Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, July 14: Facing crunch of trainers, Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council has been relying on the shoulders of the Department of Youth Services and Sports by having nearly one dozen coaches on deputation with them for the last few years.
Sources in the J&K Sports Council said that around one dozen Physical Education Teachers (PETs) and coaches of the Department of Youth Services and Sports representing different disciplines are on deputation with the Sports Council.
”The coaches of Department of Youth Services and Sports are deputed with the J&K Sports Council to cater the sports activities and many of them engaged since long, are yet to be relieved by the Council to their parent body,” they said.
A senior official of J&K Sports Council, wishing anonymity told that coaches in the discipline of skating, wushu, volleyball, kabaddi, Handball, Football, Water Sports and Judo, are on deputation with the Council. He expressed that one of the players turned coach in the Water Sports discipline, has permanently been ‘redesignated’ in the J&K Sports Council from the Department of Youth Services and Sports.
Director General, Jammu and Kashmir Department of Youth Services and Sports, Dr Saleem-ur-Rehman said, ”many qualified coaches from our department are on deputation with the J&K Sports Council.” ”We have the best stuff in coaching and mostly our NIS qualified coaches are on deputation,” he said.
Dr Rehman said that DYSS is one of the oldest resourceful organisations in the field of sports and some of the coaches have been repatriated to the Department but still, others are on deputation with the Council.
”J&K Sports Council is our sister concern organisation and we both are training players, nurturing young talent and coaches are professionally performing their tasks in both the wings,” he claimed.
Pertinent to mention that the J&K Sports Council presently is running with 50 percent of total strength of coaches.
The total strength of coaches across the Union Territory is 54 in different categories and one technical advisor (as per official record), appointed under direct quota.
The total posts in the category of junior coach are 62 but, the department presently has 21 coaches, in the category of senior coach, total posts are 18 but present strength is 14 whereas the strength of eight Chief Coaches is occupied.
Similarly in Senior Category, out of total 18, after the retirement of four coaches, 14 are devoted in the disciplines of Volleyball (2), Athletic (2), Kho Kho (2), hockey (1), Weightlifting (1), and one each in Boxing, Football, Basketball, Cricket, Gymnastics and Judo.
Four senior coaches attained superannuation in the year 2018 and 2021.
In Junior Category, Judo discipline has six coaches, two in Gymnastics, three each in Football and Hockey, and one in Fencing, Handball, Athletic, Swimming, Cricket, Thangta, Boxing and Yoga.
The post of one coach in Yoga discipline in this category fell vacant after an untimely death of a coach in a road mishap last year.
Meanwhile the chair of Chief Sports Officer (CSO), which fell vacant after the retirement of Mr Abdul Qayoom in June 2019 yet to be filled due to some legal hiccups.
The Sports Council has nine instructors at present in Selection Grade in the disciplines of Yoga, Fencing, Ball Badminton, Swimming and Billiards.
Apart from this, there are three Sports Officers (two in Kashmir, one in Jammu).
”There are 56 games recognised under the banner of the J&K Sports Council and this number of coaches in each discipline, needed to deliver justice to all games,” said an official.
”After the much awaited DPC, the employees of J&K Sports Council will get promoted to next level thus further creating a vacuum vis-a-vis the vacancies in the Department with regard to coaches/trainers/instructors,” they said.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who is also the President of J&K Sports Council, on June 28, chaired a meeting to review the functioning of the Department of Youth Services and Sports and J&K Sports Council at Civil Secretariat, Srinagar.
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