BASKETBALL CAMPS: LETTER TO COMMISSIONER, NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION

BASKETBALL CAMPS: LETTER TO COMMISSIONER, NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION

LETTER TO COMMISSIONER, NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION

DEAR SIR, YOU ARE THE CUSTODIAN OF ONE OF THE GREATEST SPORTS IN THE HISTORY OF WORLD. BASKETBALL - the very name - makes children swoon in joy - ready to bounce the ball. I am an ordinary person - and have played the game - with lot of joy. AND I THINK IS THE GOAL OF YOUR ORGANIZATION - BASKETBALL FOR JOY, HEALTH, COMMUNITY SERVICE. Since you are making great efforts to introduce this game in my country - INDIA - I am very delighted to share some of my thoughts with you. I HAVE BEEN COACHING THE GAME - for the last TWENTY FIVE YEARS - it all started as a programme to teach my son this game - and one thing led to another. TODAY I train rural and urban children of Bangalore and its surroundings. In a remote village I have built SUMPOORNA BASKETBALL SCHOOL - where an opportunity is given to the very young ones to learn the basics of the game. IT IS JOY FOR ME - JOY FOR THEM. Most of my activities are put up as STATUSES in FACEBOOK. http://facebook.com/subhash.mahajan1 and i have a blog http://www.blogger.com/profile/143607126... THE REASON WHY I WRITE THIS LETTER IS - this - I think NBA should evolve a training programme - or an intervention programme - which strengthens basketball as an amazing sport. INDIA is unique in some senses. WE HAVE UNPAID - DEDICATED BASKETBALL COACHES - who are not in the mainstream of the game - due to various reasons. The administrators of this game in India - are not doing a great job - by any stretch of imagination. SO THE GAME is a hand-maiden of few city dwelling people. INDIA has two unique sports which are similar to BASKETBALL - KHO KHO and KABADDI - where you have millions of youth playing these games on a regular basis. They use clay courts for practice. And I have successfully converted such players into basketball players. SO IF NBA invests in an indoor basketball court - for the same value - ONE HUNDRED CLAY COURTS of basketball could be constructed. And this would give a great fillip to grass root promotion of the game. OF COURSE, there are many unused basketball courts also - wherein trainers could be motivated to start regular practice. I am a student of PEACE CORPS teachers - and I think what INDIA needs today - is a group of committed volunteers - who can join up with NBA to spear=head a programme - which suits INDIA. AND YOU WILL READILY FIND SUCH THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEERS - EX PLAYERS - if you could provide the right type of direction. WHAT YOU HAVE IN USA - what you have in CHINA - are great examples of successful enterprise - BUT, SIR, INDIA IS different. You need to make a new mould. I am not very good at expressing my ideas - but this is the wisdom I think I should share with you. SUBHASH MAHAJAN optus.blore@gmail.com

INVITING BASKETBALL PLAYERS TO SUMPOORNA

At SUMPOORNA, forty boys and girls master basketball skills and enjoy the matches which they play throughout the day and late evenings. During this time, YOU COULD DRIVE OVER and see a project that is unique in many senses. Grass root SPORTS PROMOTION in the last five years has made an impact.

You may want to INTERACT with these future players - you may want to impart some special skills that you have - you may just want to watch them.

COME TO SUMPOORNA - INDIA'S QUEST FOR GREATNESS IN BASKETBALL! From 1-4-10 to 31-5-10, the sound of basketballs will never stop at SUMPOORNA.

BASKETBALL CAMPS AT SUMPOORNA-TUMKUR-BANGALORE

This is the time of the year when children need to learn basic skills in sports, as during the academic sessions it is not possible to have concentrated efforts for long durations. As a sports promoter [with focus on BASKETBALL] for the last 30 years, I am able to customise YOUR CHILD'S requirements, be it a residential or a day camp.

SUMPOORNA campus in a village location is the perfect `cocoon' for learning Basketball. This residential camp is for FIVE DAYS. This is followed up by the monthly camp at TUMKUR or BANGALORE [day camp] depending upon where you are located.

Boys and Girls between 9-15 years are eligible. Senior players will be admitted only after an aptitude test. Limited number of children will be registered on first come first served basis.

Camps begin from 1/4/2010 and end on 30/5/2010. Annual camps begin from 1/6/2010 and end on 31/12/2010.

Contact 99808 30145 or 98860 20145 or FAX 080-23452448 optus.blore@gmail.com

JAWAHAR NAVODAYA VIDYALAYA, YENIGADALE - SUMPOORNA BASKETBALL SCHOOL COMES AGAIN!

YENIGADALE - where it all began - a relationship between two organizations - SUMPOORNA and JAWAHAR NAVODAYA VIYALAYAS. `Since you came - most of our children are crazy about basketball' - and a phone call `Sir, WHY DIDN'T YOU COME AGAIN'. These small tugs at my heart HOW CAN I `FORGET' Yenigadale. As long as I live, every year, at least once I shall come JNV, Yenigadale.

AND WHEN I AM TOO OLD TO COME - I SHALL ARRANGE FOR YOU TO COME TO SUMPOORNA! This is a promise. Basketball is no more a game for me - it is a medium of developing relationships with children. The older I get - the more I realize; the importance of playing in our life.

PUT ON YOUR SHOES - GET READY FOR SHOOTING BASKETS - THE SUMPOORNA FAMILY COMES TO YOU ON 6TH AUG.

CALLING ALL BASKETBALL PLAYERS FROM INDIA

I, Subhash Mahajan, from SUMPOORNA BASKETBALL SCHOOL, call all basketball players of India. I need your collaboration - I need your experience - I NEED YOU: to set in motion PROMOTION OF BASKETBALL throughout the length and breadth of the country.

NBA, National Basketball Association, has grand plans to promote basketball in our country. They would visit the posh cities of India, do some clinics, train some hundred or so players. WHAT ABOUT THE HUGE BASKETBALL PLAYING POPULATION OF THE COUNTRY WHICH RESIDES IN RURAL AREAS. That is where the real talent lies.

Let us build a net-work of `rural tournaments' in player friendly environments for the young school children of our country. YOU ARE NEEDED AS NEVER BEFORE. You must create your own net-work and we must collaborate with everyone who is into basketball. Let us promote BASKETBALL in rural areas the way cricket is played.

LET US INNOVATE - AND MAKE IT AN EXCITING GAME! Every school shall have a hoop and its share of hoop maniacs. ARISE, AWAKE and stop not till an Indian plays in NBA.

BASKETBALL CAMPS: SUMPOORNA CUP AT JNV, URDIGERE, TUMKUR ON 25TH AND 26TH JULY.

BASKETBALL CAMPS: SUMPOORNA CUP AT JNV, URDIGERE, TUMKUR ON 25TH AND 26TH JULY.

SUMPOORNA BASKETBALL LEAGUE or A.B.L.E. CUP

A very senior basketball official cum coach had once remarked `Children below 15 years are not ABLE to play basketball. It is too complicated for them. A.B.L.E. Academy for Basketball Learning was born. The success of ABLE is history. A marathon run of matches at different venues - never to be repeated by anyone.

SUMPOORNA basketball is the battle-cry of the `deprived rural children'. Basketball courts are too expensive - say the officials. Well, we have gone ahead and built very nice courts in rural areas and we are `collaborating' with school managements to build basketball training facilities. Success has been beyond our wildest expectations.

Now, a time has come to decide whether to re-introduce the concept of A.B.L.E. once again. AND what direction Sumpoorna Basketball League should take? Decisions that will PROMOTE BASKETBALL in a friendly learning environment.

I still walk alone! I have stopped asking anyone to help me. But there are many who in their own way are `sustaining' the SUMPOORNA project. I am sure in the years to come - the ambassadors of basketball - will be able to promote this game in a much vigorous way.

SUMPOORNA CUP AT JNV, URDIGERE, TUMKUR ON 25TH AND 26TH JULY.

The stage is set for another SUMPOORNA CUP - this time it is set in JAWAHAR NAVODAYA VIDYALAYA, URDIGERE, DISTT. TUMKUR. The rings are at 8 feet height - so it would mean adaptation. Players who get used to the ring height earlier will be able to win their mathces. The last fun match I played here in my white pyjama kurta was exhilarating for I was able to make most of my three point shots.

Getting the teams to come here is going to be a logistical problem. Let us see how the managements respond to it.

V.S.C.BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT 2009

Fifty teams participated in this tournament - FIVE A SIDE. Photos have been uploaded on my orkut profile in record short time. I am exhausted but thrilled. Organizing tournaments comes naturally to me. I was able to hold the ship afloat mainly by lot of marketing moves.

Explaining to the errant players so that they understand is important. This will help them understand tournament ethics. I, however, understand that many schools pay only lip-sympathy to sports. The coaches are under pressure to perform although not many would have practiced much. It is like investing a paise to get hundred rupees overnight.

My 7/3 statement was probably bewildering to the basketball players. NOBODY HAS TOLD THEM YET - that there is a fundamental right to play. Any way I have gone ahead and told them THIS. I don't think they even believed me.

BUT I HAVE ALWAYS STARTED ALONE - CROWDS HAVE JOINED ONLY LATER! More I shall write on my blog - mahajannon-conformist.

V.S.C. BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT ON 18th & 19th July, 2009

43 teams and still counting ----. Success of the tournament has already been assured by the sheer number of teams participating. When will I touch 100 teams?

Teams from Tumkur & Doddaballapur have also entered the fray. Good luck to all the teams participating. Rains bothered us today - hopefully the rain gods will listen to our prayers for Sat and Sun.

Gear school and Kensri school coaches are bringing large contingents!

Outwardly I am cool - my inside is overly joyful!

THE DESIRE TO LEARN BASKETBALL! TODAY I GUIDE YOU IN FLESH - TOMORROW MY SOUL SHALL.!

This was an incredible learning experience in basketball. The seeds that we had sown in JNV, Doddaballapur a few months back had sprouted and REARING TO GO! There was that athleticism rarely seen in basketball players from cities - there was the DESIRE TO LEARN BASKETBALL.

I saw this desire and I was in tears of joy. JNV DODDABALLAPUR will be an important point in my radar. They shall get as much learning as they want.

Regency Public School too didn't disappoint. They have picked up some finer points of the game - fitness is, of course, lacking. I told JYOTI - she agreed! Dekshita, as ususal, was like a bulllet out of a revolver - SHE STILL HAS THAT RESERVE which must be unleashed sooner or later - I must talk to her about it.

I will manipulate something for the 11th standard girls of JNV Dod - how can I deny you the process of learning basketball. V.S.C. cup will have a open `women' section - even if I have to import the team from Tumkur. Your DESIRE TO LEARN shall keep this man of 56 years battle-ready! Bhuvana, Priyanka and others with those twinkling eyes - I shall be ALWAYS THERE. Today, I am with you in flesh - tomorrow my soul shall guide you.

NETWORKING BASKETBALL LEARNING

All basketball players agree that enough networking is not done - i.e. practice sessions or friendly matches aren't there which would help them develop their talents.

So an attempt is being made to take REGENCY PUBLIC SCHOOL, VIDYARANYAPURA team play with JNV Doddaballapur on this Saturday. Hopefully this would be first of its kind and can be repeated elsewhere for other institutions too.

The game of basketball deserves this networking - the children will ultimately benefit a lot.

PROBABLE CAMPS AND TOURNAMENTS - IN 2009

This is one note-sheet I would like to keep in front of you. I DONOT KNOW WHETHER THIS IS POSSIBLE, but this is what I am thinking.

JULY 2ND WEEK : V.S.C.CUP 2009
AUG 1ST WEEK : REGENCY CUP 2009
AUG LAST WEEK : SARGANTINE BASKETBALL CUP 2009
SEP 2ND/3RD WEEK: KORATAGERE CUP 2009
NOV 3RD WEEK : CHAMPIONS LEAGUE AT SUMPOORNA CAMPUS
DEC holidays : SPECIAL SKILLS CAMPS
JAN-FEB-MARCH : NOTHING SPECIFIC YET

Of course, weekend camps in SUMPOORNA and other JNVs would be continuous programmes throughout the year for promotion of basketball.

I am very much interested in conducting under 9, under 10, under 11 and under 12
tournaments both in Tumkur and Bangalore.

An exclusive GIRLS ONLY tournament in Empress, Tumkur AND also REGENCY P.S. Bangalore.

I could add more shorter version tournaments but the above is bare minimum.

SUMPOORNA CUP BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT AT ST.MARY'S SCHOOL, GANDHINAGAR, TUMKUR

The school year begins with a BANG! SUMPOORNA CUP BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT will be held at St. Mary' School, Gandhinagar, TUMKUR on 27th and 28th of June, 2009. A new category has been added i.e. VIII standard [to provide a continuing opportunity to last year's primary school students]. The details are as below:

ANNUAL PROGRAMME BEGINS AT SUMPOORNA

On Friday 12-6-2009 I will leave for TUMKUR - to visit schools and offer them BASKETBALL training for their school teams. On Saturday the first weekend camp of the new year will begin.

Students for such camps are selected BY INVITATION only. To get invitation - you have to know us.

SUMPOORNA WILL CREATE AND TRAIN YOUR SCHOOL TEAM!

TO ALL HEADMASTERS/PRICIPALS
6/6/2009
DEAR SIR/MADAM

SUMPOORNA has been imparting basketball learning for the last three years for children below 15 years [namely V std to VIII std]. Besides this, we have been creating basketball infrastructure too.

We provide basketball training within `your school campus' or at our residential school campus. The primary objective is to create `love' for the game and develop fitness as a bonus. A THREE DAY MODULE [at your campus] would cost Rs.One hundred per student. A FIVE DAY MODULE [at our campus] which would include all expenses [except transportation from your school to our place] would cost Rs.Two hundred fifty per student. The training programme would be from 7am to 7pm [Lunch break 1pm-3pm].

Further details can be had from us on phone 98860 20145. We can also provide `coaching facilities' on a regular basis to your school students.

BASKETBALL PROMOTION CAMP FROM 29-31ST MAY, 2009

SUMPOORNA provides a unique opportunity for educational institutions and individuals to introduce or learn the game of basketball.

To plan and streamline the activities of SUMPOORNA for the next few months a basketball promotion camp is being conducted from 29th to 31st May, 2009. Volunteers would be trained in `marketing of basketball' - `conducting of basketball tournaments' - `officiating tournaments for younger children' according to SUMPOORNA rules.

THIS WOULD ALSO BE THE LAST CAMP FOR THESE SUMMER HOLIDAYS. The programme would also look at `TREKKING' as an addditional sport.

SUMPOORNA CAMP FROM 6TH TO 10TH MAY

Mr. Anand from Shishu Mandir has been one of my best associates to help me promote my project SUMPOORNA. Every year without fail they have had training camps and I am amazed the way they learn everything so quickly. We expect around 8 children from Tumkur - 12 from Bangalore and 20 from Shishu Mandir.

8 TEAMS playing non-stop matches will vie for the honours in the SUMPOORNA TOURNAMENT and learning will be spontaneous. Everything will be managed by the children themselves - Table management, Refereeing, Coaching - the whole lot. THREE MORE GODS WILL ASSERT THEMSELVES ALONGWITH THE PREVIOUS FIVE. Shishya destroyed all the big names - but what will happen this time - time will tell.

I WANT TO CLIMB THE HILLS!

Tomorrow we will set out once again to the beckoning hills of Makalidurga. A group of 20 students from Shishu Mandir will join 40 VSC basketball students. Two lady volunteers have agreed to provide support for the girls and the junior students. As I prepare for tomorrow's trip - I go back FORTY FIVE YEARS when I was an eleven year old and I climbed my first hills in Kulu and Manali area.

Every holiday from my residential school meant `hill climbing' and my parents often got to see me in home only for 2 or 3 days before I was off for some mountaineering expeditions. WE DARED WHAT OTHERS FEARED. For me hill climbing became my religious yearning and I met GOD everytime I climbed a hill. And the few occasions when either due to exams or due to other reasons I had to cancel a hill climbing programme - it was sheer torture. SNOW CLIMBING with special boots - getting lost - almost being killed by an avalanche - digging a cave in snow which collapsed in the night - WHAT WAS IT THAT I DIDN'T DO.

As I re-live the hill climbing days of my youth when my sons were growing up - the joy they got - the A.S.H.A. that was created specially for other children - more than one hundred camps all over - which were the hillocks which we didn't climb - where are these children now?

I am FIFTY-SIX YEARS and the yearning for climbing Makalidurga alongwith these 60 children is so great that I can't even explain it. IF I CAN PASS ON MY LOVE FOR CLIMBING HILLS TO THESE CHILDREN THE EFFORT WOULD HAVE BEEN WORTH WHILE. As the growing city of Bangalore dynamites these small hillocks for buildings a day will surely come when there will be no more hills for children to climb.

The children of future would clamour `I WANT TO CLIMB THE HILLS'but will any be left!