resilience. Some of my athletes came from football and others from other collective sports involving speed and athleticism, so the challenge favored them in certain aspects, which also motivated them.

Q6. What is the best part of KhoKho according to you and How.

Ans. The best part of the game is that it is extremely collective, meaning the team needs to work together to achieve results. Unlike football, where there are sometimes "star" players, considered the best, in Kho Kho the team needs to be in tune so that good plays and good players appear. Furthermore, as children we played catch and run a lot, so when we say Kho Kho, in a way, we remember that period. It is a sport that has a lot of potential to reach schools in Brazil because it does not require as much equipment and is inclusive.

Q7.What are your future plans to grow KhoKho in Brazil?

Ans.The next steps to grow Kho Kho in Brazil are related to carrying out open training, for the community and in schools in the capital of Rio Grande do Sul. Furthermore, we are creating the first Brazilian championship, which will probably take place in the second half of this year. By adding competitions to our annual calendar, we will be able to increase the number of people interested in practicing the sport, in addition to developing the base in schools and universities.

Q8.What you want  from IKKF and KKFI for KhoKho in Brazil?

Ans. 

The main thing we hope for is online assistance to carry out our tournaments, nationally and internationally. With the expertise that KKFI already has for large events, we will be able to improve our events here. If possible, we would like more exchanges of athletes/coaches/referees to teach us the sport. When Rohit came, the evolution of the team and the level of training was incredible.

Q9. Any words for Sunday Kho-Kho Series?

Ans .Just thank you for the invitation and for bringing the Kho Kho community closer to places that previously did not practice the sport but, like those who have been following for a long time, fell in love with the sport.

Coordinated and Directed By:

Voice of International Player

Pankaj Malhotra

(International Kho-Kho Player,

 Technical Expert at UKKL,WC,Jammu Kashmir,India)

Assisted & Guided By:

M.S Tyagi (Gen.Sec KKFI,India)

S.B.S Tirthi (Former Treasurer KKFI,India)

Supported by:

Anuj Khajuria (Software Engineer, U.S.A)

Jitendra Tyagi (Treasurer KKAD, India)

Columnist

Ms.Rameet Kour (Featured Columnist & Language Expert, Chicago, U.S.A)

Special Assistance

Harneet Kaur (Melbourne, Australia)