Any time of year is the right time to impress your friends, family, teammates, or coaches with your sports knowledge. Here, we uncover a mass of interesting factoids about your favorite sports and iconic Indian athletes that continues to fascinate and bring joy to millions across the country and around the world.

These facts are worth their weight in gold, so prepare to dazzle your friends when you share these obscure yet fascinating tidbits.

1) When Kabaddi floored Hitler & Co. at the Olympics

Adored by many here and enigma to outsiders, Kabaddi may now be a stranger sport to the Olympic stage, but many don’t know that Kabaddi first received its international exposure when India demonstrated the sports during the 1936 Olympic in Berlin and left Adolf Hitler and the Olympic Committee members in awe with their kabaddi moves.

2) Payyoli Express

Popularly known as the ‘Queen of Indian track and field’, PT Usha was the youngest Indian woman to participate in Olympics. At the age of 16 years and 69 days, she competed at the Moscow Olympics in 1980.

She was also the first Indian woman sprinter to reach the final of an Olympic track event.

3) Staggering Sharath

Paralympian swimmer Sharath Gayakwad currently holds the record for the most number of medals won by an Indian at any multi-disciplinary sporting event.

Sharath achieved this in the 2014 Asian Para Games by winning six medals.

4) The multi-talented cricket star

Indian Women’s Cricket team’s star opener and fan-favorite Jemimah Rodrigues is also a great hockey player and has represented Mumbai & Maharashtra Hockey teams in the U17 level before switching to competitive cricket.

5) The father of Indian Cycling

Apart from being an actor, production designer, writer, Jankidas Mehra is also a champion cyclist who broke eight world records between 1934 and 1942.

He was the first Indian to have hoisted India’s national flag (pre-independence) at the World Sports Congress. He was also the founder of the Cycling Federation of India.

6) Olympic Pioneers

Nilima Ghose, Mary D’Souza, Dolly Nazir, and Arati Saha were independent India’s first women representatives at the Olympics.

The quartet represented India at the 1952 Helsinki Games.

7) Queen of the court

PV Sindhu is the first and only Indian to become the Badminton World Champion and only the second individual athlete from India to win two consecutive medals at the Olympic Games.

8) Lionhearted cricketer

Kapil Dev, who is inarguable, India’s greatest ever all-rounder has never missed a cricket match due to an injury. He, of course, has missed matches and also was dropped once but has not missed a single match owing to an injury.

9) Mecca of Indian Hockey

Sansarpur, a village with a population of 4600 in Jalandhar, Punjab has produced 14 Olympians who went on to win 27 medals for India in Field Hockey. In one particular Olympics, 7 players were from this village alone.

10) First Indian to play for Tottenham Hotspur

The 20-year-old footballer Dilan Markanday is the first British-Asian – as well as the first player of Indian descent to play for the English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspurs.

11) Almighty!

Shilaroo Hockey Stadium located in Himachal Pradesh is the world’s highest-altitude hockey stadium at around 8,000 feet (almost 2,500 meters above sea level) and is surrounded by Narkanda and Hatu Peaks.

12) The man with the ‘golden arm’

Neeraj Chopra became the household name when he clinched India’s first-ever gold medal in athletics at the Olympics, but did you know the youngster also holds other accolades such as – first-and-only Indian to win World Junior Championships gold, Asian Games gold, Commonwealth Games gold, Asian Championships gold and South Asian Games gold medals.

Neeraj is truly a different beast with a javelin spear in his hand.

13) The golden age of Indian Hockey

In 1926, the India Hockey team toured New Zealand and played 21 matches of which India scored 192 goals and conceded only 25.

14) Quickfire

Indian football legend IM Vijayan holds the record of scoring the sixth-fastest goal (12 sec) in the history of international football. It was against Bhutan in the 1999 SAF Games.

15) A pioneer in Indian badminton

Prakash Padukone was the first Indian to win a hat-trick of Grand Prix titles including the Swedish Open, Danish, and All England crowns – all in quick succession.

16) Singh is King

Singh is the most common surname among Indian Hockey Players. Once during a match, a foreign journalist in his dispatch wrote, “Singh initiated the move. After dodging past a defender, Singh passed the ball to Singh, who centered it to Singh and Singh scored the goal with a reverse flick”.

17) India’s first-ever Olympic medal winner

Norman Pritchard who was the only Indian who participated in the Olympics of 1900 and bagged 2 silver medals was the first Asian-born to win an Olympic medal. Later, he went on to become an actor in LA in the name Norman Trevor.

18) Flying Sikh

The title of ‘Flying Sikh’ was bestowed upon Captain Milkha Singh by General Ayyub Khan of Pakistan after he beat Pakistan’s star athlete Abdul Khaliq in the 200m dash in Lahore.

19) Dravid spent 735 hrs 52 mins at the crease

Rahul Dravid has faced more deliveries; spent more time at the crease while batting than any other batsman in the history of Test cricket. Throughout his Test career, Dravid has faced 31,258 deliveries (5209 overs and roughly 735 hours 52 minutes) – a world record.

No other batsman has faced 30,000 deliveries.

20) India’s first female Winter Olympian

Shailaja Kumar was India’s first female Olympian. She participated in Alpine Skiing at the Calgary 1988 Winter Olympics, finishing 28th in the women’s slalom event.

21) The mercurial Hockey legend

Dhanraj Pillay, one of the greatest hockey players India ever had, is unsurprisingly also the only Indian to have played 4 World Cups, 4 Olympics, 4 Champions Trophies, and 4 Asian games.

22) Abhinav Bindra’s career almost ended before he won the Olympic gold

In 2006, after the Melbourne Commonwealth Games, Abhinav Bindra had a career-threatening spinal injury but went through vigorous rehabilitation to change his posture. He won gold in the Beijing Olympics in 2008 after overcoming this injury.

23) Openers at the Lords honors board

Only 3 Indian openers have scored a century at the Home of Cricket – Lord’s: Vinoo Mankad, Ravi Shastri, and KL Rahul.

Vinoo Mankad was also the first non-English player to grace the Lord’s honor board.

24) The game of snooker was born in India

The game of snooker was accidentally invented in Jabalpur, India by a lieutenant of the British Army, Neville Chamberlain, in 1875. But it took more than 100 years before India had its first professional in the sport.

25) Blazing his own trail

Pankaj Advani is the only player in the world to win world titles in both long and short formats of snooker (15 red standard and 6 red) and both formats of English Billiards (Time and Point).

26) Conceding goals while signing autographs is not for everyone

As crazy as it may sound, Indian Hockey goalkeeper Richard Allen has the record of conceding just two goals in three Olympic Games. Apparently, he conceded one goal while signing autographs; in which the India men’s team won 24-1 and another was a rebounded effort in the finals of 1936, India won 8-1.

27) World’s third oldest and Asia’s oldest football tournament

Durand Cup is the third oldest football competition in the world. The prestigious Indian football tournament was first held in 1888, is also the oldest in Asia.

28) Indian Boxing queen

Mary Kom is the only woman to become a world amateur boxing champion for a record six times. And the only woman boxer to have won a medal in each of the seven world championships.

29) An untainted legacy

Atanu Bhattacharya is the only Indian to win a place in the Asian All-Stars XI. He was part of the Asian All-Stars in 1984. Interestingly, he played for our Indian team and then got a call for the Bengal team that later won the Santhosh Trophy.

30) Paving the way

Nikki Pradhan is the first woman hockey player from Jharkhand to represent India at the Olympics.

31) First Indian woman to win two medals at Paralympics

Ace para-shooter Avani Lekhara is not only the first Indian woman ever to win a gold medal at the Paralympics but also the first Indian woman to win two Paralympic medals.

32) Fastest Drag Flick record in Hockey

Nicknamed as ‘Flicker Singh’, Sandeep Singh holds the world record for the fastest drag flick in Hockey history with the speed of 145 km per hr.

33) Once a perennial contender

India became the first Asian nation to reach the Olympics football semi-final after thrashing Australia 4-2 on December 1, 1956.

34) Independent India’s first individual Olympic medallist

Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav was the first Olympic medallist of Independent India. He won a bronze medal in Wrestling at the 1952Summer Olympics and remains to be the only Olympic medallist who hasn’t been honored with the Padma awards.

35) Remember when the Olympics used to have an art competition…

Art was a part of the Olympic games until the 1948 Olympics and Chintamani Kar a sculptor from West Bengal won a silver medal for Great Britain.

36) Disguised boy to wonder girl

Teenage Cricketer Shafali Verma’s father disguised her as a boy to get her enrolled in a cricket academy in Rohtak, which refused to admit any girls.

37) First Indian shuttler to win a title abroad

Nandu Natekar was the first Indian sportsperson to be conferred with Arjuna Award. He was also the first Indian to win an International tournament when he clinched the Sellinger International title in Malaysia in 1956.

38) Hattrick hero

Neville D’ Souza was the first Asian footballer to score a hattrick in an Olympic Games. He was also the joint highest goal scorer at 1956

39) Father-son duo to win an Olympic medal

Singhs and Paes’ are the only father-son duo to win an Olympic medal.

Dhyan Chand Singh’s exploits on the hockey field won India three consecutive Olympic golds in 1928, 1932, and 1936. His son Ashok Kumar won the bronze medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

Paes’s family has bagged two Olympic medals for the nation. Leander Paes won a Bronze medal at the 1996 Atlanta games while his father Vice Paes had won a Bronze medal in Hockey during the 1972 Munich games.

40) One of the true legends of Indian Cricket

Vijay Hazare led India to its first-ever win in 1952 against England in Madras.

He also has dismissed Sir Don Bradman twice.

41) To give a greater degree of control over the playing surface

The 1975 edition was the last time a Hockey World Cup was played on natural grass. Since then, field hockey has switched to AstroTurf, changing the nature of the game.

42) Passion that Prevails

Mary initially kept her interest in boxing a secret from her father. Her family didn’t know about her interest in boxing till a newspaper published her photo.

43) Indian Basketball Hall of Fame

Abbas Moontasir was the first Indian basketball player to be named in the Asian All-Star team after a brilliant showing in the 1970 Asian Games in Bangkok.

44) Sunil Chhetri’s mum played for the Nepal national team

Football runs deep in Sunil Chhetri’s family. His mother Sushila Chhetri his aunts, and twin sisters have played for the Nepal women’s national team in the past. As a matter of fact, Chhetri’s father KB Chhetri, who was employed with the Indian Army, played football for the Services.

45) First Indian married couple took part in Olympics

Indian archers Atanu Das and Deepika Kumari, who tied the knot last year were the first Indian couple to take part in the same discipline in an Olympic Games.

46) The flying Indian

Jimmy George, who is arguably the greatest ever Volleyball player that India produced, was the first Indian to play professional Volleyball successfully in Europe.

47) The Scottish clubs and Indian football connection

In 1936, Mohammed Salim became the first Indian man to play overseas football when Celtic FC signed him. 84 years later, in 2020, Rangers FC signed Bala Devi, making her the first Indian woman selected to play football overseas.

48) Anju Bobby George’s leap into history books

Anju Bobby George was the first Indian medallist at the World Athletics Championships when she took the long jump (6.70 m) bronze in Paris in 2003.

49) A record to be proud of

India’s Balbir Singh holds a record of maximum goals in an Olympic final when he scored 5 goals in India’s 6-1 win against the Netherlands. The record is still unbeaten.

50) Don Bradman and Dhyan Chand once met

Don Bradman after watching India’s hockey game at Adelaide in May 1935 told Dhyan Chand: “You score goals like runs in cricket.”

Olympic Games.

Congratulations, you’ve officially made it to the end. You can now safely call yourself a full-time sports geek.

The post 50 Interesting facts that you might not have known about Indian Sports appeared first on The Sports School.

Quality of life is a convincing reason that adolescents must participate in sports. Regular activity promotes development and enhances health and quality of life. It encourages cardiovascular activity, facilitates healthier bone, tissues, muscles, and ligaments along with tendon formation, enhances concentration and focus, boosts metabolism, and, as a consequence, helps minimize the obesity epidemic in children. But, aside from fitness, where are the other motives for getting one’s kid into sports? Here are some of the top five reasons why every child should play a sport.

Success In Academics

Studies have found that youngsters who participate in sports do very well in school. A study conducted by a trusted source Institute of Medicine has found that “kids who are far more involved in sports are more attentive, have quicker information processing speeds, also respond higher on standardized tests and academic tests than adolescents who are somewhat less active.” The study goes on to show children playing sports are more adept at following class curriculum and instructions.

Fitness Through Fun

Sport offers kids a community to be part of and peers with shared ambitions and desires. It improves their muscles, decreases depression, creates consciousness, and increases their cardiac output, reducing the widespread obesity epidemic in children. Over everything, the impressions made while playing any sport last forever.

Team Work And Sportsmanship

The Sports School understands how putting one’s kid into sports from an early age helps them develop a sense of leadership while playing with their peers and developing an interpersonal relationship with a sportsmanlike spirit. Collaborating for a shared purpose allows improving solution solving and management skills. It’s all about being cooperative: the qualities that would be expected to function well with one another as kids develop in sports. It helps to increase personal integrity, like teamwork and communication.

It can teach managerial skills even from a tender age and improve familiarity, trust, and community approval. Sports educate young ones that they should all get an opportunity to celebrate. How and where to play by the rules and discourage complaining if you struggle and gloat if you succeed. How and where to motivate your peers and then how to wind up with an embrace.

Friendships

Opportunity to learn in sport and sports for children, in general, helps them engage better in social activities. A spirit of teamwork builds a connection that few other endeavors can recreate and communicate more effectively and foster a positive life outside of work. Sports also aim to strengthen leadership qualities that no volume of video games can ever achieve.

Strong Mental Health

It’s all about being part of something bigger and more special than yourself. Sports can encourage kids to feel appreciated and wanted. Regular exercise promotes the development and enhances health and quality of life. It will raise faith and consciousness. Sport is indeed a normal great stress reliever that can help with depression. With strong mental health, sports also teach humility. What to do to appreciate someone else on the squad. Power and actions by arbitrators and authorities. Especially how and where to show more respect for oneself but also the growth of your persona. Industry officials and opinion leaders believe that students’ participation in the sport will help develop healthy patterns in early childhood.

Children who play sports are also more likely to be mindful of healthy dietary choices, have a favorable effect on general physical and mental health, and are aligned with healthier lifestyle decisions. But if athletics are of incredible importance to young folks, how could one, as guardians, ensure that they would have better athletic interactions? The Sports School is deemed to be India’s First Integrated School for Athletes facilitating emerging and young players with a forum for the pursuit of athletic efficiency and success by facilitating everyone with international equipment and instruction by experienced professionals and globally renowned instructors for cricket, basketball, field hockey, baseball, and football. This could be an ideal chance for kids to build a profession early in their developmental stage and, the least to say: participate in a sport that is not just emotionally energizing but also intellectually engaging.

The post 5 Reasons Why Every Child Should Play a Sport appeared first on The Sports School.

After Neeraj Chopra won a gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics and serves in the army, people are anxious to know about it. Also, Bajrang Puniya serves in Railway. Respectively other athletes are placed on a good rank in different services. But you might wonder how to apply when you have not reached that height in your sports? Well, you can still apply to many posts and get preference in marks and selection. 

If we talk about private companies, few companies participate in sporting activities and give preference to sportspersons if you can make your way till the interview. Companies like Reliance Industries Limited, TATA also provide funds to the sports team. JCT Mills and Phagwara have one of the best football teams. There is no specific sports quota in any private companies, you need to come on the merit list.

Jobs in Defence Sector

Indian Army:-

1. Naib Subedar/ Equivalent:- Indian Army gives direct entry to the post of Naib Subedar/ Equivalent up to 2% every year and a maximum of up to 50 vacancies every year.

The Indian Army sets criteria for winning gold in the respective events at the national level. Rest parameters remain the same as for normal candidates.

     2. Data Entry Havildar:- Indian Army gives direct entry to the post of Data Entry Havildar up to 2% every year.

     3. Army Recruiting Offices (ARO):- Sportspersons can attend the recruitment rally where they will be competing with normal candidates but will get bonus marks.

     4. Unit Headquarters Quota:- Recruitment in the open category, under unit headquarters, reserves up to 20% of soldiers category, in general and technical duty.

Indian Navy:-

1. Acting Petty Officer
2. Senior Secondary Recruit
3. Matric Recruit

Indian Air Force recruits outstanding sportsmen against the authorized cadre vacancies of Airmen in the rank of Air Craftsmen.

Note:- Not all sports are welcomed in defence forces. Sports like Tennis, Badminton, Football, golf, cricket and a few other sports are considered for the above post.

Jobs in Railway

Indian Railway provides sports quotas to sportspersons and also recruits them after their remarkable performance. Recently the Indian railways updated the appointment under the sports quota.  Railways provide group C & Group D level jobs to the sportspersons along with additional increments. The recruitment can be through Talent Scouting and open advertisement. However, international meets are recognized separately getting categories A, B, and C. Apart from these under different schemes incentives for different levels are provided by railways. A good sportsperson can continue to play through railways.

Central Government Departments and Ministries

Various ministries and departments facilitate with 5% reservation for a sportsperson. These reservations are for Group-C posts. There is no direct recruitment for Group-A and Group- B posts. 

There are 43 sports disciplines that the Central Government considers to provide direct recruitment along with additional increments.

Job Opportunities in Police

Police force gives preference to sportspersons and direct entry to Group-C and Group-D. However it considers only 40 sports, but this list differs from state to state. For a remarkable performance by a sportsperson, the state recognizes them and can recruit them to higher-level too, like Hima Das, who holds the post of Deputy Superintendent of Police.

Job opportunities in Central Armed Forces

BSF, CISF, CRPF, SSB. AR, NSG, ITBP are the Central Armed Forces in India whose governing unit is the Ministry of Home Affairs. ITBP, CRPF, and BSF recruit sportsperson under the sports quota on the post of constable (generally). 5% reservation is given to sportspersons along with additional increments.

Preference

Apart from these, sportspersons get preference in different jobs, where they are given preference in marks and tiebreaker. That is if two individuals have the same marks in an exam or merit list, the individual having a sports background is given preference. Similarly, an individual has a remarkable impression in an interview if they are related to sports and especially when they have bagged a medal.

It’s sad to see many sportspersons dropping their sports just because they want to carry their career or cannot see opportunities. The Sports School provides academic perseverance along with making them, professional athletes. We are overwhelmed to inform you that we provide six programs and all programs are included in government job opportunities, be it defence, police or CAF. 

The Sports School provides education from grade 5 to higher education. We make their basic learning, be it in sports or education, strong, with a strong motive to make them efficient players, representing the country and finishing on the podium. We try to inculcate all abilities in them so that they have a bright future, either in the corporate world or sports field and to be more specific in both fields.

Now, let us look at a few additional benefits which are provided by the government to sportspersons.

Incentives to sportspersons

Under the supervision of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, eligible sportspersons are provided with a cash prize and meritorious pensions as per policies and guidelines. Similarly, infrastructure and facilities are provided under the same scheme.

SAI- Assistant Coach

Getting an opportunity in SAI is one of the best opportunities a sportsperson can receive. However, the organisation sets high standards for selection. SAI recruits Olympians and Paralympians as an assistant coach. It’s an entry-level grade of the coaches where 5% reservation is for Olympians and 1% for Paralympians.

Preference as a student

All universities have to represent in different events being conducted at the district level, national level or university level. This helps them in their ranking and recognition from the parenting board. This is the reason universities either reserve seats for students, give them preference or select them when there is a tie-in mark. The sporting career does not end, one can continue coaching and play university games.

There are enough reasons you should not leave your game. But to reach this height you need practice, coach, education and fight tournaments. The Sports School provides all under the same roof, along with guidance and support. Our mentors are highly experienced in converting the potential child into a sports star.

If you want to become the next sports icon, join The Sports School where sports and academics go hand in hand. For more queries contact us. It will be an honor to assist you. That was all here, we will be back with another interesting topic. Till then, keep smiling.

The post Government Job Opportunities for Sportspersons in India appeared first on The Sports School.

Imagine an athlete taking time to recover from a sprained ankle or broken wrist. You think they deserve a break, don’t you? Of course, they do. Their bodies need time to heal. Physical injuries come with a clear understanding that they cannot be ignored.

But how do we see them when athletes need to step away to tend to their mental health needs? “Man up”, “You need to be mentally tougher”, “Sports is not for the weak” are often the advice hurled at them. Emotional distresses are not diagnoses that are evident on an X-ray or MRI, but they can be as challenging or debilitating as a physical injury. Too often, however, these issues are ignored in sports in the name of grit.

But thanks to world champions like Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka, the mental health vs. mental toughness conversation broke ceilings in recent times when these sports prodigies withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics and the French Open respectively, to cater to their mental well-being. Among the many debates and controversies that rippled with their revolutionary self-care decisions, a much-needed aspect was brought to light.

“Athletes are humans too, and they’re not immune to the stressors of life.” But the unique sporting culture, that celebrates mental toughness and encourages perfectionism, tends to create an atmosphere of discounting athletes’ mental health needs. Consequently, many athletes realize yet won’t actively seek mental health help because they tend to view it as the opposite of being mentally tough. And if not them, others around them convince them so.

Now let’s give this a good thought. If injuring one’s shoulder doesn’t necessarily imply the muscles were weak, why do encountering emotional distresses have to be viewed as such? Just as something can impact the shoulder and cause it to hurt, some experiences can impact the human mind to be wounded too.

So as parents, coaches, or others who are vested in your young athletes, here’s how you can identify if they might be struggling with stress, anxiety, or depression-like challenges in ways that people can see an X-Ray for a broken bone. Look out for the following changes, the 5 Symptoms of Mental Health Issues for Athletes:

• Sleeping problems
• Irritability
• Low energy
• Changes in eating
• Loss of interest in activities they earlier enjoyed

Sometimes, at its very basic, you may see it just as a distraction, which mostly gets noticed when they show in a poor score or sub-standard performance despite better ability. For example, a footballer who suddenly can’t make a pass or a tennis player who develops the “yips” and misses an easy shot. However, for some sports like artistic gymnastics, such distraction can be rather catastrophic.

Hence, as adults who want our young athletes to achieve greatness, it’s important to remember that a great athlete is a physically and mentally healthy one. And mental health entails the same ‘rest to recover’ philosophy as physical health does. Evidence suggests that young people compete more intensely in sports, and as a result gains in mental wellness may often be replaced by mental health challenges, particularly for competitive athletes with about 33% of school and college athletes reporting mental health difficulties in a recent worldwide survey.

This makes it important for us to understand that our young athletes deserve to take some time to sort things out for themselves or relax from the constant pressure to prove and stay ahead of their competitors. Offer them the psychological safety to express their emotional struggles, help them understand that it is possible to be mentally tough and yet encounter mental stress. Allow them the freedom to simply sit and watch instead of actively playing for a bit. Excellence has no recipe but it indisputably necessitates a healthy mind and body.

I thus request the new generation of sports parents and coaches to be mindful to notice if our young athletes are fighting any silent battles and offer them the time and space to recover their happy and healthy mindsets. Let’s join hands to remind our little ones that the biggest sportsmanship lies not in defeating others but in endeavoring to better themselves, technically, tactically, physically, and mentally!

~By Adrita Banerjee, Sport Psychologist, CSS

Know more about Sports Science Center at The Sports School. Click here!

The post 5 Symptoms of Mental Health Issues for Athletes appeared first on The Sports School.

Rashid Khan

Source- insidesports.co

No one is untouched by the crisis going on in Afghanistan. Afghanistan news is the top headline in all countries. This is the reason why fans all around the world are eager to see Rashid Khand back to the stadium. Presently he is ranked no 3 in the ICC T20 Bowlers Ranking. Like other Afghani, Rashid is too worried about his family and sport. Though the present situation is unknown to everyone, it is expected that Rashid Khan will be a part of this tournament and one of the players to watch out for in phase 2 of IPL 2021.

Tabraiz Shamsi

Source- indiatoday.in

Tabraiz Shamsi is a part of Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2021. This world no.1 bowler is set to play for IPL phase 2. Tabraiz Shamsi has replaced Andrew Tye. Before this, he has played four IPL matches. He showed his excitement in his interview to play for Rajasthan Royals and in Dubai or Abu Dhabi because he has never played there before. Along with IPL Shamsi also keeps his eye on the T20 World Cup. It is going to be thrilling to watch this South African Spinner on the pitch of UAE.

Tim David

Source- cricktracker.com

Tim David, the next player to watch out for in phase 2 of IPL. David has replaced Finn Allen of New Zealand. He will be representing Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2021. He is the first cricketer from Singapore to enter the IPL. This 25-year-old all-rounder has appeared in various T20 leagues. It is going to be interesting to watch his aggressive play in IPL, who fits at different positions as per the requirement of the team.

Adil Rashid

Source- skysports.com

After the injury of Jhye Richardson, Adil Rashid has replaced him in the Punjab Kings squad. His presence in the Punjab team will strengthen their spin department. Though he remained unsold in the IPL 2021 auction, he will be representing the team in the second leg of this tournament. With 12 wickets for Northern Superchargers in “The Hundred,” Adil has added a new feather to his cap. Cricket fans are excited to see his presence in IPL 2021.

Wanindu Hasaranga

Source- insidesports.co

Wanindu Hasaranga is the most demanding player to watch out for in phase 2 of IPL. His great skills have been observed in the home series against India. Hasaranga is a leg-spinner from Sri Lanka who has replaced Australian leg-spinner, Adam Zampa. Wanindu will be representing Royal Challengers Bangalore. Wanindu Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera finally got clearance from Sri Lanka Cricket Board and now it’s interesting to watch him for the second leg of IPL 2021.

Tim Southee

Source- hindustantimes.com

Replacing Pat Cummins, Tim Southee has made his place in Kolkata Knight Riders. With great experience, this world no 6 ranked bowler is going to bring a turning point for KKR. He has played 305 international matches with 603 wickets for New Zealand. McCullum, coach of KKR, showed his excitement to have this great bowler in the team for the remaining matches of IPL 2021.

Nathan Ellis

Source- sportskeeda.com

Among so many replacements, Nathan Ellis is a replacement for Riley Meredith in the Punjab Kings Squad for IPL phase 2 of 2021. His hat-trick on his debut against Bangladesh is making cricket fans go crazy about him and thus he is among players to watch out for in phase 2 of IPL. Though Nathan does not have much experience in T20, his hat-trick has made space in the team. And this is what is exciting for fans to watch him in the remaining IPL 2021.

Conclusion

IPL 2021 has seen massive shuffling due to different reasons. As the pandemic is posing several challenges in front of the organisers and teams, still the spirit of the game is making attempts to complete it. Cricket fans are eagerly waiting for IPL phase 2 to begin soon. Though it’s not going to be the same as before, the enthusiasm of players and the excitement of fans do not seem to fall.

That was all here. If you want to become the next sports icon, join The Sports School where sports and academics go hand in hand. For more queries contact us. It will be an honour to assist you. We will be back with another interesting topic. Till then, keep smiling.

The post Players to watch out for in Phase 2 of IPL 2021 appeared first on The Sports School.

Image Source – The Print

India occupied 48th rank at Tokyo Olympics 2020. This is the best ranking for India in the last four decades. Hello readers, the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 has ended but we are still unable to get over it. And why should we? After all, we have finished it fabulously despite a long war with Covid-19. Let us see, India’s Olympic glory who made us shine finishing on the podium at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. 

Neeraj Chopra- The golden Boy

Image Source – The Indian Express

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has announced 7th August as National Javelin Throw Day to honor Neeraj Chopra who won a Gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics 2020.

But before going for the gold medal Neeraj Chopra was fighting tooth and nail to achieve this glory. He was born in a Haryanvi family to Satish Kumar and Saroj Devi. Chopra was an obese child. He started training himself and ended up finding his talent in the javelin throw. After extreme efforts, he won Junior Nationals at Lucknow in 2012 setting a new record of 68.40m. At the Youth Olympics Qualification, held in Bangkok, Neeraj won his first International medal in 2014. He won a gold medal at the 2016 South Asian Games. He is presently recruited in the army at JCO rank.

In the summer Olympics Tokyo 2020, Neeraj successfully finished on the podium with a throw of 87.58m. He is very enthusiastic about his future and committed to his goals. The Sports School wishes him all the best for his targets.

Mirabai Channu- Tough to break

Image Source – The Indian Express

Saikhom Mirabai Chanu won a silver medal in weightlifting in the women’s 49 Kg weight category, with a total lift of 202 Kg. She sets an example for how hard work pays.

She was born in a Meitei family in Nongpok Kakching which is 30 Km away from Imphal, Manipur. She used to carry firewoods in childhood when her family got to know about her strength. Her family’s financial condition was not good and they took great pain to train her. She used to take lifts from truck drivers to travel to Imphal and showed a beautiful gesture by honoring them after winning a silver medal at Tokyo Olympics.

Channu was able to win medals at the World Championships and commonwealth games. She is awarded Padma Shri and Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratan by GOI. In the 2014 and 2018 commonwealth games, Channu won silver and gold medals, respectively in the 48 Kg weight category.

At the Rio 2016 Olympics, where Mirabai Channu was unable to finish, at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Mirabai won a silver medal on the second day. The Sports school salutes her and wishes her all the best for her future goals.

Ravi Kumar Dahiya- Dominating the ring

Image Source – The Indian Express

You get glory after extreme sacrifice and hard work. Ravi Kumar has been keeping his nose to the grindstone. And we can trace this easily through his progress journey.

Ravi Kumar was born in Nahri, Sonipat district of Haryana in 1997. He began his training at the age of 10 in North Delhi. He won a silver medal in the 2015 Junior World Wrestling Championship in the 55 Kg freestyle category. After recovering from an injury, Dahiya bagged a silver at the 2018 World U23 Wrestling Championship in the 57 Kg category. He has a bronze medal at the 2019 World Wrestling Championships. He won gold medals at the 2020 and 2021 Asian Wrestling Championships.

In the Tokyo Olympics, Ravi Kumar won two bouts with technical superiority. He won a silver medal after losing the gold medal bout. He has come a long way and still has miles to go for which The Sports School wishes him all the best.

P.V Sindhu- The girl with wings

Image Source – The Bridge

Winning a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. PV Sindhu added another feather to her cap. She is the first female and second individual athlete to win two consecutive medals at the Olympics.

Pusarla Venkata Sindhu was born and raised in Hyderabad to P.V Ramana and P Vijaya who played volleyball. Getting inspired by Pullela Gopichand, who is the chief mentor of The Sports School, she started playing badminton at the age of 8. She used to travel 56 km every day to get badminton coaching. She has won 21 medals in total, at the national and international levels. She is awarded Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratan, Padma Shri, and Padam Bhushan by GOI.

In the 2016 Rio Olympics, she won a silver medal. Training hard, Sindhu continues to make headway to become a gold medalist and The Sports School supports her potential.

Bajrang Puniya- Extremely powerful

Image Source – India Today

Bajrang Puniya dominated the bronze medal match in the Tokyo Olympics 2020 and finished on the podium at the third position in the 65 kg weight category, keeping up the hopes of Indians.

Bajrang Punia belongs to the Jhajjar district of Haryana, who began his wrestling at the young age of seven. His family was supportive but struggled to manage funds for his training. Puniya has a long list of medal counts in nationals and internationals, proving his dominance in maximum bouts in his weight category. He is the only Indian wrestler to win three medals at the World Wrestling Championships.

He is honored with Arjuna Award, Padma Shri Award, Major Dhyan Chand Award, and FICCI India Sports Award. Facilitations! from The Sports School to this rising star of India in freestyle wrestling.

Lovlina Borgohain- Massive Entry

Image Source – DNA India

Emerging as an eager beaver, Lovlina Borgohain bagged a bronze medal in her Olympic Games debut. 

Finishing on the podium at the first attempt, Lovlina Borgohain shined in the Tokyo Olympics 2020 after winning a bronze medal in the women’s welterweight event. However, this was not the first time when she named a medal for herself. She won a bronze medal at the 2018 and 2019 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championship. Lovlina was awarded the Arjuna Award by GOI. She is the third boxer to win a medal at the Olympic Games in India.

Lovlina has entered the ring with supreme power and we can feel this from her achievements. The Sports School wishes her for her future endeavors.

Indian Men’s Hockey Team- Reclaiming the past

Image Source – Free Press Journal

Eyes were filled with tears of happiness and pride when the men’s hockey team stood on the podium of the Tokyo Olympics 2020 after 41 years. They must have burnt the candles at both ends to land there.

The team has proved its dominance in the Asian Games and is recognized as the most successful team in Asia. Even in the Olympic Games, the men’s hockey team proved their efficiency till 1972 followed by a long gap of 41 years. The Indian men’s hockey team was undefeatable till 1960 and won six gold medals in a row, in total, the team won eight gold medals at the Olympic Games.

The boys have worked very hard and marked their victory despite all problems and lack of support. The Sports School salutes the team to reclaim the past and bring that era back to India. 

These shining stars of India made the country proud at the Summer Olympic Games. It must have taken the winner’s blood, sweat, and tears to finish on the podium. Going through all goods and bad they marked their victory.

If you want to become the next sports icon, join The Sports School where Sports and Academics go hand in hand. For more queries contact us. It will be an honor to assist you. That was all here, we will be back with another interesting topic. Till then, keep smiling.

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There is something so captivating about all kinds of sports that keep its beholders glued to their seats. Technology in sports plays a pivotal role in advancing all domains in sports. Ever-evolving sports engineering has been helping all kinds of sports to overcome the limitations of human performance. Given the pace and results of technological development, more and more sportspersons are compelled to gain a competitive advantage in their respective sports. Here is how information technology in sports has impacted various aspects related to sports:-

• Sports Performance Analysis

With the help of cutting-edge cameras, coaches can now pinpoint even the minutest mistakes. It has also ended up dramatically improving the quality of feedback meant to be conveyed to the sportspersons.

• Time Measurement Accuracy

Earlier judges faced extremely perplexing times when it came to delivering the final judgment in sports. Consequently, we witnessed an array of emotions resulting from a flawed judgment, right from heated discussions to public outbursts, from sportspersons’ aggressive faces to verbal spats, and whatnot. However, in the wake of growing technological advancements, it has become much easier to minimize varied conflicts with increased accuracy in measurements. Especially in precision sports, judgment accuracy is considered crucial for the success of sports.

• Data collection

With the help of advanced technological devices like software-driven spreadsheets, it has become easier to collect data and ensuring accuracy. Earlier, the data collection would be manual, resulting in a tiring process full of errors. Data collection regarding conditioning, competition, strength, recovery, and beyond is now much reliable and accurate after integrating information technology in sports. Without accurate measurement, it is not possible to improve the area of performance. The reliability of measurement has been enhanced to a great extent in the context of repeatability and consistency. With the advent of state-of-the-art technological devices encompassing accelerometers and GPS, measurement errors in data collection have become negligible.

• Result-driven communication

Establishing lucid and result-driven communication between sportsperson and coach is of utmost importance for improving the quality of performance. This is where the role of technologically advanced tools comes into the picture.

• Instant Replay Booths

Judges, sportspersons, and the public can perfectly differentiate the winner from losers, especially in games where a ball is used like Tennis, Badminton, Rugby, Volleyball, Cricket, Football, Soccer, and more. All credit goes to the “Hawk-Eye technology”, which is competent in visually capturing the ball’s path. This technology leverages the principle of triangulation by extracting the timing data and visual images from high-speed video cameras. These cameras are placed at such locations that the ball’s path is visible from any angle. The number of ideal cameras to be placed depending on the ball size, game rules, and the playing area.

• Sportswear

Sportswear is yet another aspect that has been impacted positively by technology in sports. Undisputedly, the innovation of an array of synthetic fabrics has been one of the most significant technological boons experienced by sportspersons. With the help of more breathable, adaptable, lighter, and humidity-resistant garments, it has become possible for sportspersons to optimize their performance quality. Even sports equipment for all kinds of sports has improved a lot.

• Injury treatments

There was a time when injuries jeopardized the career of the sportspersons. With the help of the integration of AI in sports, sportspersons no longer need to shun their dreams. Earlier sports persons were dependent on grafting for recovery. In the wake of evolving advanced biotechnology and nanotechnology, ligament alone suffices to regenerate ligament, thereby accelerating the recovery process. How can we overlook the role of AI in sports that have brought hope for disabled people? Innovative technological and robotics equipment have empowered sportspersons to such an extent that they can now compete in sports at all elite levels.

The bottom line

The charisma of sport lies in its capability to transcend the barriers of any kind of discrimination and geographical barriers to celebrate human potential. Technology holds an extraordinary place in sport, but if it takes away the sheer hard work and candid human skill, there emerges a concern. Innovation related to technology in sports has certainly made sports accurate and safer, but the challenge lies in making sure that the deployment-related to technology does not end up overshadowing the core skills of the sportsperson. And that’s precisely why it has become essential to regulate AI in Sports to preserve its spirit.

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Image Source – Cema4

Olympics are the world’s leading international sporting events, including summer and winter sports competitions. Thousands of athletes from various nations worldwide participate in a variety of sports organized at this athletic festival. They aim to win the highest sporting recognition in their career, i.e., an Olympic goal medal under their national anthem’s sound.

Olympic Games attract interest from billions of spectators who want to watch the best athletes all over the world competing against each other at the highest level of the sport.

The inspiration behind the creation of the Olympics came from the ancient Olympic Games held at Olympia, Greece, from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was formed in 1894 by Baron Pierre de Coubertin with the purpose of organizing the modern Olympics. The IOC organized the first-ever Summer Olympics at Athens, Greece, in 1896. Meanwhile, the first Winter Olympics were held at Chamonix, France, in 1924. And the first Paralympics were held in Rome, Italy, in 1960. Olympics are a two-week-long event alternating between Winter and Summer Olympics usually organized every four years.

The pride and prestige associated with the Olympics are unparalleled for hosting countries. The benefits of the Olympics for hosting countries include achieving a boom in their economy through tourism and trade, especially when the games are taking place. World recognition for the hosting country comes through media coverage, leading to more capital investments covering the infrastructure and organizing costs. They can use the Olympics as a platform to improve their public relations with countries that weren’t the friendliest in the past for a variety of reasons. Sporting success for the hosting country revolves around its athletes getting more opportunities to play in different sports while improving their performances and overall standing on the Olympic medal table. The effect of the Olympics is quite unpredictable and often continuous for the hosting country both economically and sportingly.

How does an Olympic hosting country benefit?

Image Source – InsideSport

Hosting the Olympic Games is a unique opportunity for a country to bring athletes from all over the world into one place to play sports together. It allows them to spread the message of unity and harmony without any race and gender inequity. The Olympic movement aims to contribute by educating youth to build a better and peaceful better world through sport practiced without discrimination. Mutual understanding with a spirit of fair play, solidarity, and friendship defines the Olympic spirit. The hosting country of the Olympics creates a legacy that lives long after the games are over.

Track records for many Olympics hosting countries have been supremely indifferent economically, with some achieving great success and others searching for answers. According to many economists, the economic benefits of the Olympics for the hosting country often involve covering high costs while yielding few tangible rewards in the long run. Even the involvement in the bidding process for securing Olympic Games hosting rights does appear to increase the exports and trade openness for a country in that particular period. Hosting the Olympics has a positive effect on the philanthropic contributions of corporations headquartered in the country, which benefits the local nonprofit sector and civil society substantially during and after the games. Olympics at London, Barcelona, and Beijing has been considered the most successful on the economic side of things.

In terms of sporting success, there is a consensus that the hosting countries that aren’t the top performers at the Olympics benefit more by organizing this athletic festival. It’s because the hosting country can participate in the games with more athletes due to automatic qualification rules. These athletes from the hosting country are very familiar with the venues, environment, and climate conditions as they have lived, trained and competed for most of their lives. They are not required to travel abroad to compete at the Olympic Games, so jet lag and other difficulties associated with athletes of other countries aren’t something for them to tackle at any stage. A hosting country invests lots of money in their sporting programs and facilities, so their athletes get the opportunity to improve their performances and achieve success. The crowd factor plays a massive part in boosting the confidence of the athletes of a hosting country. That higher support from the fans galvanizes the athletes to do something memorable that will be remembered forever.

Conclusion

There are many benefits of the Olympics for hosting a country in terms of economic windfalls, international exposure, public relations, and sporting success. The success or lack thereof for a hosting country of Olympic Games often comes down to its legacy as per the academic research. The legacy includes the long-term political, economic, social, cultural, infrastructural, and environmental effects of the Olympics on the hosting country, whether planned and unplanned, positive and negative. 

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Image Source – JHU

Like every other activity, sports have taken a huge hit due to Covid-19, and children and adults have been deprived of sporting activities. Sports constitute an important aspect of a child’s development and more so in recent years where it has been given the same importance as education. It is very important to stay fit and engage in a sporting activity as a healthy body leads to a healthy mind. However, with Covid-19 impacting education, sporting activities seem to have stopped, affecting children and their physical capabilities. Not playing sports has led to many children being obese. Parents should ensure that their children engage in some physical activity to remain healthy. Sporting activities allow blood pressure levels to remain normal while also keeping a check on sugar and fat levels. 

While all other activities in the world have resumed, it is only sports and education which is yet to begin. While staying away from schools has deprived children of sporting activities, they can be encouraged by their parents to join a club or an academy which can help them remain fit, pick up a sport, and learn a new skill. This will help them develop an interest in sports and understand if they are naturally talented in a sport and whether it can be picked up as a career option in the future. With all other activities resuming, there is no reason why sports should not resume. Indulging in sporting activities also has other benefits. It teaches children to be disciplined and patient because when they learn a new skill, they have to practice for countless hours before they can perfect it. 

There is no doubt that parents will be concerned about the safety of their children before sending them to sporting activities in these times. However, various measures have been taken to ensure that children stay safe. For example, in cricket, new rules have been made mandating that players do not use their saliva on the ball and sanitize themselves before taking the field to ensure that they do not spread the virus if they are infected. Moreover, cricket is a non-contact sport, and players do not touch each other. Similarly, groups and teams can be smaller whenever possible to ensure the virus does not spread.  Also, there can be certain provisions for children to bring their own equipment to ensure their safety. Add to that the use of masks and social distancing in non-contact sports like tennis, table tennis, badminton, and shooting, and sports become extremely safe. 

Moreover, children can be motivated by scheduling weekly or bi-weekly tournaments and activities, encouraging them to practice sports and perform well in tournaments. Participating in tournaments will give them match experience, make them more responsible and accountable, and add to their curriculum vitae, helping them later in life. Children will also learn skills like teamwork when playing in a team and develop interpersonal skills that will help them socially when they interact with others. 

Another option for parents to keep their children healthy while prioritizing safety is engaging them in indoor sports. With modern facilities, most sports like cricket and football can also be played indoors these days, ensuring safety. They can have indoor nets for cricket or small turfs for football where children can practice and improve their skills and fitness. This will ensure that they do not lose touch with the sport and their skills are sharpened. Moreover, some indoor sports can be played at the terrace too, and children can also engage in drills and activities instead of games to be safe. 

Image Source – Dribble

There is no doubt that children are missing out on sports because of the virus and, on average, have been eating and sleeping more. Moreover, not going out to play and interacting with others has led to isolation, which in many cases has led to depression and other mental disorders. They have missed learning a sport and the many skills that come with sports. Their fitness has suffered, and screen time has increased. With all these disadvantages, children must resume playing sports in some form or the other as soon as possible, so that they do not suffer more than they already have. The changes and the safety measures proposed above will ensure that children are safe and healthy, both factors being equally important. 

The Sports School, a Kalpen Ventures initiative, in association with JAIN GROUP OF INSTITUTIONS (JGI), a 28-year-old educational conglomerate, aims for a holistic approach to educate and guide students. With 85 institutes across India, JGI not only brings in elite thought leadership but also focuses on empowering talent across the nation by encouraging curiosity, learning, and initiative. JGI’s alumni include over 10+ Arjuna, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Padma Shri, and Padma Bhushan Awardees and 300+ sportsperson of International and National repute. Our world-class infrastructure and amenities include unbeatable installations that are exclusively designed to optimize the intellectual, personal, and social development of young and professional sportspeople.

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We all are well aware that sports and physical activities offer more than what we can imagine. Not only do they keep you energetic and physically active while helping you keep your body in shape, but they also provide numerous mental health-related benefits. Sports and mental health are directly related. The more you are involved in sports, the better your mental health is. According to many research types, it’s found that those who perform sports and physical activities daily have better standards of living and peace of mind. To get a more profound idea about the role of sports in mental health, we have accumulated the below points that will enlighten you more about sports and mental wellness.

 Role Of Sports In Mental Health

Image Source – NRP

• Improved Quality Of Sleep

Have you ever noticed how quickly you fall asleep after an intense sport or workout session? When you perform any moderate to intense physical activity, it reduces the sleep onset, i.e. the time you stay awake during the night. In fact, in some cases, it can help in healing sleeping disorders and sleepiness during the daytime.

• Depression And Anxiety

Sports play a significant role in reducing depression and anxiety. As per one of the studies, it was found that regular running or walking for 15 minutes can prevent the risk of depression while also relieving its symptoms. It also helps prevent anxiety and stress because when you work out or play any sports, it helps release hormones called endorphins, which help lift mood and prevent stress and anxiety. Moreover, the best part is that it works for all groups, be it teens or elderly adults.

• High Concentration And Focus

As they say, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy is true enough! It’s been observed that those who regularly participate in sport and physical activities have better focus and presence of mind. It again involves the same hormone, endorphin, which helps regulate sleep and improves memory and concentration power. So when you play more, your focus improves on its own. Additionally, the more you get involved in physical activities, it activates new brain cells’ growth, which ultimately declines age-related memory loss.

A combination of muscle-strengthening exercises with aerobic workouts can boost critical thinking, learning and decision-making abilities.

• Better Resilience

The role of sports in mental health is indeed worth appreciating. The more regular you are with sports and physical activities, the better your resilience power. Daily exercising can help you overcome mental and emotional challenges quickly and healthily. Rather than wasting your health, time and money on alcohol and other such substances, it is suggested to pick any physical activity to boost immunity and better cope with the lows in life.

• Confidence and Energy

Do you feel a boost of energy and confidence after a good workout? A daily exercise helps build confidence and keeps you active and energized by fostering a sense of self-worth to make you stronger and accomplished. It additionally helps you in accepting daily challenges without any stress or anxiety.

• Improved Social Life

It’s been noted that those who actively participate in sports and physical activities possess better and pleasant social life. When you work out, it elevates your confidence and self-esteem. You feel energized and happy, empowering your mental state to interact and bond with others around you.

• Better Mental Growth

Sports and mental health can also be taken as two inseparable aspects as regular physical workouts and sports help develop cognitive and mental skills in a child while contributing towards a better and stronger skeleton growth. Sports are also associated with improved blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, bone density, oxygen consumption, muscle strength, and reduced skeleton damage.

• Elevate Mood

Sports help in improving mood instantly. When you play any sport or involve in any physical workout, your brain performs some chemical reactions that in turn uplifts mood and senses to offer you a calm and relaxed feeling.

• Teamwork

Any sport you play requires teamwork and companionship, building better relationships, and active social life. Your partnership with other players can be advantageous for your professional life because you will learn to be a better team player when it comes to any task. Besides, sports can enhance your leadership qualities by motivating you to accept challenges with confidence and energy at work.

Conclusion

Sports play an indispensable role in improving mental health as it helps in overcoming stress, depression, and anxiety while improving the quality of sleep and living standards. Once you have acquired all these aspects, they will eventually help you be a happy, confident, and energized human being.

The Sports School, a Kalpen Ventures initiative, in association with JAIN GROUP OF INSTITUTIONS (JGI), a 28-year-old educational conglomerate, aims for a holistic approach to educate and guide students. With 85 institutes across India, JGI not only brings in elite thought leadership but also focuses on empowering talent across the nation by encouraging curiosity, learning, and initiative. JGI’s alumni include over 10+ Arjuna, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Padma Shri, and Padma Bhushan Awardees and 300+ sportsperson of International and National repute. Our world-class infrastructure and amenities include unbeatable installations that are exclusively designed to optimize the intellectual, personal, and social development of young and professional sportspeople.

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