Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): In an innovative step to raise the spirit of athletes, who are reeling under the pressure of performing up to the mark at the ongoing Youth World Boxing Championship 2022, Sports Authority of India (SAI) National Centres of Excellence, Bhopal boxing coach Amanpreet Kaur, made personalized cards for all the athletes.
All the cards are personalized and positively reinforcing. It includes the name of the athlete and different motivating adjectives attributed to each letter of their names.
Coach Amanpreet Kaur with boxer Aman Rathore | FP Photo
While talking to the Free Press, SAI Bhopal, coach Amanpreet Kaur said,”We have 13 boxers on the Indian women’s boxing team in this tournament. I am the Indian women’s youth team’s head coach. Being the head of the team, I felt that I am responsible for their overall progress and development as a boxer, as well as a good human being. As a coach, I could feel the tense environment and pressure that an athlete goes through before a tournament. I wanted to do something personal and effective. Hence, I made the cards to motivate the athletes”.
The SAI Bhopal coach added, “We have every athlete’s room key, and when they are asleep, I quietly put these cards on the side of their bed. When they wake up, they see the card, and smile instantly. That’s all I want. I want them to start their bout (match) day with a smile”.
Talking about the importance of good mental health she further said, "An athlete's training is not limited to the two hours that he/she trains. It goes beyond that and spans 24 hours. Their training includes their family issues, mental, physical, emotional and even sexual stress, which eventually affects their performance. If these small steps bring some sort of relief to them, then, I think it is very important".
Currently, Amanpreet Kaur is a part of the Indian contingent as the head coach for the ongoing Youth Men’s and Women’s World Boxing Championships 2022, in Spain from November 14 to 26. SAI, Bhopal’s athlete Aman Rathore is also a part of the Indian team.
