By Heather Phanwar
A group of basketball players started Tyllilang in December 2016 to bring together Khasi players on one platform and give them the opportunity that they often miss in Shillong.
“For the Khasis there is no platform to play basketball. If you look at different teams from colleges here in Shillong how many Khasis represent them? If you take any sport for that matter even after school or college there should be an upbringing for that particular sport. So we as Khasis, where do we stand,” questions coach Dulon Banjop Kharsati.
Most of the members of the Jaiaw-based Tyllilang Basketball Club are from the locality and have been friends for long. This makes it easier for the young team to act together.
The academy is based in Jaiaw Laitdom and they have their practice sessions on the premises of Pearly Dew School, a location that was a unanimous choice because the group had limited resources.
“This was something new so we had to keep it low key. And also (we chose the rented place in the locality) because Jaiaw once had a culture of playing basketball. Let’s see where we go from here,” says Kharsati.
However, he rues the gradual decrease in the popularity of the game in the locality and among Khasis as the number of tournaments in the city has decreased over the years.
While last year, there was only one tournament, this year’s line-up is encouraging and giving hope to the members of Tyllilang, says Emboklang Bareh, executive member of the club.
“Basketball as a sport is seen as an odd choice for a Khasi. Such inhibitions subconsciously hold them back and some discourage saying basketball won’t take you anywhere,” complains Kharsati.
The Tyllilang coach says there are 40 students as of now, the youngest among them being six years old, from all parts of the city like Mawlai, Mawprem, Nongrah, Laimer and Lamavilla. The club catches them young and so enrolment is open to six-year-olds and above. The Tyllilang senior and junior teams recently played in the recent basketball tournament organised by the Meghalaya Basketball Association in the city.
The young players put up a good show against senior players. “The kids have surprised me. They joined as beginners and they played with players who have been in the game for more than seven years. We have an eight-year-old who has really surprised us with his skills,” says an elated Kharsati.
The academy not only trains the boys in the sport but also takes care of their studies and in an innovative way.
Bareh says basketball as a profession in the country is not a viable option and might not be either for years to come. “So we try to implement a system where children will have education as their first priority and then basketball.”
The players are asked to bring their report cards after every term and practice is not forced on them during examinations. If any child’s academic performance is not up to the mark, then he is suspended till he shows improvement.
“It is a motivation for them to study hard and do well so that they will get to play the game they love,” says Bareh.
“There’s a term called student athlete. I quote this from a movie where they said ‘first comes a student then an athlete’,” adds Kharsati who is a licensed coach.
The game teaches the children team work and how to lead a team. It also boosts their confidence and makes them competent. “A few parents have told me that their wards were quiet and would not talk at home. But after joining the club, their communication skill has improved,” says the proud coach.
The founder members say with time, the sport is being accepted in India and is included in many events.
Talking about the popularity of the sport, Kharsati says, “There was one referee who said wherever he went, whether in Shillong or outside, there’s always one kid who holds the basketball. This means the love for the game is there but then there is no platform to showcase their abilities and talents.”
The coach says it is not all about winning and it is evident when one sees a six-year-old or a seven-year-old come with a ball and say he just wants to play because it gives him a break from the regimented school life and home-work.
“The ranking of the Indian basketball team in the world is 54th and that of football is 97 so we cannot say basketball is not progressing. In fact, it is one of the fastest growing sports in Asia,” says Ethan Alrico Ryntathiang, secretary of the academy.
The club is confident that after six years, the Meghalaya basketball team will represent the state in the nationals.
But the confidence sublimes once the question comes to infrastructure. The senior players say there are not many basketball courts in the city and whatever is there are lying unused or have turned into dopers’ den.
He also points out that people in Shillong take basketball as a recreational game but outside of the state, it is a competitive one. “We won’t be able to compete if we don’t go for the competition. So I know that the Meghalaya Basketball Association is moving towards that end and we are happy to work with it. As basketball lovers we want this game to grow,” says Bareh.
Clive Dunai, a representative from Meghalaya Basketball Association, points out another struggle to take the game forward. Though the game has seen progress in the men’s section, the girls’ teams are still lagging behind.
“If the government gives us assistance we will be able to conduct tournaments. We don’t have any corporate houses to fund us so it becomes quite difficult. In almost every school in Meghalaya they probably have a basketball court, but they will not have a football ground. Actually there are more basketball courts than football grounds in Meghalaya,” he says.
“However the government is not promoting basketball in the state. There is no infrastructure and no facilities to conduct the sport. They are sidelining the sport because we are short people. People are saying we should stay away from drugs, alcohol and all that but do we have a place for these talented youngsters to play the game they love? There is no remedy to that. We want to create a great sense of things where well-being of individuals is important and our concern is to create a healthy environment for youngsters to play,” he adds.
Tyllilang, as the only basketball academy in Meghalaya with state-level players, is doing its bit to make the sport popular.
Kharsati says Tyllilang is not just about basketball but also about building characters. Engagement in the game helps youngsters stay away from gadgets and drugs and keeps them healthy.
Hence the club’s motto: Tei ia ka Lawei, building a better future.
Asked how children are trained, Kharsati says they consider any newcomer as a beginner. “Basketball is a huge module. I’m a licensed coach and even I have a module to follow. It’s not like I know how to play and I’ll teach them how I learned to play. So what I am doing now is lesson-wise. Every three months we will evaluate them according to the capacity of how the student would apply what we taught them. We practice every day, barring Sundays, from 4-6pm,” he explains.
A parent who was present during one of the game sessions said, “I have seen the children play and they are so disciplined. The credit also goes to the coach who can supervise and guide them. I was a player myself and enrolling my eight-year-old son here was the right decision. With the homework from school, the children are tired and it becomes hectic for them. With an academy like this, at least our children will do something that they love and still be kids and enjoy.”
Twenty-eight-year-old Kharsati left Shillong at a young age. He grew up here in Shillong and later joined the corporate world. But soon he left his job to pursue his love for the game. He joined the World Association of Basketball Coaches where only the best selected coaches are allowed to take exams in India. Kharsati ranked second in the all-India exams. “Though I got many offers from outside I preferred coming back home doing something good for the community,” he says.
Kharsati is planning to expand the club to even rural areas “as soon as possible because they are the ones who need to be educated about the sport”.
