Nangai, Nearbys Need Better ‘Groundwork’ for Sports

We all push our kids, who are glued to games on phones, none of us show the way or provide space for big outdoor sporting activities.

Even the paid services offered by some private parties too have limited space. Children and youth are forced to satisfy with space available for only disciplines like badminton, pickle ball, etc. Even hockey and football are played in spaces in the size of a badminton court. In some places cricket too falls in the same ground dimension. Ultimately, such spaces serve only as a venue for past-time activity or weekend relaxation.

While the governments have been promising facilities to patronise and produce medal winners at international levels, they are yet to be born on the ground in full shape. Schools, both government and private, that were allowing children to hone their skills in open field games have now restricted the use owing to specific reasons. Result is Nanganallur and its neighbours are witnessing a drought of national or international talent in these sports for a long time after Shankar, a long time resident of Madipakkam. Though some resident associations seek playgrounds, their tone does not seem to be louder on this front. Many elders and parents restrict themselves do lip-service like advices, reeling out statistics about these sports, recalling prominent players from the locality in the past while watching these games with kids on the TVs.

There are some exceptions who put their wards into an academy and strive to shape them into sportspersons. But it comes at the cost of time, energy and money of all.

An exclusive environment like a sprawling ground is set up at an ideal location for all to reach from Nanganallur, Adambakkam, Madipakkam, Vanuvampet, Ullagaram and TG Nagar, this region can produce talents that can grab headlines as there is no dearth of talent.

Opining that the way sports is being looked upon has changed in recent times, MR Narayanan, Administrative Officer, Chellammal Vidyalaya, says, it is no more an extra-curricular activity or skill, but a passion for many. Institutions must go beyond the allocation of one period (roughly 40 or 45 minutes). They have to go the extra mile in identifying champ element in students and encourage them to produce stalwarts from Nanganallur and nearby places like Adambakkam, Madipakkam, Ullagaram, etc.

For this, he underlined that institutions’ efforts alone won’t suffice, government also should create adequate infrastructure to train and mould talented kids into international champions. That is we need playgrounds of global standards for big games along with proper cover from external disturbance. There are many veterans, who had ruled global stage, in our state itself whose expertise could be used to train up and coming talent.

Local authorities must identify ideal spots to set up playgrounds. In fact, such facilities could also be run under public private partnership (PPP) mode so that funding is not a hurdle for producing sporting giants from Nanganallur and its neighbouring areas.

M Alagesan, IRS, Deputy Chairman of the Tamil Nadu State Volleyball Association (TNSVA) nodded that there was a serious shortage of open spaces in Nanganallur and its neighbouring localities.

Moreover, this is also forcing children and youngsters, who are already have a tight schedule of academic activities, to remain indoors ultimately leading to unhealthy habits and lifestyles. “This is also one of the key reasons for all of us seeking refuge in mobile phones,” says Alagesan.

Further the dwindling space for sports and recreational activities have also led to commercialisation with many facilities operating on a ‘pay and play’ model, he regretted.

Though authorities try to identify land to set up playgrounds and stadia, most of the ideal spots - government lands - are encroached. Because of this problem, even recreational spaces have vanished, the sports expert lamented.

To take up the cause and voice the importance to promote and patronise sporting activities, Alagesan insisted the need for strong and properly functioning sports associations with a team of committed individuals. Apart from this, at least existing playgrounds and sporting facilities must be properly maintained, managed and utilised, he concluded.

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Nanganallur and its neighbouring areas, which are mostly self-reliant for most of their needs from medical care to daily needs, lack adequate facilities to nurture and promote other skills. This shortcoming finds more accent when it comes open field games like cricket, football, hockey and their likes.

Ground/s in the size fitting these games can be hardly listed in any of the areas in and around Nanganallur. Notably, many in the recent past that were catering to the budding talent in these sports have now turned into tall concrete structures taking the apartment avatar or have reshaped themselves into leisure spots for the common public as parks.

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