Guru Nanak National College here organised a seminar with focus on the need to strengthen grassroots sports in the state. Over 150 principals, faculty members and students attended the seminar.
Rakesh Malik, director, Physical Education and Sports, Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh, was the keynote speaker at the event christened Grassroots sports promotion in Punjab: A roadmap for the future.
He said that the future of sports in the state lied in the village schools and small towns. Calling for better coordination between schools, colleges, state associations and universities, he added it was time them these to work as a unit. “Identifying talent in school and supporting them till the university level will to give us the desired results,” he said, urging the institutions to invest in coaches, sports science and infrastructure at the grassroots rather than waiting for ready-made champions.
Colleges should
act proactively
He said colleges should act sharp and try to reach the government and private schools in their periphery to nab talent at a very early age.
“By the time students reach higher education institutions, they should be prepared to put their best in the field. Moreover, raw talent needs to be chosen and selected from the village grounds and made to prepare for bigger competitions,” added Malik.
District Sports Officer Kuldeep Singh Chugh delved into facilities being provided to sportspersons and called for identification of talent at school stage.
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