Camp for coaches to be held from August 3

Conducting tournaments at village level and strengthening the coaching aspect are the two areas the AP Volleyball Association would concentrate on immediately, its newly elected president P.V.G.R. Naidu (Ganababu) has said.

“Coaching is one area the A.P. is badly lacking since almost all coaches of the undivided State are in Hyderabad. We hardly have any coaches and to overcome this problem, APVA is organising a camp for coaches at Peda Gantyada indoor sports hall (in city outskirts) from August 3 for about 10 to 15 days.

The district associations have been asked to send all their coaches and senior players to the camp,” Mr. Ganababu has said.

The situation with APVA is that due to dearth of coaches, one coach is being sent with both boys and girls teams for not just one tournament but more tournaments and his or her assistants are also being repeated. The State needs good coaches who are also well aware of latest techniques and rules.

The coaches’ camp is going to be serious affair. Dronacharya and Arjuna award winner A. Ramana Rao, who is also APVA secretary and other noted coaches will talk to the coaches and senior players attending the camp. Another Dronacharya and Arjuna award winner M. Shyamsundar Rao is likely to attend, while former Indian coach and chairman of APVA S. Kodandaramiah will give a motivational talk to the coaches.

Tournaments

To tap sporting talent, the APVA is planning to conduct tournaments at the village level to the State level to find players, according to Mr. Ganababu.

For conducting the tournaments, the present infrastructure has to be improved. Mr. Ganababu is happy that volleyball is still alive in rural area though it is not so in urban area, mainly due to lack of space. What the volleyball enthusiasts needs is encouragement and guidance, he says.

The district police has made a beginning by encouraging volleyball among the Girijan youths. A volleyball tournament held some months ago, covering the 11 mandals in Visakha Agency, some hundreds of teams participated and the fight for the top place in a mandal and for the inter-mandal Visakha Agency title witnessed a lot of competition.

Focus will be on conducting tournaments at village level and strengthening the coaching aspect

P.V.G.R. Naidu

President of APVA