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Carrom aims for a younger image
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With the National School Games including carrom in its annual meet, the sport is set for a revival. The State and District associations have also planned new tournaments to attract the kids, says STAN RAYAN
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TEEN TIME is a confusing phase. Studies, career plans and the first strains of a possible romance send your mind in a whirl. Thodupuzha's Darwin C. Dominic, probably, is in the midst of some such turbulent phase.
The tall and slim youngster is an all rounder of sorts. He is good at badminton, basketball and carrom, but isn't sure which one to take up seriously.
The 15-year-old, a 10th standard student of Thodupuzha's De Paul Higher Secondary School, has represented Idukki in all the three games but his best results have come in carrom.
Darwin completed a hat trick of triumphs in the junior section of the Palarivattom YMCA State-level carrom tournament in Kochi the other day. He is also a regular at the Sub-junior Nationals, though he hasn't got past the league phase even once.
Darwin took up the board game four years ago when the Thodupuzha YMCA conducted a coaching camp for kids. And when he won an inter-school tourney near his home, carrom caught his fancy. "I love carrom but I like basketball very much too,'' said the youngster whose tall frame appears ideal for basketball and badminton.
Unfortunately, the Kerala Sports Council (KSC) does not recognise carrom as a sport. It has not granted affiliation to the indoor board game, though the All India Carrom Federation is affiliated to the Indian Olympic Association.
"We had applied for the KSC affiliation even last year, but unfortunately, we haven't got it yet,'' said the Kerala State Carrom Association secretary P. Raveendran.
For the low-profile sport which often depends on Government grants for survival in neighbouring States like Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, this is a big handicap. "The financial burden is one reason why we conduct just the State senior championship annually and not the State junior or sub-junior championships. We just hold trials for the juniors and sub-juniors and select a team before the Nationals,'' said Mr. Raveendran, who is with the Life Insurance Corporation of India in Thiruvananthapuram.
Which could be just one reason why the sport does not attract many young kids. But with the National School Games including carrom in its scheme of things, the State association expects many youngsters to take to carrom. If not for anything, at least for the marks the National School Games medals could add to the SSLC examination total.
The exciting prospect has also spurred the State association into action. "We have decided to conduct the State junior and sub-junior championships this year,'' revealed Mr. Raveendran, which should be very good news for talented boys like Darwin.
With the Ernakulam District Carrom Association also planning a schools event this year, clearly, there could be many fresh faces matching wits over the board.
The rules of international carrom underwent a massive change a few years ago and now thumbing is permitted, which has made the sport easier to play and quicker to finish. "Unfortunately, though there are many clubs in Kochi, especially in Fort Kochi, conducting carrom tournaments, many do not allow thumbing and prefer the base game, where players pile up the opponent's coins at his base, making the sport tougher and time-consuming,'' says Prasoon, a State referee and a guest lecturer at the Government High School, Elamakkara.
Ernakulam's P. K. Shanvar and Alappuzha's K. K. Anees are the two leading lights of Kerala carrom today in the senior section. Anees is the current State men's champion, while Shanvar is a former three-time Kerala winner. Shanvar defeated Anees and lifted the men's trophy at the Palarivattom YMCA tourney.
Anees, who came to the State scene just four years ago, is a hardworking player who mixes offence and defence, while Shanvar is more aggressive and creative, attempting new angles to the pocket each time.
The last two State senior finals were contested by these two businessmen. Surely, they would be looking forward to some bright young faces across the board too.
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