Training kids to be champions schools

The programme, called "Sport It", was introduced last November following a week-long workshop of PT teachers of various schools conducted by Australian teachers. It is geared to students in the six-to-ten years age group and focuses on basic skills such as throwing, catching, dribbling, kicking and running. Each child attends two 30-minute sessions each week. The aim is to enhance fundamental sports skills at an early age.

Physical development, personal health and fitness of students, creative use of leisure time are the listed benefits and group work is the method.

The equipment is child-sized: mini cricket bats and mini football, and basketball hoops set according to their height.

The programme is a paid service offered by a Patiala-based company, Active Sports Pvt Ltd. According to its executive, Kuldeep Singh: "Step one is to upgrade sports teachers’ skills, who would start by implementing the same to the primary students. We’ll hold a workshop in July".

Brother D’Abreu observes: "PT class has always been an unstructured period, which the students treat as a free period. Boys kick the ball around and enjoy themselves, without learning any skill. This programme sees to it that the students have fun and learn. Presently we are making use of whatever we have, but we aim to get one set for each child," he says.

"The technique involves five minutes of warm up exercise, then intensive practise in a particular skill, followed by a cooling down so the pupils are tuned to the classroom again," says a Vivek High School sports teacher. The Vivek kids are learning ball control these days.

However, Yadvindra Public School principal H. S. Dhillon sounds a cautious note, describing the programme as very new and still at the experiment stage. YPS sports teacher Praveen Singha adds: "Our students, from class I to XII, play almost every game, including horse riding, squash, football, hockey, cricket and volleyball as part of the curriculum. YPS is far ahead than the other schools in sports and the students follow international rules and regulations under close monitoring of a coach".