I HAVE OFTEN THOUGHT OF GIVING UP - BUT SOMEHOW I CAN'T

Promoting the game of basketball for the last THIRTY ODD YEARS has taken its toll on me. The rewards have been NON-EXISTENT - other than the warm smiles of my students. And when I see lakhs of crores being looted in the name of `PROMOTING SPORTS' - I feel cheated. Some of the elite schools have built beautiful courts on which hardly ten to fifteen people play the game. Almost all publicly accessible basketball courts are abused by all and sundry - no maintenance is done.

BUT THE WORST THING is the lack of MOTIVATED COACHES. There are plenty who `coach' but they have other agendas on their mind. I have seen it all and I shudder with fear for the children who are `guided' by such coaches. AND THAT IS ONE REASON I have continued coaching - in the hope that at least I could help few children get the right type of education from this game.

The clubs take their coaches for granted - there is hardly any motivation - the parents send their children to `while away their holidays' - those few who have learnt few skills - refused to learn more - and are on a EGOISTIC FLIGHT to a dark hell. They hate everyone and are not the role models that they should be.

I HAVE BEEN TEACHING LESSER AND LESSER OF BASKETBALL and more and more of ATTITUDE - because that helps in promoting the game in a right way. There are many who donot agree with me. I couldn't care less. This is my way - and I am not ready to give up yet. But some time when I am alone - I FEEL the need of GOOD BASKETBALL COACHES to be of primary importance - especially for the younger children who need this game as much as the GAME NEEDS THEM!