COIMBATORE: When summer rolls around and the heat makes the city sizzle, beads of sweat drip down the faces of young boys and girls as they continue to dribble the basketball and perfect their throws.
At the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) basketball court in Coimbatore city, a revolution in sports training has been under way for nearly seven decades — free basketball coaching for the city’s youth in the summers. These camps were envisioned by late S Venkatakrishnan, a basketball coach with the Coimbatore Sports Council.
“Basketball was limited to Chennai in the 1950s. It was Venkatakrishnan aka Vaathiyar who laid the foundation for the sport in Coimbatore. His efforts to promote basketball among the youth, particularly those from economically weaker sections, led to the birth of these camps,” says YMCA chief coach R Syril Irudhayaraj.
“Initially, only club teams played in the YMCA. In 1958, Vaathiyar started the first free summer basketball camp at Variety Hall Road, Town Hall in Coimbatore. Within a few years, the number of students who wished to practise basketball gradually increased.”
These free basketball camps have helped bring out numerous stars, including hundreds of state and national-level players. Their sports credits have also helped many gain entry into higher education institutions, and even land high-profile government jobs.
Irudhayaraj, himself a student of Venkatakrishnan since his childhood, was coached by the latter between 1975 and 2001. Under Venkatakrishnan’s guidance, he secured a job at TNEB and worked as an accounts supervisor, where he also coached the TNEB basketball team.“Vaathiyar swore by the three formulas — discipline, determination and dedication — and he passed these on to the players. Apart from being a basketball coach, he taught discipline. For instance, if students did not turn up on time, he would not allow them in, nor would he scold them. After they understood this, the students would be on time,” recalls Irudhayaraj.
“His discipline shaped players into good personalities, and helped them reach good positions in society. Not just this, he guided and helped many get free seats in higher education institutions based on their achievements,” he adds.
Venkatakrishnan passed away in 2001, and since then, Irudhayaraj has taken over the reins, continuing his teacher’s efforts, with the support of former players and the YMCA administration.“Only the YMCA has been conducting free camps for students since its inception. Except for a break during the pandemic, we have conducted 64 annual summer camps so far. Students aged 6-18 are coached, and the coaching sessions are held in four batches — beginner, mini, junior and senior. This year, 109 students enrolled in four batches, including 31 girls,” notes Irudhayaraj.
“Additionally, two jersey sets and a basketball are provided, and currently, there are 10 coaches to conduct this camp over 25 days. We spend around Rs 2.5 lakh every year.Besides the summer camp, we conduct regular coaching for students, who wish to prepare for tournaments, from 5 am to 6.45 am, except on Sundays,” he adds.
“Due to these efforts, students from YMCA feature in the Coimbatore district basketball team across Under-13, 16 and 18 age groups, competing in inter-district, state-level, and national-level matches. Our women’s team has also performed exceptionally well,” he says.
The YMCA also organises annual basketball tournaments, the S Venkatakrishnan trophy, in four categories. Apart from this, YMCA conducts the DEXPORA (Diwali, Pongal, and Ramadan) tournament to foster communal harmony. “Our next aim is to conduct the state-level basketball tournament annually in Venkatakrishnan’s name, and it is expected to start next year,” the chief coach stated.
K Sathishkumar, a salesman at a shop in Ukkadam Market, told TNIE that his daughter S Kamaliga, a Class 9 student, has been receiving coaching from YMCA for three years. “When she was in Class 6, her teacher noticed her interest in games and asked me to enroll her in basketball coaching. Initially, I thought there would be a fee, but the teacher informed me it was free at YMCA. She has played in district-level matches and also represented the Coimbatore team in SGFI regional competitions in Under-14 and Under-16 categories,” he said.
M Surendaran, a senior coach, said, “I joined coaching under Vaathiyar when I was a Class 7 student. Later, I began coaching students and eventually, I was selected as the basketball coach for the Indian women’s Under-18 team for the Asian Basketball Tournament in 2000. An unforgettable experience, the credit for which goes to Venkatakrishnan.”
Now, the YMCA’s free basketball camp stands out amidst the sea of private coaching camps that look to profit from the sport. Decades later, Venkatakrishnan’s legacy continues to inspire and change the lives of hundreds.
(Edited by Srijith R)