CHENNAI: Jammu and Kashmir is hardly a formidable title in volleyball. And therefore when their boys group upset defending champions Haryana within the group encounter of the Khelo India Youth Video games 2023 on the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor stadium right here, the celebrations had been fairly comprehensible.
The win wasn’t sufficient for Jammu and Kashmir to advance to the knock-out stage regardless of being locked on factors with Haryana and Rajasthan with one victory every as a consequence of inferior set scores. However the preventing spirit they confirmed in a bunch that additionally consisted of hosts Tamil Nadu, would do them a world of fine to their confidence.
“This Khelo India Youth Video games was an excellent platform for us the place our gamers received extra publicity and had been capable of play in such good infrastructure, which is absent in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The efficiency right here will certainly increase our confidence and I can be sure that if we get good amenities and hostels for gamers in Jammu, they’ll positively win medals for us sooner or later, ” mentioned Naresh Kumar, the pinnacle coach of the Jammu and Kashmir volleyball group.
Lack of infrastructure has been a significant hindrance in creating the game in Jammu and Kashmir because the Union Territory lacks any indoor facility and climate situations make it unattainable for them to coach for greater than six months in a 12 months.
A lot of the gamers are additionally compelled to apply individually fairly than as a group as the one place they will prepare collectively in Jammu doesn’t have sports activities hostel amenities. Every participant shoulders the bills of journey and tools, showcasing their unwavering dedication regardless of hailing from humble backgrounds. These constrains additionally impacts the women’ group which hasn’t been capable of qualify for the Khelo India Youth Video games but.
Explaining the challenges, group captain Shadab Shameem mentioned, “It takes greater than a day to succeed in Jammu for many gamers, and there are not any amenities to remain, which is a tragic half. So, we solely collect two weeks earlier than the competitors underneath our coach. In any other case, we apply alone in our locality with restricted amenities. Additionally, within the winter, we have no probability to apply, affecting our kind and psychological well being.
“We approached the sport in opposition to Haryana with a profitable mindset, as a result of we have to mark our title on this Khelo India Youth Video games with not less than a win and we did it, ” he added.