For starters, I am an average Indian Business Graduate with interests in Business and a passion for Cricket as well as other Sports - Football, Tennis, F1,the list goes on.
Coming from a city like Ahmedabad, where Infrastructure, Economy and Entrepreneurship is booming, I do believe that its time we individuals consider Sport as an important aspect in our lives and contribute as much as we can.
Being a Badminton player myself, I do believe that today's generation have all the necessary tools and ability to make it big and raise the bar when it comes to Performance. But what is the root cause that our players are not able to perform well at National / International levels leaving aside Cricket. Even Cricket is more of the money spinner than playing for National Pride!! I still remember Leander Paes having the same passion whenever he goes out to play for India and tears rolling down his cheeks when he is on the podium and listens to the National Anthem. of course a less emotional and more composed Abhinav Bindra did not show any emotion, but thats a very personal issue.
Sport in our Country has always been given a Secondary treatment barring a few professionals. Blame it on the Sporting System, Involvement of number of people and competition, Education and Peer pressure, Corruption in Sporting bodies. To me Sport has not been given the necessary push and hence this has not been able to galvansie a nation of more than a billion. A clear example of the benefits of Sport to a country can be seen through Spain. Barcelona hosted the 1992 Summer Olympics and the floodgates of their economy opened and till the recent crisis in the EU, Spain has been having a tremendously positive economic impact. Trade has grown manifold, Infrastructure has been booming, Tourism footfalls have grown and the appetite to host more events on a Global Scale without others having any apprehentions of Performance!!
Apart from the Economic Growth, Spain today has one of the best National Football Teams, Richest Football Club in Real Madrid, equally powerful rival club in FC Barcelona, Tennis sensations in Nadal, Verdasco, NBA Lakers player Pau Gasol, Fernando Alonso in F1, Sergio Garcia in Golf and Pedro Delgado the current Tour De France Champion. And whats the size of Spain, not even as big as Gujarat, forget India!!
Some of the advantages which Sport has and have always been overlooked:
- Builds leadership skills
- Makes you a Team Player
- Fighting qualities. You dont want to lose
- Concentration
- Passion
- Dedication
- Effecient Time Manager
There is no dearth of Talent in this land and it would be a sorry state of affairs if we would let go this talent a waste by not providing them with the necessary infrastructure. The key is to build programs which would faciliate the transition of Players from Average Players to Performing Champions.
Last but not the least, Sporting glory has held a Nation high and Sport has always been there even in the toughest of times. Its time that Sport receives it necessary Applause by bringing in the Glory!!!
