Friday, March 21, 2008

QUESTIONS FROM PARENTS REGARDING CAMPS

Hello - I am mother of ---- who is studying in IVth standard. Do you think he can attend this camp? Is it safe? This is the first time we are sending her - do you think our child can manage?
I have received enough calls - so I thought I would blog for any parent who may go on the net to see more details.

The camps are being conducted by us for the last three years. We have all facilities that children need for these camps - kitchen, sleeping place, toilet etc.etc. The day normally starts with juice/ragi ganji - followed by basketball sessions - breakfast - a light rest - basketball sessions - lunch - a long rest - basketball sessions - juice/fruit piece - supper - recreational sessions - sleep.
It is a hectic day and children very quickly get used to the time-table.

PHONES ARE A BIG PROBLEM - suddenly they are home-sick; we suggest no phones or at the very least phone only during 8pm - 9pm and talk very briefly. Best is to talk to the Co-ordinator and find out how your child is doing.

WHAT TO BRING - 3-4 sets of clothes, towel, comb etc. One thick bedsheet/blanket
Proper sports shoes-playing shorts & T shirts.

DONOT GIVE money, biscuits, chocolates, fruits etc. Give breakfast for first day which they can eat in addition to what we provide. NO WATCHES - GOLD CHAINS - VALUABLES. Girls should remove all ear-rings, nose studs etc. to avoid injuries.

Your child is taking a giant step in life - the quest for becoming a great sports person - encourage them and we will give them the right start.

SUBHASH MAHAJAN

Friday, March 14, 2008

BASKETBALL EDUCATION FOR SCHOOL STUDENTS IN DISTT.TUMKUR

INTRODUCTION : Indian sports is not able to produce world class players because the rural India does not have proper infrastructure or professional coaching. Having been a Basketball promoter for the last 25 years in Bangalore city - my project SUMPOORNA is to make Distt. Tumkur a `BASKETBALL DISTRICT' of India.

A survey indicated that the Distt. has no public basketball courts, other than the one in Tumkur City and this too has broken in many places. The courts at St. Mary's and SSIT cater to the needs of their own students. Not more than 20 people played the game of basketball and this too very irregularly.

THE GAME PLAN : The campus of SUMPOORNA with a state of the art RCC basketball court was inaugurated in January, 2005. About 100 children from Morarji Desai School, Siddarabetta were the first ones to get training here. This was complimented by providing Clay-court facilities at Govt. PU College, Koratagere - where more than 250 children actively got involved with Basketball. Regular week-end classes and occasionally SUMPOORNA campus camps were organized. Many college students also use these facilities. Koratagere has very good basketball teams in all age groups now. A CEMENT COURT IS BADLY NEEDED HERE!

Subsequently, a shooting board has been put up in Tiptur and Madhugiri where many children utilise it [however, lack of a coach is being felt - we keep searching for volunteers]. TPEO of Chikkanayankanhalli promised a clay-court and immediately we provided them with two shooting boards. We hear the clay-court is being actively used. Approximately 2000 children play the game of basketball in Distt. Tumkur now.

INFRASTRUCTURE: We have requests from other taluks also and we hope in the year 2008 the minimum basic requirement of one clay-court in every taluk would be in place. Requests to BEOs and TPEOs for providing at least `some funds' so that we can provide the balance amount are being regularly made. Training camps can be conducted at taluk headquarters, hobli centres and individual schools who show `interest'.

TRAINING : SUMPOORNA will recruit and train young sportsmen/women from local areas and depute them as TRAINEE BASKETBALL COACHES. After acquiring sufficient knowledge they could be employed by schools on part-time basis [if they are pursuing higher studies] or full time basis as SUMPOORNA BASKETBALL COACHES. The most promising players would be integrated into the SPORTS HOSTELS run by SPORTS AUTHORITY OF INDIA and at a future date play for the STATE or COUNTRY.

FUTURE: A grass -root sports revolution in one game can help other games too. We would be conducting various tournaments to sustain the interest in Basketball. A synergic relationship between school managements and SUMPOORNA has already worked wonders - Govt PU College, Koratagere; Morarji Desai School, Siddarabetta; St Mary's School, Bishop Sargent School, Tumkur; Govt High School, Nonavinkere; Govt. High School, Chikkanayakanahalli - are examples of what can be done.

CONCLUSION : Rural children have very good physical fitness and if they are given opportunity to play CITY GAMES they can definitely give the urbanites a run for their money. However, the crying need for infrastructure and `professional coaching' must be addressed. SUMPOORNA DEDICATES ITSELF FOR THESE AND INVITES PARTNERS IN THIS PROJECT.

SUBHASH MAHAJAN 080-99808 30145

PROJECT SUMPOORNA - PROMOTION OF BASKETBALL IN 2008

The Headmaster/Principal 15-3-2008

KIND ATTENTION : PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER

You are well aware that we have been promoting the game of Basketball for the last three years. We will be conducting various camps as detailed below and request you to become a proactive parter with us in this unique venture.

RESIDENTIAL SUMMER CAMPS at SUMPOORNA camps and fee of Rs. includes all charges and transportation charges. Each camp is for 5 days.

29-3-2008 to 2-4-2008 [GIRLS' CAMP]
5-4-2008 to 9-4-2008 [BOYS' CAMP]
12-4-2008 to 16-4-2008[BOYS' & GIRLS' COMBINED CAMP]
19-4-2008 to 23-4-2008[TRAINEE COACHES & SENIOR PLAYERS CAMP]

The camps will also be conducted on the following dates and registration is open:
26-4-2008 to 30-4-2008 12-5-2008 to 16-5-2008
19-5-2008 to 23-5-2008 26-5-2008 to 30-5-2008

Maximum intake is 40 students at a time. We invite bulk booking by school authorities in which case two adults may accompany the group at no extra cost.

SUMPOORNA provides full technical expertise and guidance to create your schools' basketball courts [at cost] and part time coaches during the full academic year. However, these residential camps provide very intensive coaching and gives the students a good headstart. PLEASE DONOT MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY AND MOTIVATE the students as also their parents to send them for these camps.

Most of the students trained in these camps have already become very good players and have participated in district and divisional level competitions. This game helps develop good health and makes the children courageous.

INDIA'S SPORTS DEVELOPMENT CANNOT TAKE PLACE UNLESS EACH AND EVERY CHILD IS GIVEN PROFRESSIONAL COACHING - PLEASE JOIN US IN THIS UNIQUE VENTURE - WE ASSURE YOU OF OUR BEST EFFORTS.

SUBHASH MAHAJAN 99808 30145

INVITING BASKETBALL TRAINEE COACHES

SUMPOORNA is spearheading a unique sports revolution in promoting Basketball learning among rural children of Distt. Tumkur for the last three years. We have been ably assisted by youth as `TRAINEE COACHES' during all our programmes.

TRAINEE COACHES are young persons having basic knowledge of Basketball who

a. Help us in training programmes for the beginners.
b. Improve their own game under the guidance of senior coaches.
c. Develop their personality through interaction with other people of their age.

Volunteers who wish to collaborate with us may kindly send their name, contact phone number and the date from which they are available. We intend to place some of our trainee coaches in schools nearby their place of residence from June 2008.

NOTE:

1. All expenses [boarding, loding and travelling] will be met by us.
2. An official track suit would be provided for those who complete the course.
3. Certificate would be issued.

SUBHASH MAHAJAN

Saturday, March 8, 2008

BASKETBALL COURT FOR BISHOP SARGENT SCHOOL, TUMKUR - CEMENT COURT!

Mrs Thomas is enthusiastic - the children are excited - and I think I will totally freak out. Finally the RCC basketball court for 1500 students is going to be a reality. The tranquility of this school will now be galvanized into learning a `sport' in a professional manner.

AND THIS OPPORTUNITY that God has bestowed upon me is so profound that I donot have enough words.

SO BE IT! The children of Bishop Sargent School and the other school teams that would come here would be given a state of the art Basketball Court - the sound of the children playing shsssssh - GOD IS AT WORK!