HYDERABAD:
The air was pregnant with the feeling of awe and excitement as 60
enthusiastic children listened to "Gopi sir" instructing them on the
right posture and technique of badminton. As TOI's Hyderabad for Kids
campaign reached Pullela Gopichand's academy at Gachibowli for a
day-long badminton workshop on June 7, the kids, aged between 7 and 17,
could hardly contain their excitement at being in the presence of the
famous player-turned-coach and his protege P V Sindhu.
"I really want to be trained at the Gopichand Academy as I want to take up badminton professionally . Being trained by Gopi sir today was truly a dream come true as I have always looked up to him," said 15-year-old Nandini Meenakshi.
The session started with basic warm-up exercises like jogging and stretching to keep the children going throughout the day. Basic moves such as gripping the racquet, flicking the wrist and footwork were demonstrated by a group of national-level badminton players who have been trained at the academy. The children were then split into groups and told to practice the moves.
"These workshops are a good way to encourage kids to take up sports and it is great to see them play with so much enthusiasm and excitement," said Sindhu who bagged her maiden title in Malaysia on May 4 this year. It was a treat for the children as the coach protege duo decided to play a little game to demonstrate a few shots and swings.
After hanging up his playing boots a few years ago, the Padma Shri awardee coach has been honing talent at his academy and mentoring established players like Saina Nehwal, Sindhu and P Kashyap. Gopichand stressed on mastering the basic exercises in order to achieve a good grip which is essential to get a flawless technique. "It is a great opportunity for the kids to play with professionals and to learn the spirit of sport. The way sports are perceived in India should be improved for the benefit of future generations," he said.
"I really want to be trained at the Gopichand Academy as I want to take up badminton professionally . Being trained by Gopi sir today was truly a dream come true as I have always looked up to him," said 15-year-old Nandini Meenakshi.
The session started with basic warm-up exercises like jogging and stretching to keep the children going throughout the day. Basic moves such as gripping the racquet, flicking the wrist and footwork were demonstrated by a group of national-level badminton players who have been trained at the academy. The children were then split into groups and told to practice the moves.
"These workshops are a good way to encourage kids to take up sports and it is great to see them play with so much enthusiasm and excitement," said Sindhu who bagged her maiden title in Malaysia on May 4 this year. It was a treat for the children as the coach protege duo decided to play a little game to demonstrate a few shots and swings.
After hanging up his playing boots a few years ago, the Padma Shri awardee coach has been honing talent at his academy and mentoring established players like Saina Nehwal, Sindhu and P Kashyap. Gopichand stressed on mastering the basic exercises in order to achieve a good grip which is essential to get a flawless technique. "It is a great opportunity for the kids to play with professionals and to learn the spirit of sport. The way sports are perceived in India should be improved for the benefit of future generations," he said.
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