SCA has state-of-the-art facilities, trained coaches
SHILLONG: Gone are the days when the option for professional coaching and training for budding cricketers in Shillong was limited. This is thanks to the fouryear-old Shillong Cricket Academy that is providing technical knowhow and teaching skills of the game to tiny tots of the town. Shillong Cricket Academy, which is the brainchild of Shillong Cricket Association, was established in 1937 with its headquarters in the city. The local cricket body then got affiliated to the Assam Cricket Association under the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on November 30, 1947, and continued to remain so till 2008 when Meghalaya was granted an affiliate membership by BCCI. Realising the need to train young players, Shillong Cricket Association started an academy in 2012 to tap and groom talents in the State. Initial classes started on April 28 of the same year. Later, full-fledged Shillong Cricket Academy (SCA) was formally inaugurated by BCCI Vice President Chitrak Mitra on June 2, 2012 at the cricket ground in Polo. The academy caters to young boys and girls in the age group of 10 to 14 years. In 2016-17, 213 children, including 122 from the age group of 8-10 years, enrolled for the training. The process of training starts with Peter J. Lamare, NIS coach and technical director who provides basic details of cricket to starters. “The kids are full of enthusiasm and they are raring to SCA has state-of-the-art facilities, trained coaches prove a point for themselves,” he said. The training is holistic and guide players in segment like dieting, maintenance of physique and even physical training apart from cricket training as per the BCCI schedule. The academy has stateof-the-art facilities, like gymnasium, bowling machine, video analysis, qualified coaches and trainers and resource persons, large ground, concrete and turf pitches with nets. It also holds tournaments and exposure tours and regular visits to Guwahati and Kolkata. Several academies from these cities also visit the academy. The trainees here were taken to Telangana in 2015. Speaking to reporters about the initiative, Gideon Kharkongor, Managing Director and General Secretary of SCA, said the mission of the academy is to provide young aspiring cricketers with necessary skills and impart in them the spirit of sportsmanship and discipline in life. In addition, the academy intends to improve the cricketing prowess and further general life skills besides offering the best available coaching. Reacting to a query, Kharkongor said the academy is providing excellent opportunities for cricketers in an environment where they can develop new skills. It also ensures that every cricketer enjoys “personal, social and health benefits that the game and exercise provides”. He said the academy has 10 qualified coaches and former students have done well and they have also performed exceedingly well in many tournaments. Ishant Singhania, one of the young trainees in the academy, said he likes to come to the academy and he enjoys every moment of his training. “We have been taught how to grip the bat and how our batting stance should be improved apart from backfoot, defence, frontfoot drive, square cut, sweep and pull,” he added. Ishant, whose idols are Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin, said he gives equal time to his studies and cricket training and everyone in his family and academy is happy about it. What is more inspiring is the fact that many young girls are also making their way to the academy to learn the art of Cricket. Bhomika Prasad, who started playing cricket last year, said, “I started playing cricket when I saw some students here in the academy.” The young all-rounder said initially she wanted to be a dancer but now her only interest is cricket. Gavineal Martner, who joined the academy in 2012, said it has been one happy journey for him. “My batting technique has improved tremendously after joining the academy,” he added. The Academy remains open on Saturdays and Sundays, besides holidays.