A first step forward for over 80,000 talented student athletes, a stage set for the millions of other young aspiring sportspersons of the country Sports in India has gained a new definition recently with many different sports leagues catching the attention, yet India still punches well below average when it comes to Olympics and other important international sports events. Have we ever wondered why? Is it the lack of facilities? Is it the lack of talent? Is it the lack of coaches? Is it the lack of a professional sporting experience from a young age? Is it the non-seriousness at school levels towards sports? There is no one real answer to this but perhaps, it is a mix of all these factors. Even though there is a growing awareness of including sports education as a compulsory subject in Indian schools, there lie some endemic obstacles which are preventing its growth trajectory. Current Scenario of School Sports: In India, sports are not considered as profession, and hence investment by schools as well as by parents for excellence in sports is limited. Though today’s education system has made sports education a compulsory subject, in practice it is yet to get the seriousness and importance. There is a dearth of qualified coaches- Coach training programmes are not encouraged in India and as a result schools lack trained coaches. There are not enough infrastructure or sports facilities in the school premises. Sports should be stopped to be looked upon as a gateway to admissions or better grades or attendance fulfillment due to missed classes. Passion towards sports has to be instilled since the early days of players. Sports as a part of early life: The schools in India should make sports mandatory for students in order to promote sports. Not only do sports instil team effort and learning through the game, it’s also the best way to keep a young mind engaged and healthy and attain healthy body weight. Sports inculcate qualities like leadership, discipline, sharing, team work, honesty, team spirit, tolerance and many more among the students. Providing the best facilities to players at school level will encourage participation and interest in sports. Where Indian Students Stand: India is a land of talent where one sees many budding sport stars in the narrow gullies of small towns. However a lot of these young talents hang up their sporting shoes at an early age because they don’t get a chance to come to the forefront or they lack the experience of playing professional sports. These talents need to be identified, they need to be given a platform to showcase their sporting prowess, they need to be enhanced and guided by showing the way out to excel in their sporting skills. Need of the Hour: Whatever it takes, schools in India need to make an extra effort to promote sports at the grass roots. Competitions and tournaments at the grass roots should be conducted often to help find star talents and then work on their strengths, turning them into…
