Netball: Ghaziabad brigade now on mission National Games

Prachi Tehlan who was the captain of the Indian netball team in the Commonwealth Games says that she plans to continue in the game in which she tried her hands about two years ago. “I was more into basketball when I was asked to play in netball at an inter-college meet. I kept practising netball and owing to my height,I was able to secure a berth for myself in the India camp. I have completed my B. Com honours and presently I am pursuing a Post Graduate diploma from IMT Ghaziabad. Frankly speaking,though today I am not sure about what career I am going to take up but I have definitely fallen in love with the game of netball and plan to take it seriously in the near future.”

Be it Prachi,Neha,Megha, Priya or Indu,the zeal to prove themselves in the game is quite inspiring. Neha said that though they were happy to see their names in the UP team probables list announced for the National Games today,however,they will be really delighted if the team now wins a gold at the National Games.

Their coach Amit Sharma who interestingly also represented Ghaziabad in the men’s section at the State Games and his name figures in the UP men’s team probables is confident of a good show from the team. “The list of probables features some very talented players. UP expects main challenge from Haryana. We aim to win golds in the men’s and the women’s section. In the last senior nationals held at Jaipur in 2009,UP had occupied the top spot in both the men’s and the women’s section.”

Asked about the dominance of Ghaziabad in netball,Amit said,“At the Mahamaya sports stadium at Ghaziabad,training in netball is held round the year. After cricket,netball is the most popular sport there.”

The preparatory camps in netball for the National Games will be held at Ghaziabad from February 4 to 17 after which the UP netball teams will be announced on February 18. Netball event starts at the National Games from February 20.