Coaching course will improve quality of Indian coaches: Pullela Gopichand

Chief badminton coach Pullela Gopichand believes the Intermediate Level Coach Education Programme, which will be held from March 23-30 at the Gopichand academy in Hyderabad, will improve the quality of Indian coaches and lead to a greater talent pool across the country.

A maximum of 30 Indian badminton coaches will participate in the seven-day course, organised by the Badminton Association of India (BAI), in partnership with GoSports Foundation.

"With the kind of results we've had in the international arena, and the unexpected boom badminton has seen in the last few years, a lot of badminton courts that have come up, and consequently there is an increased requirement for quality badminton coaches across the country," Gopichand told PTI.

"Also, because of changes the sport has undergone in terms of format, and the need for early specialisation with respect to doubles, singles, and mixed doubles, it is important that coaches are updated with latest scientific inputs and techniques.

"Keeping all this in mind, BAI along with GoSports Foundation have come up with this programme. This will improve the quality of coaches across India and will lead to a greater talent pool across the country," he added.

The programme will be attended by a maximum of 30 Indian badminton coaches with a minimum of two years' coaching experience who have either played badminton at the national/international level or hold an NIS-SAI diploma.

The course, designed to encompass various aspects of badminton coaching, will also include information on the technical nuances of the game.

The trainee coaches will be exposed to intricacies of sport medicine, sports nutrition, sports psychology and conditioning.

The technical aspects of badminton will be administered by BWF technical expert Venugopal Mahalingam, Gopichand, Indonesian coach Edwin and other senior Indian coaches.

Other experts involved with conducting the programme include conditioning expert Jagmohan Singh, sports medicine expert Dr. Ashok Ahuja, nutrition expert Mr. Venkatraman, sports psychologists Dr. Asis Goswami and Dr. Sanjeev Sahni and Physiotherapist Dr. Kiran.

On successful completion of the course, the selected coaches will be accredited with the BAI for conduct of National Development Programmes/National Coaching Camps.

"This course will enable the competent badminton coaches to be equipped with training method and updated knowledge of sports sciences. Which will go a long way in improving the standard of Indian badminton players at all levels," said TPS Puri, Course Director and Vice President, BAI.

The application process will remain open till February 28.