Ameeta Singh is back to serve the sport after more than three decades that gave her pride of being a four-time national champion during 1970s and 1980s.
In her new role as the Delhi Capital Badminton Association president, the active Bharatiya Janata Party politician is determined to make the difference felt. She is ready with a blue print to end the drought of seeing an international badminton medallist from the national Capital.
“We are lacking to produce an international medallist from Delhi only indicates that there is some link missing,” confessed the DCBA president as she revealed her vision for raising the level of badminton in the national Capital.
Creation of a high-tech sports academy for the top talent is her main goal, Ameeta spelt out during a webinar moderated by former Badminton Association of India general secretary and national level player Anup Narang.
“We will select promising players from the numerous academies across Delhi and put them in the academy that will solely facilitate them by all means necessary in their sporting career. The said academy would have the state of the art equipment, the best coaches, latest techniques, the very best doctors in sports medicine and nutrition practitioners, physio therapists, masseurs, psychologists and any other facilities that in every manner possible help the players in achieving their highest sporting potential,” said Ameeta.
Finance has been the major challenge for the sport’s governing body that for decades has been marred by factionalism and mismanagement. The DCBA president is aiming to seek Government aid and CSR funds to accomplish her mission.
Having played active badminton for about 18 years puts her in a unique position to understand what the players need for an overall growth.
CALLS FOR A SPORTS UNIVERSITY
At the national level she strongly advocates the need to have a sports university to facilitate young players in balancing their athletic careers as well as their academics in the best possible manner.
“Challenges faced by a player are vastly different than those faced by regular students. Any professional athlete on a regular day of practice would be expected to put in at a minimum six to eight hours of rigorous physical training. Then to expect them to participate in a regular academic day with the same vigour as a normal student would be immensely challenging,” says Ameeta.
“Universities with a specialized curriculum, which is tailored to take into account the needs faced by the players, would be immensely beneficial to high-level athletes.”
The educators and coaches would understand sports and work in co ordination.
RETURN AS AN ADMINISTRATOR
Having played badminton at the national level for close to two decades and having served the nation at international competitions, she was never detached from the game. Like all top level athletes, badminton remained etched to her in approach, attitude, actions and energies.
However, it was a deprivation of opportunity to some deserving players from the Capital that motivated the player-turned-politician to return to the sport as an administrator. “A while ago some parents informed me that due to some technical reasons their children were unable to participate in the North Zone Championships. I reached out to the Badminton Association of India President. With his intervention the children could not just play but also won laurels too,” reveals
” This was a great sense of personal gratification as I could relate the emotions of a aspiring players missing one championship.”
The incident served as the impetus to make her join the world of badminton actively, yet again. And now she is determined to make the difference felt.