Shreya finds the right ‘track’

Athletics legend Bhau Kane transforms the fragile city hoopster into tough fighter
By Paritosh Pramanik

A PLAYER’S hard work helps him/her to achieve greater heights. But behind that hard work is always a dedicated ‘Guru’ who spots the talent and becomes the guiding force for success in life.
City hoopster Shreya Dandekar, who has been included in the Indian team’s probables list for the Asian School Basketball Championship, too, was spotted by a Guru who made her psychologically and mentally strong which helped her climb the ladder in a very short time.
Shreya, daughter of Harish and Nisha Dandekar, was good in her basketball skills but somehow kept lagging behind in match fitness. Concerned with this, her coaches Dheeraj Kadao and Amit Sampat told her to do running and fitness exercise at University track.
This ‘order’ has changed Shreya’s life.
Shreya and friend Mugdha Amraotkar (another international basketball player from Nagpur) were diligently going through their daily exercises and fitness routine at University ground. One fine day they were spotted by renowned coach Dadoji Konddeo award winner Bhau Kane.
For the first few days, Bhau observed the two girls’ routine and then approached them offering his expertise. The girls were more than happy to become the legendary Guru’s ‘shishya’.
And thus began the unforgettable journey.
Bhau’s training changed city hoopsters’ lives, specially Shreya. The student of Dr Ambedkar College, after training under Bhau for a year, grew in confidence which has now fetched her a place in the India probables list.
“It was last year in 2016 when Shreya and Mugdha started going to University ground for fitness training. Both used to work hard on their fitness, running almost 5-6 kms daily. Bhau first started counselling them. Then he gradually started giving them fitness training,” Nisha, the proud mother of Shreya, told ‘The Hitavada’.
“Actually I think Shreya was too late to meet Bhau Kane.... As it is said a Guru knows his/her Shishya much better than anyone else...in the same way Bhau spotted the talent in Shreya and trained her to this level.”
Looking at the frail structure of Shreya, Bhau stressed on her fitness and muscle building.
“Bhau put stress on Shreya’s fitness. He guided Shreya how she should condition her body and what exercise she should perform which would help her while playing basketball,” said Nisha, herself a kabaddi player during her school days.
“Bhau motivated Shreya psychologically which helped her during her matches. He taught her how to concentrate on achieving goals and how to avoid negativity,” explained Nisha about the training.
There was no particular training session. 
“It’s like learn while you play. Bhau has a simple concept....build a player’s psychology. He did the same with Shreya. He gave examples of players like (PV) Sindhu, how she presents herself and how she approaches her game and how psychologically strong she is,” said Nisha.
In one year, Shreya’s confidence level has grown to a surprising level. “After training under Bhau, the major change that I have seen in Shreya is the boost in her confidence level. It has grown tremendously.
“Earlier, she used to miss easy baskets and commit simple mistakes. All those have now gone. She has grown into a much better player and does not repeat the same mistakes,” said Nisha.
Nisha owed her daughter’s success to Bhau and termed the athletics coach as a God for her daughter.
“It’s our luck that we have Bhau as a coach for my daughter. I owe her selection to the efforts put in by Bhau Kane. He is like a God for us. Shreya is at a very delicate stage in life as well as in her sport. From that point of view Bhau has come as a God in our lives and helped Shreya,” she concluded.