Sports world is undergoing change at a level never seen before and among the key catalysts of this change, the employment of sports science is the most crucial. However, with more attention towards holistic development of athletes at grass-root levels, the importance lies in the very real value of sports science at the grass-root levels. How do we build future champions by integrating sports science into grassroots sports? It’s being discussed at The Sportz Planet – SportSci Summit Season 2 on November 21st, 2024, at the Radisson Blu – Atria, Bengaluru by industry experts.
The discussion will cover all aspects through which sports science may take on the challenge of revolutionizing training, injury prevention, and performance enhancement from the grassroots level of athlete development. It will show how, at the right kind of intervention, with data-driven insights and scientific principles, a difference can be made in shaping the athletes of tomorrow.
The Expert Panel – Building Future Champions: Integrating Sports Science Into Grassroots Level Sports
The panel will be constituted of all kinds of sports professionals with high professional experience and knowledge about the topic of discussion.
Dr. (Maj) Ameya Kagali is an International classifier for Wheelchair & Amputee Sport and was the Chief Team Physician for the Paris Paralympics 2024. Dr. Kagali’s field of specialization is the convergence of medical and sports science. His message will focus on how sports science, mostly in adaptive sports, can catalyze tapping into opportunities for and empowering the handicapped athlete right from the grassroot level.
Antony Chacko is the Director at Center for Sports Science, Bangalore. Antony has worked in close association with various government and private institutions for the advancement of the application of sports science in India. Being an expert in the area of youth empowerment and sports, Antony would speak on the critical need for science-based principles forming training systems for young athletes and how that aligns with government initiatives.
Saumil Majmudar is the co-founder, CEO & MD of Sportz Village, which is one of India’s grassroots sports development pioneers. Majmudar has rich experience in scaling sports programs all over India. He would talk about how Sportz Village has been working on mainstreaming sports science into schools and local academies and the role technology and data can play in identifying and nurturing young talent.
Dr. Siddharth Sakalle is one of the most promising physiotherapists, with wide experience in high-performance sports, working with Olympic medalists to top athletes and many more. Dr. Sakalle will help understand the relevance of injury prevention and rehabilitation strategies, especially grassroot levels and how physiotherapy works for long-term athlete development.
Vijay Krishnamurthy would be moderating the panel. Mr. Krishnamurthy is a sports researcher and executive coach with a PhD. He shall guide the panel through probing questions on how to make the science of sports more accessible, effective and increasingly integrated within the grass-root sports ecosystem.
Issues To Be Discussed In The Panel
There are many relevant issues to discuss with the panel to address about integration of sports science at the grassroots level.
1. Overcoming Barriers through Adaptive Sports Science
2. Infrastructure and Ecosystem Building
3. Data Driven Decision Making
4. Injury Prevention and Physiotherapy
5. Government and Private Sector Participation
6. Mental Health and Psychological Support
The Need for Sports Science at the GrassRoots Level
The history of sports science portrays very little for India, with all its trends and tradition, mainly for elite athletes and their professional sports teams. The approach towards increasing this at grassroots levels by making them learn these values of good coaching may be seen as the turning point and resultant high-performing athletes.
A scientific approach might just open new avenues in enhancing the regimen for training, nutrition, psychological readiness and recovery at the grassroots level where emphasis is primarily on physical and mental development among young athletes. With biomechanics fine-tuning techniques or nutrition strategies to fuel young bodies or perhaps, data analytics to follow progress, a sports science approach has the potential to revolutionarily transform the process of athlete development from the grassroots level.
Future of Sports in India
At the grassroots level, India would have to develop an integrated approach to make a sustainable and competitive sporting culture. India could help athletes reach their potential in a healthy, sustainable, and scientifically sound manner by embedding sports science into grassroots programs.
It will be an important forum through which these themes will be explored and shared among people working on the ground to shape the future of sports. The knowledge shared during this panel discussion will help pave the way for a more scientifically informed, efficient and inclusive sporting ecosystem in India, ultimately fostering the champions of tomorrow.
Such a panel, steeped in experience and passion to nurture sports science in India, will provide great insights in the development of grassroots sports towards a more scientifically sophisticated and competitive playing field leading India’s future sporting successes.
The Sportz Planet Desk,
Atharva Shetye
