This is a personal invitation from me to you - MY DEAR BASKETBALL FRIENDS! Come and spend a weekend with me to know SUMPOORNA BASKETBALL SCHOOL - the Indian Basketball Initiative. Join me in the basketball court which is full of teeming young children holding, dribbling and shooting the BASKETBALL in full joy. Their enthusiasm - their smiles - THEIR INNOCENCE will rub on to you. YOU SUDDENLY UNDERSTAND WHY THE GAME WAS INVENTED BY DR. NAISMITH.
Our weekend will begin on saturday afternoon. We will visit a school - WHICH HAS NEVER HAD A COACH - waited upon by 100 plus students. Tremendous excitement builds up as we make smaller groups. GIVE ME THE BALL - GIVE ME THE BALL - and get out of my way - THEY PROCLAIM. And we do just that. Let them, by touching - by dribbling [in whatever way] satisfy their urge. AND IN THE CROWD enter a few skilled players - dribbling in a more purposeful way. The new enthusiasts of the ball WONDER at this dribbling. Some try to copy - while others just observe. EMBEDDED LEARNING STARTS TO HAPPEN. There is a purpose to their dribbling now. We slowly have their attention.
Later in the day, one lesson at a time - the purpose and methods of dribbling are hurriedly explained - AND THE DRILLS BEGIN NOW - inter spread with various humorous relays. It is an extra-ordinary mixture of FUN - DO WHAT YOU PLEASE - LEARNING; conventional coaches beat a hasty retreat shaking their heads NO NO - this is no way to learn basketball. I CAN ONLY SMILE! MAYBE I WILL EVEN LAUGH ALOUD because you would see what has happened in half a day.
Subliminal learning is much much faster. I have evolved these methods over the last 25 years. I learnt my basketball in a similar way - since there were no coaches to teach us the game. We had to learn it by ourselves. Our passion for the game - our desire to improve our basics and skills came by and by. These children will also slowly pick up the finer points of the game. THE GAME WILL COME TO THEM!
Then my friend, on SUNDAY morning - we will probably visit another basketball court where another one hundred plus will be waiting in different coloured uniforms to play the S.A.B.A.L [sumpoorna annual basketball league] tournament. The teams are picked up and the games begin. One or two rounds of matches are played according to the selection made by me. In the afternoon begins the PLAY-OFFS. By 5pm the finals are over. The referee, the table officials - ALL ARE STUDENTS THEMSELVES. I just sit or stand and wonder - and maybe you would wonder too. Isn't this the finest way of promoting grass root basketball.
SO TELL ME WHEN YOU ARE COMING. I REALLY HOPE YOU WOULD COME - to talk to these future basketball players of India. They are always eager to meet GREAT BASKETBALL PLAYERS LIKE YOU.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
1200 KMS IN 24 HOURS - CREATING MIND BODY FUSION!
I have often worked with extremities in my life. Most of them were crazy and the crazier they got - the more I respected myself. How much my mind could take? And how much my body could take? Foolhardiness comes easy to children and youth - it is the elixir of joy for many - as it was for me. But, trying to do at 56 - many would think I had gone bananas. I, however, prefer to eat them.
An opportunity came to traverse the northern Karnataka. I didn't miss it. My scorpio moves like a gazelle - I think it has fused its functions with my mind. I drive it subliminally and at the end of every journey I observe that I DIDN'T DRIVE AT ALL.
We left at 1 a.m. and we were in Chitradurga at 4 a.m. The drive was a breeze. As we moved into the Chitradurga - Solapur road; the lorries travelling kept increasing. But it wasn't much of a bother - you soon get acclimatised to such vagaries and take them in your stride. Just before Bijapur a traffic jam developed up. We were delayed by almost one hour. Someone told me - sometimes these last hours or even one day. A chill went up my spine. So this is one problem with this highway. But the wonderful co-operation of the lorry drivers saw it cleared through very quickly - and that is a plus point. By 11am we reached our destination.
We started back from KAGGODU - the village near Bijapur, which we had visited, by 3pm. We decided that we will travel back to Bangalore - via Hubli, in effect adding 100 Kms to our route. Initially the road looked wonderful - but then at places it was totally ruined. And we had to go through the small towns [as no bye-passes have been built yet]. We reached Hubli by 6-15pm and had to again pass through the city.
Initially it was very fine road - then came the problems - at many places the road doubling work is being done - two railway crossings cause traffic jams. Time slowly crawled on us - as at times we moved at a snail's pace. The most discomforting thing was the sign DIVERSION AHEAD is improperly placed. At some places, it is just at the juncture and sometimes deep inside. So, in effect destroying the purpose for which it is put.
My colleague, Raja, thought it was time for supper at 9pm. The dal fry and the egg burji is usual for us at Dhabas. The tea was good. As time passed, sleep tried to catch up on me. I stopped for two short naps of 5 minutes each - but they didn't help much. So I took a power nap of ONE HOUR and the last 120 Kms were a breeze. At 3-15 am I reached home and the speedometer read 1198 Kms. I remember, while I was driving the last phase of my drive - SOMEONE PATTED MY BACK AND SAID `WELL DONE'. I suddenly understood I had the energy to go out and seek more challenges. It was the perfect fusion of my mind and body.
An opportunity came to traverse the northern Karnataka. I didn't miss it. My scorpio moves like a gazelle - I think it has fused its functions with my mind. I drive it subliminally and at the end of every journey I observe that I DIDN'T DRIVE AT ALL.
We left at 1 a.m. and we were in Chitradurga at 4 a.m. The drive was a breeze. As we moved into the Chitradurga - Solapur road; the lorries travelling kept increasing. But it wasn't much of a bother - you soon get acclimatised to such vagaries and take them in your stride. Just before Bijapur a traffic jam developed up. We were delayed by almost one hour. Someone told me - sometimes these last hours or even one day. A chill went up my spine. So this is one problem with this highway. But the wonderful co-operation of the lorry drivers saw it cleared through very quickly - and that is a plus point. By 11am we reached our destination.
We started back from KAGGODU - the village near Bijapur, which we had visited, by 3pm. We decided that we will travel back to Bangalore - via Hubli, in effect adding 100 Kms to our route. Initially the road looked wonderful - but then at places it was totally ruined. And we had to go through the small towns [as no bye-passes have been built yet]. We reached Hubli by 6-15pm and had to again pass through the city.
Initially it was very fine road - then came the problems - at many places the road doubling work is being done - two railway crossings cause traffic jams. Time slowly crawled on us - as at times we moved at a snail's pace. The most discomforting thing was the sign DIVERSION AHEAD is improperly placed. At some places, it is just at the juncture and sometimes deep inside. So, in effect destroying the purpose for which it is put.
My colleague, Raja, thought it was time for supper at 9pm. The dal fry and the egg burji is usual for us at Dhabas. The tea was good. As time passed, sleep tried to catch up on me. I stopped for two short naps of 5 minutes each - but they didn't help much. So I took a power nap of ONE HOUR and the last 120 Kms were a breeze. At 3-15 am I reached home and the speedometer read 1198 Kms. I remember, while I was driving the last phase of my drive - SOMEONE PATTED MY BACK AND SAID `WELL DONE'. I suddenly understood I had the energy to go out and seek more challenges. It was the perfect fusion of my mind and body.
Friday, July 23, 2010
THE INDIAN PSYCHE - IN RELATION TO SPORTS!
Here is my advise to the SPORTS PROMOTERS from India and outside. Howsoever well meaning your efforts are it wouldn't do any harm to know what is THE INDIAN PSYCHE - IN RELATION TO SPORTS. I don't want to jump up and say YOU - YOU - and YOU are responsible for the Indian sports mess. I hope I can give an objective view. I love India too much to do otherwise.
The percentage of people who participate in sports on a regular basis [other than hobli - taluk - district - state level] is very low. So, if you go to the playground regularly YOU ARE ALREADY A FREAK. There is no question of encouragement. There is - of another type. The present generation parents or grandparents are TV SPORTSMEN - they like their sports, on TV, and when they see Sachin Tendulkar - they willingly send their children [paying HUGE AMOUNT of money] to `branded' cricket camps [name of some past cricketer is used as a brand]. And when they see Sania Mirza, they scout for the nearest Tennis academy. What type of fitness these `camps' provide is very well known. They provide participation in `pre-arranged' matches and ensure that the child gets a medal, cup or a certificate to prove that HE IS A SPORTSMAN.
We all know the story of how parents are encouraged to PAY MORE MONEY so that their child can become a member of a divisional team. Selection of players for teams leaves lot of heart burning for the genuine players. I am sure everyone has a story to tell. Parents are pro-active in offering considerations in cash and kind so that somehow their child can MAKE IT. Who wouldn't be tempted?
IT IS TIME I APOLOGIZED TO ALL THOSE BRAVE-HEART SPORTSMEN, COACHES AND ADMINISTRATORS WHO ARE DOING THEIR WORK GENUINELY - they are the ones who provide an occasional SILVER LINING to the dark cloud of Indian sports. For them sports is a religion - and I bow my head to them.
When competition at the top is of a low level - the teams can win only with HELP from different sources. Unfortunately, it is practically impossible to get this clandestine help at the international level - the real test has begun. Most of the genuinely talented players have no god-fathers and the system discards them early on, in effect, shutting up the GENUINE GRASS ROOT SELECTION. Games like basketball are a typical example of this.
So what is the answer. Many experiments have been tried. The infamous SIDDHI TRIBALS fiasco [when everyone thought people having African origins] would become world class champions. The sports schools which are run pathetically - as of a Govt. department. Talented coaches are shunted to far off desolate places and those who are stationed at PLUM PLACES enjoy the fruits. NOW WITH THE SUCCESS OF IPL, everyone wants to `clone' the system to their game. So suddenly everyone is talking of having professional leagues. There is a rush to jump on the bandwagon. THIS IS NOT THE ANSWER.
The answer lies within us. GIVE RESPECT TO SPORTS AND THE SPORTSMEN. Do not treat them like freaks. They bring glory to the country and are due that respect. I oldly state this - IN OLDEN TIMES WE CONQUERED COUNTRIES TO SHOW OUR SUPERIORITY, in the modern world IT IS ABOUT WINNING MATCHES. Spain is a world superpower in sports with the winning of the world cup. AND NURTURE THE COACHES TOO - they are the hen mothers without which no success is possible. The sports administrators have to OVERHAUL THEIR THINKING in a revolutionary way. There is too much of dead-wood in the organizations - it is time to cast it away. SPORTS IS SLOWLY BECOMING BUSINESS - all these years it was treated in a very shabby way. Sportsmen want larger pay-checks, which is their due. The real thing is to promote sports at par with academics - parents, schools, sports organizations - must work towards that end. THE COMPETITION should begin at an early age and MERIT should decide the winners.
I am no fool. Utopia won't come in one day. But let us at least recognize the problems and then go ahead and solve them. It will not be easy - there are going to be many battles - BUT THE WAR MUST BE WON! At stake is our national pride!
The percentage of people who participate in sports on a regular basis [other than hobli - taluk - district - state level] is very low. So, if you go to the playground regularly YOU ARE ALREADY A FREAK. There is no question of encouragement. There is - of another type. The present generation parents or grandparents are TV SPORTSMEN - they like their sports, on TV, and when they see Sachin Tendulkar - they willingly send their children [paying HUGE AMOUNT of money] to `branded' cricket camps [name of some past cricketer is used as a brand]. And when they see Sania Mirza, they scout for the nearest Tennis academy. What type of fitness these `camps' provide is very well known. They provide participation in `pre-arranged' matches and ensure that the child gets a medal, cup or a certificate to prove that HE IS A SPORTSMAN.
We all know the story of how parents are encouraged to PAY MORE MONEY so that their child can become a member of a divisional team. Selection of players for teams leaves lot of heart burning for the genuine players. I am sure everyone has a story to tell. Parents are pro-active in offering considerations in cash and kind so that somehow their child can MAKE IT. Who wouldn't be tempted?
IT IS TIME I APOLOGIZED TO ALL THOSE BRAVE-HEART SPORTSMEN, COACHES AND ADMINISTRATORS WHO ARE DOING THEIR WORK GENUINELY - they are the ones who provide an occasional SILVER LINING to the dark cloud of Indian sports. For them sports is a religion - and I bow my head to them.
When competition at the top is of a low level - the teams can win only with HELP from different sources. Unfortunately, it is practically impossible to get this clandestine help at the international level - the real test has begun. Most of the genuinely talented players have no god-fathers and the system discards them early on, in effect, shutting up the GENUINE GRASS ROOT SELECTION. Games like basketball are a typical example of this.
So what is the answer. Many experiments have been tried. The infamous SIDDHI TRIBALS fiasco [when everyone thought people having African origins] would become world class champions. The sports schools which are run pathetically - as of a Govt. department. Talented coaches are shunted to far off desolate places and those who are stationed at PLUM PLACES enjoy the fruits. NOW WITH THE SUCCESS OF IPL, everyone wants to `clone' the system to their game. So suddenly everyone is talking of having professional leagues. There is a rush to jump on the bandwagon. THIS IS NOT THE ANSWER.
The answer lies within us. GIVE RESPECT TO SPORTS AND THE SPORTSMEN. Do not treat them like freaks. They bring glory to the country and are due that respect. I oldly state this - IN OLDEN TIMES WE CONQUERED COUNTRIES TO SHOW OUR SUPERIORITY, in the modern world IT IS ABOUT WINNING MATCHES. Spain is a world superpower in sports with the winning of the world cup. AND NURTURE THE COACHES TOO - they are the hen mothers without which no success is possible. The sports administrators have to OVERHAUL THEIR THINKING in a revolutionary way. There is too much of dead-wood in the organizations - it is time to cast it away. SPORTS IS SLOWLY BECOMING BUSINESS - all these years it was treated in a very shabby way. Sportsmen want larger pay-checks, which is their due. The real thing is to promote sports at par with academics - parents, schools, sports organizations - must work towards that end. THE COMPETITION should begin at an early age and MERIT should decide the winners.
I am no fool. Utopia won't come in one day. But let us at least recognize the problems and then go ahead and solve them. It will not be easy - there are going to be many battles - BUT THE WAR MUST BE WON! At stake is our national pride!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
MAKING MORE ENEMIES THAN FRIENDS!
The young children I trained became better and better. Suddenly there was a buzz in the air - THAT BASKETBALL WAS COOL! Officers from the PSU, past basketball players and politicos of the game started coming in to give ADVISE. Everyone wanted a share in the WINNING HORSE. Then another thing happened - all HANDBALL players [some of them state, national and international players] wanted to play basketball. Occasionally, cricket and hockey players too wanted to play the game for WARM UP. The game was becoming too popular [READ - MAHAJAN WAS BECOMING TOO POPULAR]. Other coaches didn't like it - though there was a smile on their face when they wished me.
AND SUDDENLY, we started getting interference from the `official' basketball team - which suddenly decided to change its timing to `coincide' with our timing. Old stalwarts of the game - who had been the COACHES during past two decades, who were in the team more for the `LEAVES' they could enjoy than for playing - suddenly united against the common enemy - ME.
I was getting suffocated - when suddenly, another horizon opened up. A leading school of the city asked me to be a part-time coach for their school. FOR THE FIRST TIME, I WAS GOING TO BE PAID FOR DOING WHAT I LOVED! The news spread fast - according to all I WAS GOING TO BE PAID AN ASTRONOMICAL SUM. This didn't make many people happy. What happened in the school MUST BE A SEPARATE STORY.
To silence all my enemies and FRIENDS [?] TOO - I proposed that we conduct an event called MICRO-OLYMPICS. Every player, coach and administrator would be involved. One thousand children from the neighbouring schools would be invited from standards I to V to participate in FIVE DISCIPLINES - for those interested I shall prepare the technical details and post it later. Suddenly I WAS A HERO - there was unity all around. To make the event successful - everyone pitched in - some joined up to `mock' at what we were doing. But even their eyes popped out in wonder, when the march past of these ONE THOUSAND CHILDREN took place. I was THE CHEF DE MISSION and I behaved like one. It was, the most astounding event of my career.
In the meantime, my basketball boys and girls were growing up - their victories and losses were being hailed. The nine year olds were becoming thirteen year olds and a group emerged from this batch that went on to surpass every one's expectations. Some senior players [GENUINE] started giving these boys and girls tips - and some senior players [NON-GENUINE] started abusing these children by saying YOUR COACH DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT BASKETBALL. My non-conventional way of coaching wasn't going well with them. One day, just to spite me, they invited me to play along with them. They were incredulously shocked when I shot FOUR - three pointers to stamp my class. My defense too was impeccable - and instead of making me look like a joker they got mud on their faces. My students cheered me - WE HAD MADE MORE ENEMIES! But we had FRIENDS too.
These FRIENDS made a scapegoat out of me and I finally quit the scene at the PSU. Things were hotting up at the school and that part is next.
AND SUDDENLY, we started getting interference from the `official' basketball team - which suddenly decided to change its timing to `coincide' with our timing. Old stalwarts of the game - who had been the COACHES during past two decades, who were in the team more for the `LEAVES' they could enjoy than for playing - suddenly united against the common enemy - ME.
I was getting suffocated - when suddenly, another horizon opened up. A leading school of the city asked me to be a part-time coach for their school. FOR THE FIRST TIME, I WAS GOING TO BE PAID FOR DOING WHAT I LOVED! The news spread fast - according to all I WAS GOING TO BE PAID AN ASTRONOMICAL SUM. This didn't make many people happy. What happened in the school MUST BE A SEPARATE STORY.
To silence all my enemies and FRIENDS [?] TOO - I proposed that we conduct an event called MICRO-OLYMPICS. Every player, coach and administrator would be involved. One thousand children from the neighbouring schools would be invited from standards I to V to participate in FIVE DISCIPLINES - for those interested I shall prepare the technical details and post it later. Suddenly I WAS A HERO - there was unity all around. To make the event successful - everyone pitched in - some joined up to `mock' at what we were doing. But even their eyes popped out in wonder, when the march past of these ONE THOUSAND CHILDREN took place. I was THE CHEF DE MISSION and I behaved like one. It was, the most astounding event of my career.
In the meantime, my basketball boys and girls were growing up - their victories and losses were being hailed. The nine year olds were becoming thirteen year olds and a group emerged from this batch that went on to surpass every one's expectations. Some senior players [GENUINE] started giving these boys and girls tips - and some senior players [NON-GENUINE] started abusing these children by saying YOUR COACH DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT BASKETBALL. My non-conventional way of coaching wasn't going well with them. One day, just to spite me, they invited me to play along with them. They were incredulously shocked when I shot FOUR - three pointers to stamp my class. My defense too was impeccable - and instead of making me look like a joker they got mud on their faces. My students cheered me - WE HAD MADE MORE ENEMIES! But we had FRIENDS too.
These FRIENDS made a scapegoat out of me and I finally quit the scene at the PSU. Things were hotting up at the school and that part is next.
THE COACH WHO WASN'T A COACH
Even today I feel like THE BLUE JACKAL who acted like the king of the forest. I was never trained to be a coach but I became a coach. The club loved me because I brought huge crowds of children into the stadium. The barren look most of the stadiums have is because SPORTS is supposed to be very tough - and the look most sportsmen support on their faces is nothing to crow about. IT IS VERY VERY SERIOUS. So children tend to stay away from BIG STADIUMS. I changed all that. My children could run 10 rounds or even 20 rounds around the stadium - and so could other new-comers; because there were always innovation in my `warm ups'. WE CLIMBED HILLS for warm up during week-ends. There were very few hills, we didn't climb up. I was known as the man WHO TOOK CHILDREN FOR TREKKING. I didn't mind. I was building their minds and bodies.
Our girls' team was beaten with 32-0 score and the boys team did little better by losing with 28-0. Later, they told us that the other team had FOUR state players playing for them. For a week, I stopped going to the stadium - I was so frustrated.
FUN WAS OK - matches couldn't be won with smiles on our faces. After a week, I came back to the basketball court fully prepared. For one week, I searched in the Library for BASKETBALL COACHING MANUALS. I learnt `man-to-man' marking versus zone defence. I must have read more than twenty books - I even read YMCA's rules of sports and games. I WAS TRAINING MYSELF TO BE A COACH.
Then we got another call from the same team - THEY WERE ASKING - WANT ANOTHER THRASHING? We asked them for two more weeks. They agreed. I do not know what happened in the next fifteen days. I started playing with them - and as I played, I found my three pointers going in - my hook shots started going in and I hardly ever missed my free throws. AND THE KIDS STARTED COPYING ME. Never again I was going to coach again - the best way to coach, I found, was to be in the court - playing with them. They will pick up the `skills' subliminally and it would indeed be SELF LEARNING. I was the best defensive player during my university days - I exactly knew how to steal the ball; and as I went back to my `basket balling days' my children learnt to copy - and to my amazement, some developed little variables on my style. Our confidence grew leaps and bounds. We lost our second match with this team but the scores told the story. Boys 46-32 - Girls 34 - 29!
PART III - Later
Our girls' team was beaten with 32-0 score and the boys team did little better by losing with 28-0. Later, they told us that the other team had FOUR state players playing for them. For a week, I stopped going to the stadium - I was so frustrated.
FUN WAS OK - matches couldn't be won with smiles on our faces. After a week, I came back to the basketball court fully prepared. For one week, I searched in the Library for BASKETBALL COACHING MANUALS. I learnt `man-to-man' marking versus zone defence. I must have read more than twenty books - I even read YMCA's rules of sports and games. I WAS TRAINING MYSELF TO BE A COACH.
Then we got another call from the same team - THEY WERE ASKING - WANT ANOTHER THRASHING? We asked them for two more weeks. They agreed. I do not know what happened in the next fifteen days. I started playing with them - and as I played, I found my three pointers going in - my hook shots started going in and I hardly ever missed my free throws. AND THE KIDS STARTED COPYING ME. Never again I was going to coach again - the best way to coach, I found, was to be in the court - playing with them. They will pick up the `skills' subliminally and it would indeed be SELF LEARNING. I was the best defensive player during my university days - I exactly knew how to steal the ball; and as I went back to my `basket balling days' my children learnt to copy - and to my amazement, some developed little variables on my style. Our confidence grew leaps and bounds. We lost our second match with this team but the scores told the story. Boys 46-32 - Girls 34 - 29!
PART III - Later
HOW I BECAME A BASKETBALL COACH?
The last I had played basketball was when I was 19 during my B.Com days - in Punjab University at CHANDIGARH. Now I can't imagine even one day without BASKETBALL - playing, coaching or writing about it. It is a long story but I will make it as short as possible. When I saw the sports facilities being provided to my son were totally inadequate - I made myself an ALL GAMES COACH! We played football, rugby, handball, athletics, trekking, hill climbing, table tennis and finally the game of our country - CRICKET. As I worked with a very large group of children who became my students, it was easy to see why they were attracted to me - YOU COULD PLAY WHATEVER YOU WANTED TO.
By chance, one day I saw a basketball court very near to my son's school and since I knew the game well - I gravitated towards it. I innovated rules which allowed 100 children to divide into two teams and play the game. WE ENJOYED - but some puritans of basketball didn't like it - WE IGNORED THEM. There were, of course, some basketball players who had see been around for long - THEY LIKED MY WAY. I had introduced the concept of FUN in basketball, which otherwise seemed very boring. So, it was indeed a surprise for the club management when they found more than 80 children wanted to join the summer camp - where, earlier, hardly 15-20 children were force-sent by their parents. And, a journey began for me - when I was politely told that WE HAVE MANY CLUB MEMBERS and that I cannot bring my crowd of children there. I WAS KICKED OUT.
We went back to our football playing - trekking - and other sports. Luckily, a township of a public sector company became my next stop. For almost one year, we did sports the way no one had done earlier. I became a SPORTS SCIENTIST - I discovered methodologies that attracted children. For almost two months, we did EXCITING ATHLETICS - we even had examinations! Ha Ha. IT WAS FUN with capitals. Children just loved it - and I loved children. I had meandered into life thinking less of my business and more of the GAMES. Of course, that cannot be a part of this story.
AND THEN, we found an abandoned basketball court - hardly used, but very nicely made. It belonged to a prestigious research institute. Boldly, we started playing there - but lo behold, the security officer asked whether we were children of the staff. We weren't - so please do not come and play here. From there we went to an engineering college and were again kicked out, because the engineering college students of that college played cricket in the court. A seething anger over the injustice to my students slowly took over. But we wouldn't give up - rather, I WOULDN'T GIVE UP.
Another big public sector company had a beautiful stadium along with a very nice basketball court. Not many played basketball - so the few boys there welcomed us, because they could easily beat our team. It was 7th and 8th students versus PUC students. They enjoyed beating us - we enjoyed playing basketball. Then, a miracle took place. The Secretary, of this club, approached me and asked me if I wanted to be the coach. Anyway, every day, you bring a crowd of children - whom you coach so nicely - so why don't you do it officially. FINALLY I HAD BECOME A RECOGNIZED COACH!
PART II - Later ----
By chance, one day I saw a basketball court very near to my son's school and since I knew the game well - I gravitated towards it. I innovated rules which allowed 100 children to divide into two teams and play the game. WE ENJOYED - but some puritans of basketball didn't like it - WE IGNORED THEM. There were, of course, some basketball players who had see been around for long - THEY LIKED MY WAY. I had introduced the concept of FUN in basketball, which otherwise seemed very boring. So, it was indeed a surprise for the club management when they found more than 80 children wanted to join the summer camp - where, earlier, hardly 15-20 children were force-sent by their parents. And, a journey began for me - when I was politely told that WE HAVE MANY CLUB MEMBERS and that I cannot bring my crowd of children there. I WAS KICKED OUT.
We went back to our football playing - trekking - and other sports. Luckily, a township of a public sector company became my next stop. For almost one year, we did sports the way no one had done earlier. I became a SPORTS SCIENTIST - I discovered methodologies that attracted children. For almost two months, we did EXCITING ATHLETICS - we even had examinations! Ha Ha. IT WAS FUN with capitals. Children just loved it - and I loved children. I had meandered into life thinking less of my business and more of the GAMES. Of course, that cannot be a part of this story.
AND THEN, we found an abandoned basketball court - hardly used, but very nicely made. It belonged to a prestigious research institute. Boldly, we started playing there - but lo behold, the security officer asked whether we were children of the staff. We weren't - so please do not come and play here. From there we went to an engineering college and were again kicked out, because the engineering college students of that college played cricket in the court. A seething anger over the injustice to my students slowly took over. But we wouldn't give up - rather, I WOULDN'T GIVE UP.
Another big public sector company had a beautiful stadium along with a very nice basketball court. Not many played basketball - so the few boys there welcomed us, because they could easily beat our team. It was 7th and 8th students versus PUC students. They enjoyed beating us - we enjoyed playing basketball. Then, a miracle took place. The Secretary, of this club, approached me and asked me if I wanted to be the coach. Anyway, every day, you bring a crowd of children - whom you coach so nicely - so why don't you do it officially. FINALLY I HAD BECOME A RECOGNIZED COACH!
PART II - Later ----
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