Developing personality along with cricket

NEW DELHI, June 30: Ten-year-old Rajesh Kumar had the habit of switching on the cartoon channel as soon as he got up from bed in the morning...

NEW DELHI, June 30: Ten-year-old Rajesh Kumar had the habit of switching on the cartoon channel as soon as he got up from bed in the morning. Sandeep8217;s parents were a worried lot because their son never used to take his meals properly. They had to coax and struggle with him for hours to feed him.

But the last one month has seen a sea-change in the habits of these two boys, and several others. The motivation: a month-long cricket coaching camp they along with 94 other school students in the 8-14 age group are attending at the Government School, G Block, Vikaspuri. Now, Rajesh promptly gets ready in his white uniform for the camp. Sandeep8217;s appetite for food as well as learning the game too has increased.

This camp, being conducted by the Physical Education Congress PEC, a voluntary body which is committed to the promotion of sports and games at the grassroot level, is run free of cost, unlike the numerous other similar camps and clinics where a substantial amount of money is taken. PEC has been organising several sports events in the Capital, including A.K. Singh memorial basketball, S.S. Jadhav memorial volleyball, B.L. Puri memorial hockey, Limca soccer all for school boys and girls.

The cricket camp, currently being run by PEC at Vikaspuri, is being attended by 96 youngsters with a couple of boys from Agra. In fact, Devender Joshi of Agra is so impressed by the camp that he has decided to take admission in a Delhi school to further his prospects in the game.

The camp is being conducted morning and evening sessions jointly by K.B. Sehgal Kendriya Vidyalaya coach, A.N. Sharma and PBL Mathur. The boys are taught the basics on two matting and two cemented tracks. 8220;Turf wickets are not possible because of the cost involved in preparing and maintaining them,8221; A.N. Sharma said.

The coaches, however, are more than satisfied with their trainees. 8220;When they came to us many of them, in the 8-10 age group, did not even know how to hold a bat. Now most of them are capable of making it to their school teams,8221; Sehgal said.

And once the schools reopen after summer holidays, the organisers plan to conduct the camp after school hours.

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8220;The response to the camp was overwhelming. In fact, we had to turn away a few enthusiastic parents who had come with their 5-6 year-old kids as they were too young to be coached,8221; Mukesh Kohli, the brain behind the fees-free camp said.