Group of former handball players and Physical Education teachers nurturing and promoting young talent for last eight years
PANAJI
Can sports in Goa thrive sans support of either the state government or big corporate houses, who till now have been the biggest promoters of the sports in terms of funding and providing jobs for the sports persons.
Where there is a will, there is a way, that’s what former handball player and now retired Physical Education teacher Devendra Prabhu Dessai strongly believes in and translates that into action on the play field.
The former SFX Siolim PE Teacher along with his dedicated group of former handball players and Physical Education teachers, some of them who are Devendra’s ex-students at SFX Siolim have rolled in a coaching program bereft of support from the state government and big corporate houses and called it Goa Handball Academy in 2015.
Since then, there has been no stopping for Devendra and his colleagues, for them when your intentions and vision is clear and you are transparent in your dealings, then the much-needed money will flow in the game.
Among the yearly activities conducted by GHA are regular coaching during winter and summer vacation which last for 15 to 21 days.
So far, the GHA has held camps in the following schools, both in North and South Goa like SFX HS Siolim, Sacred Heart HS Parra, Chubby cheeks Spring Valley HS Porvorim, Durga HS Parsem, Parsem HS Parsem, Pradnya HS Corgao, Holy Cross Institute Cavelossim, SFX HS Macazana, St Rock HS Tollecanto Velim and Keerti Vidyalaya Siolim.
All camps which are sponsored by Goa Handball Academy and kits are provided in the form of Jersey set, balls, goal net and coach.
“All of the committee members are National Handball Players and 98% members are PE teachers, College Directors and 99% are students of Sir Devendra,” says Organizing Secretary Anant, who has done his BPED and is an ex-student of SFX Siolim and is now a State Sports Organizer at Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs.
“Academy has more than 50 members registered and almost all are handball players except one or two.....95% sportsperson....,” he adds
Sawal says Devendra has had a profound impact on the handball game in the state for the last several years in various capacities.
“Almost 3 decades he has been funding handball activities and now (funding) the academy on his own or through his contacts,” Anant says about Devendra and his work for the game at the grassroot levels.
Organizing Handball camps during summer and winter vacations is not the only thing that GHA is doing in the state.
The registration of the GHA with the national level body governing the games in the country is awaited, which will then allow the GHA to send teams for the nationals and at the national level inter academy tournaments.
“If the registration with the National body of handball happens then students can get a national level participation certificate if they represent our academy at the national level academy tournament. We are happy to serve this game,” added Anant.
Yearly activities
Regular coaching during winter and summer camps held during vacation of 15 to 21 days at SFX HS Siolim, Sacred Heart HS Parra, Chubby Cheeks Spring valley HS Porvorim, Durga HS Parsem, Parsem HS Parsem, Pradnya HS Corgao, Holy cross institute Cavelossim, SFX HS Macazana, St Rock HS Tollecanto Velim and Keerti Vidyalaya Siolim.
All camps are sponsored by Goa Handball Academy. Kit is provided in the form of Jersey set, balls, goal net and coach, all the costs which are borne by Goa Handball Academy.
Goa Handball Academy organizational set up
President: Devendra, Secretary: Ravichandar Rajan, Treasurer - Roger Fernandes, Organising Secretary :Anant Sawal Vice President: Clinton D'souza.
Members: Vijay Rajan, Dinesh Hadfadkar, Amit Morajkar, Swapnil Shirodkar, Sandeep Patil, Ansgar Fernandes, Cajetan Vaz, Raj Gawas, Valenton Fernandes, Prayag Simepurushkar, Clement Dsouza, Mariambi Mulla, Sherley D'Souza and Gauri Bhobe
