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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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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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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Image Source – NSCA

Mental health encompasses your social, psychological, and emotional well-being. It is as integral as your physical health. Mental health affects the way we feel, think, act, and react. It can positively or negatively impact all social and interpersonal relationships. This holds true the other way round too. Your physical health, social and interpersonal connections all contribute towards your mental well-being.

The World Health Organization defines mental health as a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the everyday stresses of life, can work productively, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.

Optimum mental health is fundamental to an individual’s ability to enjoy their life. To achieve this, it is essential to strike a balance between one’s personal and professional responsibilities, social life, and daily activities. However, several external factors such as the need to maintain social and financial standing, lifestyle choices, and other biological factors can disrupt the delicate balance and lead to chronic stress, anxiety, and depression.

The need for mental health awareness:

Mental health is a lot more than simply the absence of mental disorders. It also involves a constant and active effort towards maintaining happiness and mental well-being. It is estimated that at least one in five adult individuals suffers from mental health issues every year. With the growing number of instances of individuals with mental health disorders around the world, promoting, preserving, and restoring mental health is now a vital concern on an individual and communal level.

What is the importance of mental health for athletes?

In a bid to remain at the peak of their physical health and performance, athletes often end up overlooking their mental health, making them vulnerable to mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. Conversations on a sports field, in locker rooms and gyms, usually revolve around the players and athletes being tough, gritty, determined to win. For professional athletes, however, these encouraging terms can take on a whole new meaning.

Being tough often translates into showing no signs of weakness, never admitting to the behind-the-scenes struggles of being a part of an aggressive world, and putting on a façade of being okay at all times. Combine this with severe performance pressure, and it can have catastrophic consequences.

An alarming number of college athletes and professional athletic aspirants experience mental health disorders in some form or the other. While depression is the most common mental health disorder in professional players, many of them often suffer from several other disorders such as stress, anxiety, a myriad of eating disorders, and symptoms of burnout.

These disorders make it difficult for them to engage in regular practice sessions, which in turn leads them to neglect their physical health, and the vicious cycle continues. In such a scenario, the emphasis on mental health for athletes is as crucial as maintaining a top physical form.

For any team to be able to perform at its peak, a wellness program that enables the players to look after their mental health is as important as regular physical fitness programs. However, in the absence of a framework that supports and promotes mental health for athletes, the responsibility of helping young professional athletes navigate the fiercely competitive space falls on the shoulders of parents, coaches, and even fellow players.

The Challenges:

The biggest challenge lies in recognizing the player who might be dealing with mental health disorders. Athletes and professional players are often subjected to the pressure of donning the hat of a role model for their fans and followers, even their peers. This results in a reluctance to open up to someone about the issues that plague them and seek assistance or professional help.

Another challenge lies in noticing these issues in themselves. Since mental disorders involve brain chemistry and do not manifest physically in the early stages, it can be challenging to notice and address them. Fellow teammates, coaches, friends, and family can watch for early warning signs such as withdrawing in a shell, extreme mood swings, and other subtle deviations from their normal behavior.

The Solutions:

Being there for someone suffering from a mental health condition is the first step towards helping them. Even listening without any judgment can be of great help. A combination of support groups, counseling therapy sessions, and, if required, medication can help to a great extent.

However, empowering athletes to manage their stress levels with simple yet effective stress management techniques and helping them develop positive coping mechanisms for the future are the most important steps towards recovery. Putting a constant effort into prioritizing their mental health above all else can make the most significant difference in the long run.

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.

[maxbutton id=”1″ url=”https://thesportsschool.com/sports-assistance” text=”Click Here” ] to Explore our Sports Assistance Programs

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Home mini-golf:

Image Source – Decathlon.in

Golf has always been one of the most well-known and loved recreational sports. Mini golf is a great recreational sport to play at home. You can even set up your very own course and track and challenge your family members. It is a fun pastime and something that can easily be hours of fun. The game is simple, and all it requires is a golf club and golf ball, both of which can be bought for cheap off amazon. You can easily set up your golf course in a long room. All you need is a few obstacles. For this, you can easily use books, pillows, carpets, etc.

Badminton:

Image Source – iStock

This is a very popular two-player sport that also encourages physical activity. For this, all you will need is two badminton rackets and a shuttlecock. If you have space in your home, both the items and a net can be bought online. With these items, you can easily have recreational sports to play at home. If you have a backyard, that would work great or even on the roof, but be careful not to hit the shuttlecock too hard that it files off the roof. This is a great sport during lockdown that you can enjoy with your family and even teach your children. It also encourages physical activity that will be very beneficial for your body.

Ping Pong:

Image Source – mic.com

Ping pong is yet another well-known and easy-to-play recreational sport to play at home. All you require is a ping pong ball and two paddles. For the table, any long dining table will work as well. You do not need anything fancy. You can even get a good ping pong table online for a low price. Ping pong is a great game that requires quite a bit of movement as well as hand-eye coordination. This is a good recreational sport to play at home that can double as a good workout exercise.

Basketball:

Image Source – iStock

This can only be done if you have a large enough front or backyard. You can get a basketball as well as a hoop online for a decent price. All you need to do is set up the hoop in a place you can dunk the ball from and just practice. You can either play on your own or challenge your family members to play with you. This is a great recreational sport to play at home that can also help you stay in shape and give you a good full-body workout.

Squash:

Image Source – Youtube

This is a game that requires a big empty room. You will also need two tennis rackets and a tennis ball. This is a very easy-to-play sport in which you need to hit the ball towards the wall to bounce off, and the opponent can hit the ball. This is a simple yet effective sport to burn calories with. It can give you a good workout while keeping you indoors. The only thing you need to be careful of is not to let the ball hit a window as it can easily smash it. 

Carrom:

Image Source – artstation.com

Carrom can also be played anytime, even on the bed. The best part is, 4 members can play at the same time. While you’re able to pass a big amount of time playing the game, you’re also concurrently building on your analytical and focus skills.

Darts:

Image Source – dartsreference.com

Darts or dart-throwing is a competitive sport where two or more players bare-handedly throw small sharp-pointed missiles known as darts at a round target known as a dartboard. Playing dart can help increase your aim and concentration level.

Archery:

Image Source – JCEM

Archery is a target sport which is played using arrows and bow. The main forms of competitive archery are field archery and target archery. In field archery, competitors shoot arrows at different-sized targets and undetermined distances around a course. In target archery, competitors shoot a specified number of arrows at set distances at a target with established scoring values. Archery is also popularly played by kids as a recreational sport.

In conclusion, there are many activities and recreational sports to play at home. All one needs to do is utilize their home environment and space to figure out which game is the best for them to play. This can not only help kill boredom but also help them stay in shape. This list has the names of only a few sports that can be played during the lockdown, but if you try, you can easily find more or even come up with more.

The Sports School is India’s First Integrated School for Sports and Academics, providing budding and professional athletes a platform to pursue sporting excellence by providing them with world-class facilities and training by expert coaches and world-renowned mentors for Tennis, Cricket, Badminton, Football and Basketball. The Sports School offers a flexible educational curriculum that provides a tailor-made academic schedule to athletes, built around their sporting commitments. We encourage & provide means to our students, from Grade 4 to Post Graduation, to balance their pursuit for sporting excellence without compromising on their academics.

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Safety Comes First

• As much as possible, restrict all activities to the bounds of the house.
• If kids do play in the neighbourhood or shared grounds, masks and gloves must be worn at all times (mask may be taken off during intense activities) and hand regularly sanitised.
• If the local clubs and academies are functional, then the concerned authorities must ensure that the campus is amply and regularly sanitised.
• Parents must ensure that kids carry their equipment and make it a habit to sanitise their personal sports gear regularly.
• Limiting team size and enforcing rules limiting spectator capacity is a must and should be strictly observed.
• Everyone must maintain social distancing at all times (except the players DURING the game).
• Kids who are sick or showing symptoms of infection must be taken to a doctor’s clinic and not to a playground.

Individual Practice

• The pandemic provides young players with an excellent opportunity to focus on their technique. After all, flawless individual process forms the foundation of a professional career.
• Parents could take their kids to whatever open area is accessible (patios, society courtyards etc.) and mark small courts for individual drills.
• Parents and relatives could play with the kids and help them with the drills.
• Kids should also be motivated to practise independently and without adult supervision in whatever space is available.
• Teaching kids new skills like juggling the ball, front-foot strokes, backhand shots, etc., can help widen their skill-set and keep them interested in practising.
• Parents should encourage kids to video stream replays of professional games to get exposure to higher levels of technique and gameplay (some supervision is advisable here as kids tend to get distracted on video-streaming platforms easily).
• Join online interactive sports training sessions

Keep Your Fitness Up

• First and foremost, parents must make sure that kids adhere to healthy eating habits at home, both in the quality and quantity of food intake.
• Fitness activities like a workout (light), yoga, Zumba etc., should be made part of the daily routine. Subscribing to an online program would help ensure that the kids do it consistently and under expert supervision.
• Every family member should set fitness goals for the month and design up a daily routine to achieve them. Kids must be encouraged to draft their routine, as doing so will give them a sense of responsibility and commitment. After all, personality development is the entrée to the buffet that is sports.
• Even simple activities like skipping, lifting light weights (made out of bottles filled with water or sand), jumping, stretching, climbing up the stairs etc., if done regularly, can go a long way in maintaining basic fitness levels.
• Inventing new exercises and physical activities from time to time can also help keep kids engaged and interested.
• Encouraging kids to participate in household chores also keeps them active.
• Rewarding the kids when they achieve their goals is an excellent way to boost morale and keep up the momentum.

At The Sports School, we value the health, safety and well-being of our students and staff above all else. Despite the prevailing uncertainty, our commitment to integrating sports and education to nurture young talent has not wavered a bit. We observe strict enforcement of all necessary safety protocols, from regular and thorough sanitisation of the entire campus and the sporting equipment to (and not limited to) routine health checks and temperature checks of all students and staff. Use of masks, sanitisation of hands and social distancing is strictly and unconditionally enforced at all times. As our campus is located on the city’s outskirts, it ensures that there is limited to no interaction between the campus and residential areas. We have also started online innovative classes for sports training for our students who may not reach the campus for practice, hoping that our young students can make the best of their time at home.

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Image Source – The Guardian

The Coronavirus pandemic has upended all walks of life. Social and physical distancing measures and lockdowns have disrupted almost all regular aspects of life, including sports. In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the most significant disruption to the sporting calendar since World War II. Before the pandemic hit, the global value of the sports industry was estimated to be $471bn in 2018, heading steeply on an upwards trajectory. The impact of coronavirus on sports has not just been limited to the disruption of sporting events, but also on general physical activity for the sports-enthusiast. In this article, we cover how the Coronavirus has impacted the entire global sports ecosystem – from the relation between sports and global governance, to the young and spirited athletes at the forefront of it all.

Sports and Governance

The rescheduling of the Tokyo Olympics, the suspension of the NBA season, the postponement of the FIFA 2020 World Cup, and the virtualization of the Boston Marathon are just some of the major sports setbacks that made headlines. Disappointed fans and athletes aside, the coronavirus has also exposed some of the frailties of the existing economic structure in sports. 

On the relationship between sports governing bodies and public authorities, the question of autonomy has always been a discussion on the table. Even the IOC champions more autonomy to sports governing bodies, albeit conservatively. However, 2020 pushed governments to take center stage, and sporting events were one of the first to get cancelled in the wake of the pandemic, giving public authorities more supervising powers over the economics of sports. 

For example, La Liga had to agree to distribute part of their commercial income to other smaller sports, in order to obtain a favorable view from the government so that they could resume football competitions. In this case, while the impact of cancelling sporting events was economically significant for 2020, the safeguard of encouraging other sports also serves as a beacon of hope for the entire sports entertainment ecosystem to not just recover, but spring back stronger, once the pandemic ends. The relatively quick development and deployment of vaccines is a welcome sign for 2021.

Addressing the existing business model of sports

The main source of revenue for sports leagues are broadcasting, commercial sponsorships, advertising partnerships, and match day revenue (ticketing and hospitality). Professional sports leagues are analogous to entertainment companies. Even the corporate structures of entertainment companies and sports leagues are similar. As a matter of fact, The Sports School’s BBA in Sports Management is structured for gaining a successful career in the vast sports industry. 

When Covid overturned the sporting calendar, it was widely anticipated that sports organizing bodies would suffer a great fall, and the existing structure would be rebuilt. To a large extent, the fact remains true, especially for smaller bodies who are struggling to receive funding. With stakeholders diversifying the portfolios, sports organizing bodies have had to rely on national interests to keep the games going. 

On a brighter note, there is much scope for reorganization across the globe. As of today, just 10 sports leagues account for 60% of the global value of sports media rights. With viewership increasingly going digital, forced virtualization has allowed sports organizers to explore more diverse income streams. There have been advances with immersive viewing to allow fans to enjoy the games live.

Health impact for Athletes

Image Source – Global Sport Matters

It is well known that moderate exercising boosts immune response. However, several studies have shown that physically intensive activities have been linked with an ‘open-window’ of impaired immunity up to 72 h after the exercise. As a result, reducing the risk of transmission is important. With the unavailability of access to equipment and arenas for practice, many amateur and young athletes have been affected adversely. International organizations have published a return-to-play, return-to-training, and return-to-competition guidelines. To a large extent, bio-bubbles have served effectively on this aspect. 

Impact in India

Image Source – Deccan Herald

For the last decade, India has focused on strengthening its sports industry. While cricket remains dominant, the resurgence of football, badminton, and kabaddi leagues opened many opportunities. In February 2016, the government paved the path for direct investment opportunities from the private sector, and led to the opening of innumerable sports coaching academies across the country. The pandemic has adversely affected even legacy organizations, with many sports coaches and support staff facing a grim outlook. Jwala Gutta’s badminton academy, which was launched in November 2020, serves as an inspiration and motivation for the new year.

In many ways, sports is an impeccable metaphor for the vicissitudes of life for its tendency to hang on to hope even in times of despair. Its ability to bring people together is missed more than ever. With the right strategies, sports can emerge stronger than ever.

The Sports School, Bangalore, has been closely monitoring the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. As the situation continues to change rapidly, our top priority remains the health, safety, and well-being of our staff and students. We have planned for contingency scenarios by taking decisive and informed actions to stop the spread of COVID-19 on campus while ensuring the continuity of our teaching and research mission. Keeping in mind that learning should never stop, we have started online smart classes for both academics and sports coaching, with the hope that your kid can make the best out of this time.

The Sports School is committed to the safety of our students and staff without hindering our core focus of integrating sports and education. Our vast 25 acres infrastructure is on the outskirts of the city; hence there is limited to no interaction between the campus and the residential areas. [maxbutton id=”1″ url=”https://thesportsschool.com/corona-virus-sports-education/” text=”Know More” ] 

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What is Sports Nutrition?

Sports nutrition is nothing but the right form of intake that will optimize the athletic performance of a person. This concept emerged in the early 1940s among bodybuilders as a way for them to gain the right kind of nutrients in the handiest form possible. Slowly, it gained recognition among people from all walks of life as a way to fuse an invigorating diet into their lives. However, the kind of nutrients that will benefit a person depends on their need, profession, and goals. For example, a professional tennis player usually needs plenty of carbohydrates for refueling; on the other hand, a professional bodybuilder needs a balance of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats in their diet. The right kind of nutrients can improve performance, keep athletes hydrated for long, and raise their recovery rate.

Nutrition and a Healthy Lifestyle

Consuming the right nutrients is the first step to a healthy lifestyle. Not only sports enthusiasts, but everyone needs a diet plan that can help them push their limits for good. A fulfilling diet clubbed with physical activity can help in reducing the chances of chronic disease, achieving a healthy body, and leading an active life. As far as athletes are concerned, making the right food choices becomes all the more necessary because they need more calories compared to an average adult.

Not only is the type of nutrients a significant factor, but the number of times we eat in a day also matters. Now, this depends upon the calories we burn, the kind of workout we follow, and the sport we play. For a sports person, the meals consumed before and after a session are the most important meals of the day. Ideally, athletes should eat two hours before their workout.

Impact of a Well-Planned Diet on an Athlete’s Health

A nourishing diet can enhance an athlete’s performance, make them more efficient, and increase their recovery rate during a match rapidly. The intake they follow should promote muscle growth and repair.

An inadequate diet can hamper their performance and lead to an increased recovery rate. It can also lead to hormone suppression because sports generate a lot of stress hormones, and encourage your body to release energy stores.

What Does a Fulfilling Meal Include?

Requirements of every person vary based on their body type, physical activities, and calories burned in a day. The general rule is to replace the number of calories burned and provide sufficient fuel for the body to function. On an average basis, a person needs 1,500 – 2,000 calories in a day, but athletes should consume 500 to 1,000 additional calories, attributing to their demanding profession.

A balanced diet should include all the essential nutrients that are required for everyday activities. These nutrients are:

Carbohydrates – These are considered to be the most significant source of calories in your meal. There are mainly two types of carbs; simple and starchy/complex sugars. Milk products, fruits, and vegetables are a good source of simple sugars. These can be used to provide instant energy to the body since they are easier to break down. Complex sugars can be found in grains like rice, bread, pasta, and white flour. But processed, refined grains like white flour are not recommended as they remove fiber and nutrients.

Fats – Fats are an essential part of any meal. They are required to absorb nutrients and act as a critical fuel for your body. But excessive fat consumption can be harmful as the body needs to work harder to burn fats compared to carbs, and it tends to make you slow. There are mainly two types of fats: Saturated and Unsaturated fats. Animal products and processed food is a rich source of saturated fats, whereas olives, nuts, and avocados provide unsaturated fats. Nutritionists advise the consumption of unsaturated fats, as they are heart-healthy.

Proteins – Proteins are essential for cell repair and building of tissues. It is also required to create enzymes, hormones, and other chemicals in the body. Ideally, they should make up for 10-15% of your daily calorie consumption. Meat, fish, eggs, pulses, nuts, seeds, and soy products are a rich source for proteins.
Dangers of following a rigid diet plan

Strict diet plans can have adverse effects on athletes’ bodies. Since they need a diet rich in all forms of nutrients, a restrictive diet can damage their health. A rigid diet plan can also lead to eating disorders, produce severe stress on our bodies, and become an obsession for many. In the chase to eat healthily, we might end up avoiding the nutritious food needed for our growth.

Instead of following a diet plan, one can always set a balance between calorie intake and physical activity for the desired outcome. It is a much healthier and safe practice since your body will receive all the nutrients it demands.

Staying healthy is the goal, not meeting the societal standards! Following a diet that works for you and benefits you the most is the final objective. Always listen to your body; it will show you the right path.

At Sports School, we understand the importance of healthy eating habits and a good lifestyle for a sportsperson to perform at their best. We have partnered with nutrition experts who regularly monitor and provide diet plans for our students as per their activity level to ensure that they consume the right amount of nutrients and fluids for all-round nourishment and scale up their performance.

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