As a young man, I was often angry that my country was so backward in sports. I used to talk endlessly with my friends about it. Reading the news, watching TV - commenting was our main profession. One day, my wife asked me - YOU TALK SO MUCH, why don't you actually do something. She set me on a journey from which I have never come back. The beginning was very humble - two badminton rackets and a shuttlecock. EVEN TODAY, my efforts are very humble. But I AM ANGRY. There are so many of us - who comment so much on sports - talk endlessly - but never get up from the chair and DO SOMETHING.
YOU CAN DO A LOT. Just go to the playground every day - walk, jog or run. Make someone catch you - IT IS SO JOYOUS! Collect a small group of children - make them play. Give them the JOY they so richly deserve.
I saw an old man exercising in the basketball court. I asked him, if I could join him. WELCOME, he said. Over a period of few days - others joined us. We made a rule - NO ONE WILL TALK during exercise. Today, the group is almost 50 strong and almost FIVE YEARS old.
YOU WILL HAVE MANY REASONS TO - NOT GO TO PLAYGROUND - throw all those reasons in the waste basket. India's future depends on your going to the playground and nothing shall stop you from doing it. The right to comment on others' successes and failures can only then be rightfully yours.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
I SHALL LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED TO SEE MY COUNTRY AS A SUPER SPORTS POWER!
Never mind the impossibility of the task - I shall walk one step at a time. India shall see my experiment of SELF SUSTAINING SPORTS EDUCATION PROGRAMME incorporated in the educational system of a large school.
SPORTS EDUCATION FOR EACH CHILD - UNITS - GROUPS - COMMANDS
A unit of ten children will be mentored by a 7th standard student [FULLY TRAINED FOR THIS ROLE]. A group of ten units [100 students] would be mentored by a 10th standard student [FULLY TRAINED FOR THIS ROLE]. FORTY FOUR GROUP INCHARGES will provide SPORTS EDUCATION to 4400 students. FOUR SPORTS COMMANDERS [SENIOR VOLUNTEERS - EITHER TEACHERS OR EX-STUDENTS OR PROFESSIONAL COACHES OR ? ?]will control ELEVEN GROUPS [1100 students]. The number taken by me is for a specific school in Bangalore. This can be varied according to our choice.
DEVELOPING HAND AND EYE CO-ORDINATION from early child-hood through various fun games. The brighter ones are put on tougher variables. The brightest are pushed to highest levels. Competitions are regularly held to ensure sustained interest.
THE SKIPPING ROPE REVOLUTION - A simple skipping rope can provide endless joy and very high level of fitness. I have seen more than ONE HUNDRED different drills done with the skipping rope. This can be substituted by other materials - small or big balls, rings, batons etc to create enhanced interest.
THE GAMES PERIOD - Proper allocation of at least ONE GAMES PERIOD every day FOR EVERY CHILD in which specific skill enhancement is to be done. This can be complimented by providing weekend activities for different groups at different times. Those who are seriously interested in pursuing for competitive level - they can use extra time on Sundays or holidays.
CHILD DRIVEN PROGRAMME - When a child enjoys the games period - the learning will be enhanced. Initial teething problems must be squarely sorted out. A change in the mindset THAT IT CAN BE DONE must be driven home.
THE ACADEMIC TEACHERS must understand the SPORTS EDUCATION PROGRAMME because without their support it will not succeed. They must be made to understand that SPORTS enhances intelligence and increases focus.
REGULAR EXERCISE would give enormous benefits to the health of the children and we may yet see PARENTS DEMANDING SPORTS FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
These are very sketchy details. An elaborate project report which will mention the minutest details would be prepared very shortly for receiving FEEDBACK and INPUTS.
IF THE MIND IS WILLING THE SKY IS THE LIMIT. I had once conducted an enthralling basketball learning programme for 1300 children. Only recently I conducted a THREE DAY basketball learning programme at J.N.V. LEPAKSHI for 600 students. THIS CAN BE REPLICATED FOR ANY GAME - and by having variety of games - the children have a choice to adopt the game they love.
SPORTS EDUCATION FOR EACH CHILD - UNITS - GROUPS - COMMANDS
A unit of ten children will be mentored by a 7th standard student [FULLY TRAINED FOR THIS ROLE]. A group of ten units [100 students] would be mentored by a 10th standard student [FULLY TRAINED FOR THIS ROLE]. FORTY FOUR GROUP INCHARGES will provide SPORTS EDUCATION to 4400 students. FOUR SPORTS COMMANDERS [SENIOR VOLUNTEERS - EITHER TEACHERS OR EX-STUDENTS OR PROFESSIONAL COACHES OR ? ?]will control ELEVEN GROUPS [1100 students]. The number taken by me is for a specific school in Bangalore. This can be varied according to our choice.
DEVELOPING HAND AND EYE CO-ORDINATION from early child-hood through various fun games. The brighter ones are put on tougher variables. The brightest are pushed to highest levels. Competitions are regularly held to ensure sustained interest.
THE SKIPPING ROPE REVOLUTION - A simple skipping rope can provide endless joy and very high level of fitness. I have seen more than ONE HUNDRED different drills done with the skipping rope. This can be substituted by other materials - small or big balls, rings, batons etc to create enhanced interest.
THE GAMES PERIOD - Proper allocation of at least ONE GAMES PERIOD every day FOR EVERY CHILD in which specific skill enhancement is to be done. This can be complimented by providing weekend activities for different groups at different times. Those who are seriously interested in pursuing for competitive level - they can use extra time on Sundays or holidays.
CHILD DRIVEN PROGRAMME - When a child enjoys the games period - the learning will be enhanced. Initial teething problems must be squarely sorted out. A change in the mindset THAT IT CAN BE DONE must be driven home.
THE ACADEMIC TEACHERS must understand the SPORTS EDUCATION PROGRAMME because without their support it will not succeed. They must be made to understand that SPORTS enhances intelligence and increases focus.
REGULAR EXERCISE would give enormous benefits to the health of the children and we may yet see PARENTS DEMANDING SPORTS FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
These are very sketchy details. An elaborate project report which will mention the minutest details would be prepared very shortly for receiving FEEDBACK and INPUTS.
IF THE MIND IS WILLING THE SKY IS THE LIMIT. I had once conducted an enthralling basketball learning programme for 1300 children. Only recently I conducted a THREE DAY basketball learning programme at J.N.V. LEPAKSHI for 600 students. THIS CAN BE REPLICATED FOR ANY GAME - and by having variety of games - the children have a choice to adopt the game they love.
Friday, July 30, 2010
YOU ARE INVITED - MY DEAR FRIEND - TO A WEEKEND OF GRASS ROOT BASKETBALL
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.
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.
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)