Sports coaches return to India ready to boost athletes’ chances of success

And Indian sports leaders believe that the experience of  spending two weeks working with the University’s experts has given them a firm foundation to improve their athletes’ performance.

The group has now returned to India, where they will put into practice all they learned about combining coaching and sports science techniques. They followed a comprehensive programme put together by staff in the School of Sport, Exercise & Rehabilitation Sciences and University Birmingham Sport.

Delegation leader Dr. Rajdeep Kaur Talwar is Dean of the Faculty of Sports Sciences at the National Institute of Sports, in Patiala, Punjab.

She said: “We wanted to explore opportunities for collaboration and development of sports success in India. It was an excellent experience of interaction with the academic experts and coaches who delivered key aspects of the programme, aimed at improving performance in sports at all levels.

“The visit not only helped in developing an international partnership, but the facilities were fantastic and the various theoretical and practical activities were systematically organised. This will always be a memorable tour for each and every delegate.”

Put together by the Sports Authority of India (SAI), the 25-strong group included coaches from a range of sports including athletics, volleyball, kabaddi, swimming and gymnastics. Indian sports scientists from a range of disciplines including nutrition, sports medicine and physiology travelled to Birmingham.

The visit followed Dr Martin Toms’ discussions with the Indian Government’s Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and SAI about how the University could help the country’s athletes boost their performance.

Dr Toms, Senior Lecturer in Sport Pedagogy in the School of Sport, Exercise & Rehabilitation Sciences, said: “We are delighted that our guests got so much out of their visit. Our experts are world leaders in sports science and combining the latest research with coaching to help boost athletes’ performance.

“We hope that the visit marks the start of a long and productive partnership between the University of Birmingham and SAI. Everyone who participated in the programme is looking forward to watching the progress across Indian sport as our guests apply what they have learned to their individual sports.”

The two-week programme saw Birmingham experts sharing the latest thinking in a range of areas, including sports nutrition, sports psychology, performance analysis and injury rehabilitation. There were also visits to Warwickshire County Cricket Club, Birmingham City FC and the Football Association HQ at St George’s Park, Burton-on-Trent.

The University of Birmingham has enjoyed outstanding Olympic success in 2016 with student Lily Owsley and alumna Sophie Bray winning gold in the women’s hockey, whilst alumnus James Rodwell scooped silver with the Rugby Sevens – part of Team GB’s record haul of 67 medals in Rio.