dribbling under the moon

Akash Chikte Sports Academy out to produce future stars


By Paritosh Pramanik

THERE is no dearth of talent in the hinterlands of this country, be it any sports. Players with abundance of talent can be found in remote villages and districts. Cricket, hockey, football, to name a few, are blessed with such outstanding players who were picked from the mud and dust-engulfed grounds and excelled in the national colours.
Hockey got a talented goalkeeper in Akash Anil Chikte, who was born and bred in a small Lohara village in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra. The talent was spotted at a very early age. Graduating from Vidarbha hockey team to Krida Prabodhini in Pune, Chikte landed a job in BEG Pune and then grabbed the opportunity to seal India berth. Who other than Chikte knows better how important it is to discover talents from rural India.
With this aim, Chikte decided to start an academy in his hometown where he could spot talent, nurture them and then convert them into robust hockey players so that they could run shoulder to shoulder with the urban players.
The India goalkeeper recently started Akash Chikte Sports Academy in Yavatmal where he, along with his friends, provide free one-month hockey coaching to budding players from nearby villages.
They don’t have astro turf or any lawn field to practice upon. The stars for future are being made on the ‘chat’ of mud fields.
The academy is not just for the summer where kids spend time when they are away from their school. It will first spot talents during the one-month summer coaching and then train the selected one-year long.
Chikte started this academy with a long term plan and has even registered it with the Charity Commissioner’s office in Yavatmal.
Though they have got a piece of land at the outskirts of Yavatmal, the Akash Chikte Sports Academy (ACSA) is presently being run at Abhyankar Kanya School premises in Yavatmal.
At present there are around 100 budding talents at the academy. Plans are afoot to convert it into a residential one.
Though there are no specialised trainers or renowned international coaches, Chikte has used all his experience and recalled his days at Indian hockey camp while planning the training sessions for the campers. Be it fitness or strength building, all are scheduled meticulously.
Chikte knows rural players lack in fitness and he has made it sure that there is yo-yo test for all the players with proper points system (22.4 points for toppers and 18.5 for average).
The schedule also includes video sessions where the students are shown international matches and Chikte himself explains the moves and how the player defended.
For strength building Chikte has procured old used truck tyres. The players were asked to either pull them or roll them across to increase strength in the arms.
A proper diet plan is also there and players were served nutritious and full of proteins breakfast, lunch and dinner.
To make it less monotonous, jungle trekking, hill cycling, night camping, fun games, are also included in the schedule.
Players who have played nationals like Devendra Chaperiya, Shahid Sayyad, Pooja Bhoyar, Gourav Nimbolakar and Avinash Joshi are helping Chikte in coaching and training of the players.
One of the unique features is the midnight training for the players every Saturday. Training starts at 12 in the midnight and continues for nearly two hours.
“This is being done to improve concentration of players on the ball,” White, yellow astro turf balls are distributed to players and they have been asked to dribble them. The players are really enjoying practicing and learning at midnight. It really improves their concentration,” Chikte added.
“Yavatmal Police and 47 NCC battalion too came forward and helped us in providing the tents which are erected at school ground,” he added.
“I want more players from hinterlands to represent India. The talent here is in abundance. The only thing is that they require proper channel to deliver. I am trying to provide them that rope with which they can move up the ladder and don India colours one day,” Chikte told ‘The Hitavada’.
“We have around 100 players at present (55 girls ,40 boys , 10 support staff and five coaches). We have provided proper kits to all the players, trainers and coaches. The coaching is being imparted by senior players who have represented state in the past,” mentioned Chikte.
The summer camp is free of cost but it requires a lot of funds to run the ‘show’. Chikte decided to take a meager amount of Rs 10 from everybody, players, coaches, friends and well wishers. This Rs 10 is collected every Sunday.
“This helps us in generating a little bit of money. Major contribution is being done by my friends. I thank Yavatmal MLA Madan Yerawar who helped me in providing T-shirts for players,” said Chikte.
Chikte himself has loosened his purse strings for the academy. “Bahut paisa lag raha hai mera...per mai khush hu (I have spent a lot but I am happy).
“The gym session is done at Go Pro Fitness Centre while the cooling off is done at Dr Nandurkar College’s swimming pool,” he informed.
The academy will not only train players but it will also participate in various tournaments locally and around the country. “Once they are fully trained I will make it sure that they play matches all over the country. Exposure is very important for such players,” mentioned Chikte.
“I can’t create a player in just one month. After one month I can inform them what they should do, how to plan their schedule for next one year,” informed the India goalkeeper.
This might be the first of its kind academy in entire Vidarbha where an international repute player has come forward to train the budding hopes from villages. With such determination and dedication, Akash Chikte Sports Academy is sure to become a future nursery of hockey stars.