Motivation, govt funding can promote sports culture

The main aim of the present education system is to bring up more and more intellectuals. Anything other than studies is distraction according to parents. But, as they say “Distractions are the biggest attractions”. Sometimes, these small distractions can lead to a bigger goal. A sport is an essential element of learning. It enhances quality of leadership, teamwork, cooperation, hardwork and confidence, especially among the youth. Lack of motivation discourages people from participating in sports activities. Regular seminars, lectures and classes in schools can help explain to children the importance of sports. Financial resources, facilities and supportive policies can do wonders in promoting sports among the youth. Children should be provided a platform where they can showcase their skills and passion for sports. Federations should hold tournaments and deserving players should get scholarships and rewards, besides opportunities to explore their talent.

Neeru Yadav, a resident

Select students at school level

The image of Punjab portrays youth hooked to drugs. Actually, it is not that bad. There are youngsters building their career and working for the progress of the nation. Youth aspiring for sports must be shortlisted at the school level. Teachers must make efforts to select students for sports. The government must hold surprise inspections for checking sports activities in schools. Interested students must be encouraged to participate in games. Sports enhance physical activity and help stay fit in life. This must be taught in schools because that is the place to direct young minds on the right path.

Gursimar, a resident

Come out of Internet domain

Physical activity is vital for development of young people, besides fostering their physical, social and emotional health. The benefits of sports surpass the impact on physical well-being. The value of sports should not be under-estimated. Today, our youth has a mind which can create almost anything we can think of. This is all due to the technology. Youngsters love to play games, but on screens. They are not going out of their Internet domain. Hence, they are sharpening their mind every minute at the cost of their physical health. Let’s consider ourselves. How many of us find time to improve physically rather than sitting at our work stations and sipping coffee over and over for the whole day, which ultimately leads to ‘n’ number of health issues. Our school (unnamed) offers sixteen sports for students and a compulsory sports period every-day. But, to promote the sports culture, the youth, who is completely aware of its benefits, need to be more inclined towards playing out in the open. Events being promoted in the city — Raahgiri, fitness tours, run for fun — aim at involving more and more people in sports. Moreover, we have state of the art sports facility at Guru Nanak Stadium, PAU, as well as at many clubs in the city. A new indoor sports stadium provides opportunity to play games. But, we need to make an effort to find time for ourselves. Association with any sports just for once will definitely get us into it forever. That is what a sportsman is all about: Achieving more. Parents must be conscious that their children are motivated to play sports instead of getting involved in parties and drinks in their leisure time. We can get rid of a lot of evils prevailing in our society, besides promote peace and love among all with the sportsmanship inside us. A little effort by all of us can take our youth miles ahead. Most important, sports can help one become a better individual. Remember, sports act as a magnet and never as repellant.

Mandeep Kaur, a resident

Upgrade indoor and outdoor infrastructure

To promote sports due support from the government is required. Sports should be a priority while framing policies related to education, employment and defence. Most educational institutions do not have adequate infrastructure for indoor and outdoor sports activities. Dearth of spacious grounds is an impediment for sports. We find schools at every nook and corner of thickly populated residential and commercial areas in the city. It is simply unthinkable that these shops can have any arrangements for outdoor sports. The registration and affiliation of such schools should be given only if schools have ample sports facilities. Earlier, schools run by the government and educational societies of repute had devoted teachers as guides if not trained coaches meant for sports. We should not forget that ‘The battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton’. The spirit of sportsmanship eradicates from one’s mind the complex of a victory and loss. For a sportsman, it is immaterial whether he wins or loses. His main focus is always on just to play. This spirit inculcates in him or her, the habit of healthy competition in the future life. While playing, one enjoys the success and is eager to perform better if he/she losses. Sports make a person envious and not jealous. It helps develop respect towards team work. Many renowned sportsmen come from marginalised section of society and not from with financially affluent families. These people do not have means to support them for participation in sports. If a zeal for sports is promoted amongst our youth, they will not have time to think of drugs and stay away from the fatal evil. They will be health conscious and know values of life. Participation in outdoor sports should be made mandatory in schools. The government should allocate funds for sports like the defence budget. Sportsmen are always a good asset of the nation. Movies like ‘Sultan’ and ‘Dangal’ have succeeded in diverting the attention of youth towards sports. Games involving vigorous exertion always produce good citizens with robust health and fertile mind. The government should first make efforts to promote sports, then produce good sportspersons and give them jobs so that they are not compelled to move away from their ambition because of financial constraint.

SK Mittal, Khanna

Employment must to promote sports culture

There was an era when sportspersons were addicted to sports. In pre-cricket era, many local clubs promoted hockey, football, volleyball and other sports events in the city. Mass participation of youth in such events encouraged the future generation to follow in their footsteps. Deserving sportspersons were easily accommodated in the district level teams of Punjab Police, electricity and mandi boards, JCT, BSF, Corps of Signals, EME, Army, banks and other club teams of the region. Now, the doors of employment have been permanently shut on such sportsmen as sports are not on the priority list of the government. Revival of sports culture is possible only if the infrastructure is available and assessable to all and sundry sports complexes or stadiums, which should be used for sporting events only. Schools should be made the nurseries of good sportspersons. Selection of teams should be fair. Politicians should not be made a part of sports bodies. It is an uphill task to bring back electronic gadgets loving youth to sports arena. Heavy financial investment on youth can ensure the recovery of present day sick society.

Brish Bhan Ghaloti , a resident

Nurture interest at the tender age

To promote the sports culture among youth in the city, multiple efforts are needed. All schools and colleges should have well-maintained playgrounds. Students must be encouraged for pursuing one or the other sports activity. Their interest in sports must be nurtured right from tender age in schools and colleges. Expert trainers must be appointed to guide youth in different sports. Students excelling in each sports item must be given financial support along with scholarships for further improvement. The local authorities must develop both in-door and out door playgrounds in the city where youth can pursue sports according to their individual interest and taste. There is a strong need of setting up a sports academy in the smart city to enable youth to pursue games. Itemwise sports clubs can be set up in the city to enhance interest in sports. Individuals excelling in any sports item must be given recognition in public by know means. Promising good jobs for those excelling in sports will also promote sports culture among youth.

Dr G Dev, a resident

Provide scholarships, facilities to kids

Active participation in sports can help imbibe values of discipline and team spirit. Sports can help youth move towards positive development, have good relationships, maintain discipline and learn about team spirit. It is the only field in which we work as a team under rules and regulations. Now the question arises how can we develop sports culture in youth? We can make children aware of sports right from the school level. Scholarship and other facilities can be provided to promote sports. Parental motivation can help children opt a game of their interest. In Ludhiana, there are stadiums and sport places, which can organise activities like cycling competition to make the people aware of sports through their active participation. Non-profit organisations can also help marginalised children take up sports by creating conducive environment.

Channi Kaur, a resident

Give extra marks to sportspersons

Sports are important part of our life. One should indulge in sports activities right from the early stage. It helps in bringing discipline in life. Now, the emphasis on sports has decreased in schools and colleges. The whole stress is on academics. Educational institutions should be particular about sports. It should be mandatory for every student to choose one sport at the school or college level. To encourage participation, some extra percentage can be reserved in schools and colleges for students, who are active in sports. Besides organising regular sports meet and marathons, youth should be made aware of different games along with academics.

Aashna Taneja, a resident

Expanding cities, shrinking playgrounds

I agree with you that sports improve discipline and inculcate team spirit, but the moot point is: Where are grounds to play most of the games? Our cities are bursting at the seams with population. They are a concrete jungle. Hardly any open spaces are left to play. Everybody can’t go to Punjab Agriculture University or Guru Nanak Stadium. Most public schools have less open space. Our children have developed sedentary life style. At least 40 per cent of them are obese. We need to create sports facilities in each colony in the city to achieve the objective of promoting sports.

Major (retd) Gurdeep Samra

Give refreshments at nominal cost

It is said rightly “A sound body keeps a sound mind”. To inculcate the habit of playing sports among youth of Punjab, the government should focus on indoor stadium in each mohalla and village. There must be a compulsory participation of boys and girls after the age of 10 years in the game of his/her own choice. The government should make games a part of curriculum in school and colleges.There must be inter-mohalla and inter-village competitions of games. Some refreshment (fruits/milk) should be provided to players on nominal charges after each game. The weightage in admission and jobs should be given to those, who opted/played a game for at least 10 years, consistently. The government should allocate a fund in the budget for sports. The coach of a respective mohalla/village should be provided finances and made responsible for introducing games among youth. Each minister, MLA, municipal counsellor must take part in one game of his/her choice and play it with youth to boost their morale. This way, the youth of Punjab will not only remain healthy, but also be more energetic, capable, active and disciplined in their life.

Dr Mohd Saleem, a resident

Focus on effect of sports on five Cs

In addition to improved physical health, active participation in sports plays primarily a positive role in development of youth, including improved academic achievements, higher self-esteem, few behavioral problems and better psychology. Besides sports due to its economic, social and individual aspects has also a vital role in learning the important life skills, including setting goals, raising healthy generations, public health protection, economic development, enhancing peace and development of social harmony. Active participation in sports also develops nationalism, which can unite the nation as one. It also helps bridge inequalities of race and gender. Therefore, we need to put in more efforts for developing sports habits and culture among youth. Focus should be on effects of sport on the five “C’s” — Competence, Confidence, Connections, Character and Caring — which are considered to be critical components of promotion of games among youth in a city. The need of the hour is to put in place a comprehensive framework to develop a youth sport strategy with an aim to increase the number of young people developing sport as a habit for life consistently. A broad base of active sportspersons has to be built to strengthen our talent development resource in order to nurture aspiring youth. Further, to support any strategy for increasing youth participation in sports high quality facilities should be provided. Moreover, the Ministry of Sports must be responsible to build a cohesive and resilient society by developing policies, community infrastructure, programmes and services, including improving links between schools and community sports clubs, working with sports governing bodies, building a lasting legacy of competitive sports in schools, investing in facilities.

Ravi Chander Garg, a resident