The Hindu : Sport : Speed Kid - a multi-faceted training programme launched

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Tuesday, Jan 12, 2010
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Speed Kid - a multi-faceted training programme launched

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: ‘Speed Kid’, a multi-faceted training programme in sports for children aged between 5 to 11 years, launched at the Bhupathi Tennis Village here on Monday.

Explaining the concepts of the programme, Krishna Bhupathi, its Director, said that it focuses on the foundation phase of athletic development in children.

The programme will cater to development of basic skills needed for a young athlete and help the coach and parents to identify the sports, which their ward is best suited and opt for a higher level of training in the chosen sport.

“We tend to push the children into a sport for which they are not suited. Our programme should give them a right perspective,” added Bhupathi.

Noted physio Shayamal Vallabjee, who has been a trainer with the Indian hockey and cricket squads and Mahesh Bhupathi, has devised a comprehensive programme.

Shayamal said that his programme will take the children step by step to understand their body mechanism, teach them correct footwork with lateral and multi-directional movement and reaction training.

Swimming will be part of the training to increase the lung capacity of the wards while basic skills’ training in football, hockey, tennis, badminton, basketball and mini golf would also be taught.

Specialist inputs

“We also have specialists, like Ashwini Nachappa (athletics), Prakash Padukone (badminton), Ashish Ballal (hockey) and KSCA coaches (cricket), providing their inputs in training,” said Bhupathi.

One of the chief guests, former Olympian M.P. Ganesh, while praising the programme said “when we were youngsters there were not many around to teach the right way. We just went and played. This sort of programme will help children to become truly a better sportsperson.”

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