CHENNAI: India is under lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic and one of the ways many are keeping themselves occupied is by going online, be it to play games or watch movies. In their bid to keep children engaged, parents have enrolled them for online sports coaching. Given the demand, the number of platforms offering online coaching has also gone up during the lockdown. But experts believe there is no substitute for the physical form of coaching.
Noted cricket coach NP Balaji, who spotted and groomed former India pacer Lakshmipathy Balaji, insists that online coaching has several limitations and can never come close to the physical form of coaching.
“In online classes, one gets inputs on several aspects of the game, but it can never be like the physical form, at the grassroots level in particular. Without having a feel of the bat or ball on the field, one can never learn the game. One needs to be physically guided by a coach in matters like grip, stance and other aspects. You get to see a lot of video analysis online, which is a tool for coaching and not the coach itself,’’ said Balaji.
Jeev Milkha Singh believes one cannot learn golf on an online platform. “One gets to learn the nuances of the sport only through physical coaching,’’ opines Jeev.
Hiten Joshi, CEO and chief coach of the Tamil Nadu Tennis Association, echoes that feeling. “You can coach the coaches online. You can tell them what kind of drills can be given to the children. One can educate them on the skill sets required by players in various age groups. But for learning the game, boys and girls must have physical coaching. Only then can one learn how to hold the racquet in the right way with the help of a coach. Service is a very important aspect and one cannot learn this online,’’ explained Joshi.
Former Olympian and captain of the Indian hockey team, V Baskaran has an interesting observation. “One can learn the basics of hockey online. You can learn how to hold a stick or know what dribbling is. But for those above 14 years, physical coaching is a must. Once the grade or level goes up, the game becomes complex. You cannot rely on online coaching. You have to be physically present on the turf and try to improve,’’ opined Baskaran.
Chess is perhaps the only sport where a lot of things can be learnt online. Grandmaster Vishnu Prasanna, the coach of Grandmaster D Gukesh, says online coaching in chess is easy. It is catching up with children. “Online chess coaching is almost like face to face coaching. It is effective and simple. It is common to see chess players engage themselves in this.”