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.