Football training helped in the beginning, says Mazarelo

Once U12 Manchester United 'keeper, England hockey custodian feels it's important to learn from other goalkeepers
BHUBANESWAR: England men's hockey team goalkeeper James Mazarelo was in phenomenal form in Hockey India League (HIL), where he played for UP Rudras, and has continued to do the same in FIH Pro League.
In their first game here against Spain on Tuesday, the youngster, whose father is originally from Goa and had shifted to England in the 1970s, put up a goalkeeping masterclass during the shootouts and saved all five shots from the Spain strikers as England eventually won it 1-0.
Currently one of the best young goalkeepers in the world, Mazarelo, however, played football in his childhood and was with the U-12 Manchester United side as a goalkeeper.
"After some disappointment in my young football career, I happened to start playing hockey. I started enjoying it and kind of just happened to go from there. Eventually ended up getting selected into junior pathways and gradually moved my way up and here I am today," said the 23-year-old.
Although he didn't succeed as a footballer, it did help him when he shifted to hockey in the beginning.
"There was a lot of work done and training in terms of how quickly we moved our feet and it definitely helped. As I got further up, maybe 14, 15, or 16 when my hockey was getting better and I was playing at a high level, the demands became different," he added.
Mazarelo, meanwhile, believes in 'taking certain elements from certain goalkeepers and merging that to make the best version of himself.'
"Vincent Vanasch (of Belgium) is fantastic with his stick. I think Pirmin Blaak (of the Netherlands) is very good at getting his distances right. Luis Calzado (of Spain) is very good at going through people's legs," said the England goalkeeper before adding, "I think we've got to learn from each other and that will keep pushing the standards of goalkeeping."
Meanwhile, he was more than pleased with the whole experience of HIL where Rudras just missed out on making the knockouts. "He became good friends with Hardik and Lalit and loved the camaraderie in the team," said his father Felix, who has come down here with his wife Claire.
Mazarelo, however, didn't play their second game against Spain on Wednesday, which England lost 1-4, but in all likelihood should take the field against India in a doubleheader next week. It will be the first time that the two teams will face off since their quarterfinal tie in Paris Olympics which India won in the shootouts.