Sports Dept to shift Sec 43 badminton centre

Deepankar Sharda

Tribune News Service 

Chandigarh, March 18

The UT Sports Department has decided to shift the badminton coaching centre from the Sector 43 Government Model Senior Secondary School Sports Complex to the newly-built indoor arena in Sector 38 (West). 

The department has also decided to set up a full-fledged gymnastics coaching centre at the Sector 43 Sports Complex. 

The move follows a long-pending demand of the Sector 43 school authorities for an exclusive gymnastics coaching centre.  

“We have been demanding an exclusive centre of excellence for the past one year. Our gymnasts have been winning medals at various national-level competitions… we also have a professional coach to look after the centre. It’s a welcome step and will encourage more students to take up gymnastics,” said a school official.

The school authorities also claimed that 120 registered gymnasts practice daily at the centre.

Earlier, the gymnasts had alleged that they were not allowed to practice at the multi-purpose hall of the sports complex and were forced to accommodate in a space adjoining the badminton courts. 

Meanwhile the six Hova badminton courts, which were installed at the Sector 43 Sports Complex in June last year, have been shifted to the newly-constructed indoor complex in Sector 38.

Sources claimed that the new centre will be opened for the trainees on Tuesday. 

“The arena will have 10 courts. It will be a dedicated centre of coaching for budding shuttlers. We are yet to decide on approving time slot for leisure activity here,” said a Sports Department official.