I love sports, and since you’re on this site, it’s a safe bet that you love sports too. Yet when we’re asked if India as a country is where we want it to be when it comes to sports, we say, “Eh, not quite.” Although we are proud of our passion for sport, we are aware that our country is not a pioneering country in terms of sport. There are many things that can be done to improve the standard of sports in India, to produce more Olympic medals and, most importantly, to usher in a fitness culture in the country. Here are some ideas for doing this-
It should be mandatory for every person in the country to run, jog or walk for at least fifteen minutes every morning. Something as small as this can make a big difference. For you to be able to play sports, it is essential to build your basic fitness through running. This would help ward off diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity. It is projected that one in three Indians will be obese by 2030. This is a simple measure that can help prevent this phenomenon.
The best way to develop sport at the local level is to integrate it as an objective to be pursued by schools. The combination that schools have is invaluable: an infrastructure with a structured group of children who attend it. Most schools have an open field and many have at least one basketball court. And they have a few hours a week that they can devote to children’s sports. According to the next five-year plan, it is planned that sport in schools will be taken more seriously at academic level, thus allowing the development of young talents. We are also thinking of initiatives such as sports grades. There is a world of untapped potential in schools, we just need to harness it.
Many children choose sports because of what they watch on television. Increased coverage of sports on television also allows companies to invest in advertising space, which favors the market for this sport. Once potential investors see that a sport has high visibility, they will see it as a viable business in which to invest. Increased coverage of sports on television also creates fans of the sport who then take up the sport for real.
Get businesses involved in the action
India has some of the richest people in the world. Instead of letting them splurge on rich toys, they should direct their spending towards sports. THE Indian Hockey LeagueThe franchises said upfront that they didn’t expect a profit for a few years and that this investment was more of a marketing initiative than something they expected to get a return on. Our sports federations are registered under the Companies Act; profit is not their motivation. The private sector is in the business of monetizing things, they can take sports to the next level because they focus on the long term, not just what they can win today.
Increase the number of facilities that people can use to play sport and increase the accessibility and quality of existing infrastructure. There are many sports for which you just need open space and equipment, but playing any sport in an organized manner requires proper facilities to play. Elite athletes also need adequate facilities to train and push their game to the next level.
Lionizing Indian athletes
People generally prefer to watch the LPE Or NBA on Indian football and basketball. The reason given is that the quality of play is better in these foreign leagues. Well, if you had the choice to watch a match between Manchester United And Arsenal Besides watching your child play a game, which one would you watch? Which one would cheer you up? In my opinion, we just need to make our athletes as familiar as the stars of foreign leagues and establish relationships with them. Sport needs to be better marketed. Maybe the design player profile cards so with just a glance you can know the players, share videos of them in action, do them bigger than lifeand above all, spread their stories and make them easier to understand to the common fan.
Links with foreign organizations directly interested in the development of sport
The NBA has partnered with Mahindra, IMG Reliance and the Basketball Federation of India to develop basketball in India. They provide technical expertise and other support to carry out various activities at the grassroots level and beyond to improve the standard of the game here and spread the love of the game. They have also enabled a trial at the WNBA for Geethu Anna Jose. And Satnam Singh is currently training at IMG Academy in Florida. There are many other foreign organizations whose products sell thanks to the popularity of the sport in which they invest. We should explore as many associations and connections with them as possible.
Place qualified professionals in federation positions instead of honorary members
Many jobs in sports federations are honorary. Many people think they are awarded based on political and personal connections rather than qualifications. If these jobs were more than honorary positions, then the scene would be much cleaner.
Strictly respect age limits
No competition for under 18s should bring together a father with two children. The scourge of over-aged players forcing their way into competitions in which they don’t belong has plagued Indian sport for a very long time. Age limits must be strictly respected if the next generation is to have a chance of getting what is due to them.
People need to participate in competitions that are well organized and have a sustainable structure. A simple one-shot tournament is not completely ineffective, but having well-organized competitions over a long period of time will allow for better development and talent identification. This will also give athletes the opportunity to compete and improve.
Sometimes the scope of a goal seems so vast that we don’t know where to start. These ideas can be taken one small step at a time. Anyway, that’s how things get done, one step at a time.
Here’s a look at the arguments against surplus players:How to improve sport in India – Ending the scourge of overage players
