New goals beckon graduates

Jain Group promise job opportunities to SAI diploma holders

It was a memorable evening for 110 students across 10 disciplines as they received their diplomas in sports coaching at the Sports Authority of India’s Graduation Ceremony here on Friday.

Out of the 121 students enrolled for the course, Chapala Deepthi of Telangana, the former India badminton player, was adjudged the best all-round student for the year 2015-2016. Deepthi, who represented India between 1998 and 2002, was part of the bronze medal winning women’s team at the 1998 Commonwealth Games Kuala Lumpur. 

“Coaching and playing are two entirely different things. I want to give something back to the game. I wanted to obtain a certificate in coaching programme and now I aspire to train the current generation,” said Deepthi. Currently training youngsters in Hyderabad, Deepthi topped in the specialised sports category and the 36-year-old also finished first in two of the sports science subjects (GTMT and Sports Physiology).

Former Asian Games 400M hurdles champion Joseph Abraham was among the athletes coming through the 10-month course. High jumper Sahani Kumari, who had taken up the course, discontinued it owing to her national commitments.

Chenraj Roychand, chairman and founder of Jain Group of Institutions, who was the chief guest, promised that employment opportunities will be provided in the various educational institutions of Jain Group to all those students who fail to obtain job from SAI.

Roger van Gent, the strategic coach of the Indian men’s hockey team, gave valuable insights on the field of coaching to the students. “At the Olympic level, you have to be 1% better than your opponent if you want to win. As a coach, you should be able to provide that 1%.  I have been coaching for the last 30 years and I still learn every day. Sometimes, a coach can learn from watching different sports. I watched ice hockey to learn the pressing techniques, volleyball for the patterns of play, basketball for the patterns of running, and tennis for the one-on-one contest,” explained van Gent.


Toppers: Sports science: GTMT: Pradeep Gopinathan and Chapala Deepthi; Biomechanics: Ankush Katoch; Anthropometry: PR Vijesh; Sports Physiology: R Anjugam, Muhammad Thameem P, Chapala Deepthi, Vijeesh, Ankush Katoch; Sports Psychology: Ankush Katoch.

Toppers: Specialised sports: Athletics: Pradeep Gopinathan; Badminton: Chapala Deepthi; Hockey: Joshan George; Kabaddi: Rose Mary Presilla; Kho-Kho: Manohara CA; Lawn Tennis: Atul Sri Patel; Swimming: M Raghavai; Softball: Rohit; Taekwondo: Davinder Singh; Volleyball: Ankush Katoch.