Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The 37-day National Billiards and Snooker Championship being held in state capital has generated excitement among cuesport fans in the city but the senior players and coaches believe the game has a long way to go in drawing young players.
'People believe cuesport is a game that requires lots of money. That's a myth. All that is required is consistency and dedication, which is missing in todayís youths. The game comes to you only with experience and experience requires time,' said Kamal Chawala, national champion based in Bhopal.
'The present generation lives a fast-paced life surrounded by technology. They cannot focus on one thing for long while this game requires concentration,' he said.
The number of youths training at MP State Billiards and Snooker Academy has reduced to half in a year as players left midway failing to cope with requirements, added Chawala.
The 24-time national champion, Pankaj Advani, reminiscing his start at 10 years of age accepted that he could achieve what he did only because of years of training he received from a veteran player.
'The tricks that we have up our sleeves come only with years of game and experience. Being persistent for this long is a tough task. The game has an impressive fan base. It has been considered as a stress-buster since long. But talking about technicalities for a competition, it requires time and dedication,' he said.
The government should work towards promoting cuesports, say players who have come from different parts of the country to take part in the championship.
'Of late, Indians have started to know about sports other than cricket. Olympics played an important role in promoting hockey, field and track sports. Government has taken less to no measures in promoting the sport,' said Amee Kamani, a national-level player.
She said, 'Youngsters do not know how to work their way to competitive cuesport. There is no government policy promoting our game or our players. We have to depend on our money, which may make it difficult for players from weak financial background.'
