THE SPORTS and Youth Welfare Department in association with Special Olympics will organise a two-day training session for the district sports officers (DSOs) and coaches in Bhopal from September 12. Following the objectives of the ‘policy for mentally challenged’, the camp is held to train these teachers to impart proper guidance to mentally challenged children in sports.
Sports Department recently announced a separate policy for motivating the mentally challenged children for sports activities. According to the policy, it was decided that regular activities and events would be organised in future.
However, the coaches and DSOs that play an important role in any event supported by the Department have no special training to teach the mentally challenged. The Department’s coaches had a good experience in the All India Football Tournament for mentally challenged that was organised recently at Tatya Tope Stadium in Bhopal. The event was organised in association with the Special Olympics, a nodal agency having expertise in training the mentally challenged.
After successfully organising the All India Football Tournament for mentally challenged, the Special Olympics made a proposal to Sports Department for giving special importance to the mentally challenged children. According to the sources, Sports Department agreed to the proposal and it was decided that experts of the Special Olympics would provide training to the DSOs and coaches of the Department.
Talking to the Hindustan Times, Director Sports Sanjay Chaudhary said that the objective of the programme is to give first hand training to the Department’s coaches for mentally challenged children. “The training is necessary as the coaches would be able to comfortably organise events for the mentally challenged in future,” said Chaudhary.
{{/usCountry}}Talking to the Hindustan Times, Director Sports Sanjay Chaudhary said that the objective of the programme is to give first hand training to the Department’s coaches for mentally challenged children. “The training is necessary as the coaches would be able to comfortably organise events for the mentally challenged in future,” said Chaudhary.
{{/usCountry}}The Sports Department has invited 260 coaches and DSOs of Department from across the state to participate in the training session.
Four experts of Special Olympics including national trainer Avtar Singh, national sports director Victor Waz, national technical director Ahteshamuddin and CS Chaudhary will provide training to the participants.
The programme is been divided in two sessions — theory and practical. For practical training, 100 ‘Differently abled’ children children of Asha Niketan, Pooja Institute and Digdarshika Institute will be invited during the programme. In all, 40 sports teachers of Special Olympics will also participate in the programme.