‘Achievements at senior level is what makes the difference’
NEW DELHI: While rise in technology has made life easier on one hand, it has at the same time turned into a distraction for teenagers. With so many gadgets to take away attention, children not only find it difficult to focus on their studies but mobile phones also keep them from playing outdoors.
“Today there are just too many distractions around for juniors. I read a PV Sindhu interview after she won the Olympic silver in Rio de Janeiro where she mentioned that she was without a phone for eight months.
“That is a big deal nowadays, a big struggle. Hard work is very important irrespective of anything,” said Mohita Sahdev, who was the last player from New Delhi to play at the World Badminton Championships in 2015.
“What I feel is that in juniors there is this group where they are all working hard, facilities have improved, so has the exposure. But how the young badminton players utilise their time, how they focus better, helps them perform better (in their careers).”
Mohita, who also coaches nowadays, added that in these times it is crucial to keep yourself self-motivated. “In my experience as a coach, it is very important that to overcome these distractions one has to be self-motivated.”
SENIOR LEVEL COUNTS
Though parents of many young sportspersons stress on the need to perform at the junior level, the obsession is such that, at times, it is forgotten that results at the junior level hardly make a difference.
Many a times juniors performing brilliantly at the Under-15, U-17 or U-19 level fail to make the same kind of impact in seniors.
Likewise, there are several who are totally anonymous as juniors but come out big in seniors.
“Seniors is a wide open field. What is important is a lot of times kids at a young level get used to winning; that should not go to their head. At the end of the day what you do in seniors is most important. Not to take away from what you do in juniors but seniors eventually is what matter in your career,” said former shuttler Nikhil Kanetkar, who represented India at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.
“So juniors should be like a stepping stone and not their final goal. A lot of kids fall back because they do well in juniors, even in the younger age groups, so they get used to winning and later are not able to handle their losing part -- they are not able to make the transition from junior to seniors.”
OVERCOMING ODDS
To strive is very important for junior shuttlers, which is when they learn to accept defeat, learn from it and move ahead. As the saying goes, failure is the greatest teacher. Hence, if young shuttlers lose at the junior level, they should not get demoralised because of it; rather learn from it and become better at their game.
“Ideally when you are 17 or 18 you should already be doing well in seniors. So if that is not happening then a lot of kids give up the sport and get frustrated because they are used to winning in juniors. That should not happen,” said the Pune-based Kanetkar.
“Struggle will be there because so many are playing and participating these days. Their parents will also have anxiety issues. But if you have the right training programme and hang on, keep working hard then the chances of doing well are much better because the support system is better than what it was during our time.”
What is important is a lot of times kids at a young level get used to winning; that should not go to their head. NIKHIL KANETKAR, On guidance If you have the right training programme and hang on, keep working hard then the chances of doing well are much better. On patience Juniors should be like a stepping stone and not their final goal. A lot of kids fall back because they do well in juniors. On handling failure