ASI,SAI join hands to train youths

There are 15 Boy’s Sports Companies with various centres set up all over India. They conduct specific selection trials in the cities and send their best athletes to the ASI for further training.

“Our aim is to win international medals and nothing less. The select few athletes are sent from the various centres to the ASI,they are then put through a meticulous evaluation process and then only those candidates who have the calibre are selected,” said Col Satpal Ahlawat,commandant of the ASI. Those picked are generally 10-12 years of age,the commandant added. “It takes a systematic training procedure of at least 8-10 years to produce an Olympic champion. The training given depends a lot on the discipline they are involved in and the age group to which they belong. After such an evaluation is done,each one is given his specific training regimen. During their time here,all their expenses like that of boarding and food is taken care of by us. We make sure that they are given training and equipment of world standard. We under take lifestyle training,which involves advising the players as to how to deal with the pressures of the game and other such psychological aspects. We also take care of their education and see to it that they pass their tenth standard. After their tenth,we give them the freedom of pursuing their career of interest and provide the necessary help”,said Ahlawat.This scheme has been successful in producing champions at the world stage. Thokchom Nanao Singh,first boxing world champion from India,is a product of this scheme. “Thokchom Nanao Singh is the biggest success from this programme. Most of the boxers,wrestlers and the weightlifters from the Commonwealth Youth Games who won medals have been a part of this programme. Rakesh Kalaskar,who is currently in Berlin for the International Boxing Championships is also a part of this scheme. He is showing tremendous promise and looks good to win an Olympic medal in 2012”,Ahlawat said.

There are,however,certain obstacles,which hinder the smooth working of the programme. “Even though we train these youngsters,they have to go through the archaic selection process. They first go through the state selection process and then the national selection. The national federations then conduct a level of training,which is of a much lower standard,and this hampers the progress of the athletes. It disturbs the patterns that we had set for their development. Another problem that we face with this scheme is related to the athletes hunger for success. Sometimes if the athletes achieve success at the world stage early in life,they are content with it and lack the desire to achieve higher laurels. At such times it becomes difficult to achieve the goal of winning an Olympic medal,” said Ahlawat.