Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Committed, he moves on...
|
It's quite a task for R. Chandran, who manages four basketball clubs that train dozens of youngsters.
|
It's the ones like him who help keep the sport going in the city. Driven by passion, it's about giving back to the game — from which he derived so much pleasure — in whatever little way possible. And so, he manages four basketball clubs at the Corporation playground, Venkatanarayana Road (T. Nagar) and has 70 youngsters — 30 of them girls — training there. Quite a task, actually.
But then, trust R. Chandran to put in the effort: be it about being present at the court at 4.30 a.m. during the summer camp or patiently teaching the seven-year-olds and above the nuances of the game all year round.
The fourth edition of the Shree Raghavendra BC inter-collegiate tournament for boys and girls, which his club conducts, concluded early this week. And it was nice to see his wards take responsibility of the conduct of the event — be it arranging the chairs, ushering in the guests, managing the scoreboards or helping out at the official table.
It is interesting that Chandra, as he is known in basketball circles, chose to conduct an annual inter-collegiate meet, for inter-collegiate sport is usually conducted by colleges, for whom the overheads, like providing board and lodge to outstation players, work far less.
"I wanted college players to gain exposure; it helps them get appointments. There are not many inter-collegiate tournaments. If you notice, guest players that leading teams in the State (semi-professional sides like banks) are drafting are college boys," said the 30-year-old, who has coached the junior State and mini State teams in the past.
"Competition at this level is keen. Finding sponsorship is very tough, for the star attraction, which, say, a state-level or an all-India inter-club tournament provides is missing. But then, friends, well-wishers, including physical directors of various schools and colleges (especially St. Joseph's Engineering), not to forget the Tamil Nadu Basketball Association, help us tide over it."
This year the event drew 15 teams in the boy's section and 12 teams in the girl's section, of which five teams were from Thanjavur and Coimbatore. The out-station sides were provided with lodging and daily bata.
"We scrounge to make ends meet, but the satisfaction of seeing the college boys and girls enjoy their basketball is satisfying," he concluded with a smile on his lips.
SANJAY RAJAN
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
|
