TIRUCHY: Two female students from Tiruchy will be playing at the Women's Softball Asia Cup to be held in Taiwan in June. GM Sri Kamini and S Jenifer, ninth-grade students of SBIOA matriculation school are the only two players from the south to make it to the Indian team to play the Under-15 Women's Asia Cup next month.
In the wake of the students' selection, SBIOA correspondent Tiruchy R Ganapathy Subramanian, also a member of the Tiruchy Softball Association, has appealed to the state government for recognition and inclusion of the sports in the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT).
An official request would be sent to Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development Udhayanidhi Stalin soon, he said. He said, "SDAT recognition for this sport would be very helpful for players who are into the game and have been training for several years."
Softball is similar to baseball except that it is played with a larger ball on a smaller field, and that the ball would be thrown underarm instead of overarm. P Prasanna Kumar, Sports Authority of India (SAI) softball coach in Madhya Pradesh, who is currently training students in Tiruchy, said that the sport was officially played in the country from 1968 and he had represented team India in many international matches.
"Comparing to my times, a lot more sports enthusiasts are talking about the game and many are opting for these sports now, particularly women," he added. Similar to other games, players of this sport were also given equal importance in the sports quotas for government jobs, he added. "When states recognize these unfamiliar games it would be helpful in promoting and attracting more players into the sport," he opined.