Let’s make sport an attractive career option, too

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A Brisbane professional, member and former vice-president of the International Gymnastics Federation Technical Committee, spoke to the press in Mumbai recently about the gymnastics scenario in India. It was about making the great leap in this sport with a roadmap for becoming a force on the international stage.

While this was about gymnastics specifically, the vision can be a blueprint for other sports, too. The first is that one must have the facilities for athletes to train and then, progress in the sport. We need to have a plethora of sporting infra, that is the very first step towards building a base.

There must be ‘rewards' from sporting participation. Only then will parents send their children to train and be consistent. That can happen only if they see a future for their children in sport. That is why it is vital our current athletes are given the prizes they are promised by the government, get jobs and other avenues through which they can earn. Only when people are convinced that they can make a living through sport, will they strive with consistency and purpose.

Looking at adjunct facilities like coaches, judges and even medical aid, mental strength and conditioning coaches, too, means there will be a solid ecosystem in place. Building that is also the foundation towards glory at different levels. Today, modern sport is an exact, demanding science and these are the building blocks for super athletes who have to perform at global level.

Every once in a while, you may have a super challenger who overcomes adversity and lack of opportunity to become a champ. Yet, this will be the happy exception, rather than the rule. Let us start building solid sporting foundations for success.