Indian coaches exposed to ‘science of sports’ at UK varsity

From H S Rao London, Aug 30 (PTI) Experts at Britain’s University ofBirmingham have introduced coaches and sports scientists fromIndia to their counterparts in English cricket to show howcutting-edge science, including the use of bimechanics, helpsboost performance. The 25-strong Indian team visited Warwickshire CountyCricket Club’s Edgbaston Stadium as part of a two-weekprogramme to explore coaching and sports science techniques. Warwickshire CCC Academy Director Paul Greetham was ableto showcase how the club uses biomechanics to enhance cricketplayers’ bowling and batting techniques. There was a demonstration of the club’s high-speed camerasystem and how it is used to analyse cricketers’ performance. Experts from School of Sport, Exercise & RehabilitationSciences and University Birmingham Sport have put together acomprehensive programme for the visitors. Put together by the Sports Authority of India (SAI), theprogramme was organised by Martin Toms’ after discussions withthe Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and SAI about how theUniversity of Birmingham could help Indian athletes boosttheir performance. "With the help of Warwickshire County Cricket Club, we areshowing our guests how sports science is applied in the realworld. We’re keen to showcase ways of identifying, developingand sustaining sports talent," said Toms, senior lecturer inSport Pedagogy in School of Sport, Exercise & RehabilitationSciences. He is a former professional cricket coach with a PhDin youth participation and talent development in cricket. "By taking our guests to meet the university’s sportspartners we hope to help them improve performance acrossIndian sport." University experts are sharing the latest thinking in arange of areas, including sports nutrition, sports psychology,performance analysis and injury rehabilitation with the group. They organised a visit to Birmingham City FC’s footballacademy, where the guests watched young players training andlearned about how sports science combined with coaching. The visitors also toured the Football Association HQ at StGeorge’s Park, Burton-on-Trent. "After experts from the University of Birmingham sharedcomprehensive knowledge about sports theory and practice, itwas our pleasure to visit Edgbaston," said Rajdeep KaurTalwar, dean of Faculty of Sports Sciences at the NationalInstitute of Sports, Patiala, and leader of the delegation. "Paul Greetham demonstrated different activities being runat Edgbaston and showed us the cricket pitch, gym facilitiesavailable to players, and the modern indoor training areas andinfrastructure. It was an amazing opportunity to see theirfacilities." The group includes coaches from athletics, volleyball,kabaddi, swimming and gymnastics, and sports scientists from arange of disciplines including nutrition and physiology. The University of Birmingham has seen student Lily Owsleyand alumna Sophie Bray win gold in the women’s hockey, whilstalumnus James Rodwell scooped silver with the Rugby Sevens –part of Team GB’s record haul of 67 medals in Rio. PTI HSR ABHAKJABH