Georgian coach holds 1-day training stint for 150 Gurdaspur judokas

A good coach has the potential to change a game, a great coach has the potential to change a life. This was the phrase international judoka Jasleen Saini uttered just as renowned Georgian judo coach Lasha Kizilashvili left the Shaheed Bhagat Singh training centre after a practice session. He was here to conduct a one-day training stint for more than 150 young judo players.

The centre has produced nearly 36 international players, who have donned India colours in the Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and other championships, World University Games and the World Police Games.

Lasha was here on the invitation of the Gurdaspur Judoka Welfare Society. He was accompanied by Nikunj Vig, performance manager of Vijayi Bharat Foundation, Ahmedabad, an NGO which is scouting for talent throughout the country in archery, shooting, judo and badminton.

The Gurdaspur centre, going by the success of its players in the domestic and international circuit, was their first port of call.

Coaches who outline playing strategies on a blackboard are a dime a dozen. However, coaches who make their disciples win medals tend to get inside their psyche, soul and spirit. Lasha is one of them.

He corrected the techniques of nervous players without causing even an iota of resentment. Coach Amarjit Shastri says, “Judo players are known to be touchy, impatient and sensitive. They do not want any changes to be made to their inherent techniques. Lasha first took notice of the players’ moves, then proceeded to rectify them. Not even a single player felt bitter about it. This is the first sign of a great coach.”

Lasha is known to imbibe the famous Georgian technique among Indian judokas. His proteges have already performed well in the Khelo-India Games. However, his impact extends beyond podium finishes. He is celebrated the world over for shaping the careers of sportsmen in a technically sound and positive manner.

Actually, Saini had a big hand in bringing the coach to Gurdaspur. During the Covid induced lockdown in 2020, Saini, who was undergoing a training stint in Georgia, suddenly found himself all alone when the authorities there decided to ban air travel. He could neither come back to India, nor did he know anyone who could help him in an alien land. Lasha’s brother Mamuka Kizilashvili, a top Georgian coach, then adopted him and asked him to stay at his house in his native village of Akhmeta. Mamuka had achieved success by guiding compatriot Zurab Zviadauri to a gold medal win in the 2004 Athens Olympics.

About Lasha’s Georgian style of judo, Saini says, “It is a dynamic style known for its blend of traditional wrestling and modern judo. This style is being slowly adopted all across the world. That is the reason why Georgians excel at close-quarters combat, using powerful under-hooks to control their opponents and creating space for counter-attacks. This style originates from Georgian folk wrestling.”