The Echo

Stern on the field but equally jovial off it, Rajendran Sir, the sports in-charge of CHIREC is known to all as a dedicated and inspiring coach who always encourages students to give their best. Read on to learn about his views about CHIREC’s role in nurturing young athletes, our performance across tournaments, and his advice for rising sportspeople.

 

Q. How long have you been teaching here? What has your experience been like?

A. I joined CHIREC in 2001. This is my eighteenth year with CHIREC. I started here as a cricket coach, then proceeded to fill the roles of Phys Ed instructor, NCC in-charge and finally Sports Department in-charge. My time at CHIREC has given me a lot of experience in the field of teaching and has even helped me expand my knowledge in the field of sports by supporting me at the National Institute of Sports. 

 

Q. How does the school promote and support sports?

A. The school gives 100% support to both academics and sports. CHIREC has always been very supportive of sports and encouraged participation in all levels of tournaments. Due to the hesitation from parents towards sending students for various tournaments, especially those that involve travelling to other districts or states, the school funds all travel-related expenses and even conduct re-examinations for students who miss examinations due to sports-related commitments. 

 

Q. What do you think of CHIREC’s performance across various sports? 

A. Over the years we have seen a growth in the number of national players the school has produced – while we only had about 20 players in 2015, in 2018 we had 52 players across 11 sports. CHIREC also offers students who take up niche sports (such as rifle shooting and swimming) the opportunity to represent the school to participate at the national level.  While the management and teachers are supportive, more support and encouragement from the parents is necessary to be able to entirely showcase the talent of our school.

 

Q. Which sports do you think our school should introduce into the curriculum?

A. I believe we must include a large variety of sports in the Phys Ed curriculum, such as football, badminton, kabaddi, tennikoit, etc. I have submitted a proposal for the introduction of football and kabaddi training and await a response from the management. 

 

Q. What’s your take on the gender disparity in school sports?

A. In the case of government schools, highly talented girls are unable to excel due to a lack of sponsorship. However, CHIREC has always offered exceptional support towards girls for the pursuit of sports. Despite the hesitation from parents towards sending girls to far-off tournaments, the school has still produced excellent girl athletes at the district, state, national and even international level, such as in the fields of aerobics and table tennis.

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Q.  What do you think about our school’s preparation for the upcoming CBSE Clusters? 

A.  The students and coaches have been working hard towards the upcoming tournament. The school has also been very supportive through every step of the way. More support from the parents would be appreciated as higher participation is imperative to obtain higher representation for our school at the national level. 

 

Q.  What is your advice for students who aspire to take up sports?

A. I would suggest that they work hard on one sport only, attend training regularly, and strike the right balance between academics and sports. They must keep in mind that excellence in sports is a long term project, and requires consistent effort just like academics. With talent, hard work, facilities and support, our school can not only make a mark in inter-school and district level sports but win big at national and international tournaments too.