Explorations in Sport for Development and Peace

August 3, 2015 · 2:56 pm

Genderless Squash: Threat or Opportunity?

Having worked with elementary, middle school, high school and college athletes in diverse settings over the last decade, I am often asked how does one teach, mentor and coach across genders? Do you groom boys and girls differently? Are you conditioning them to overcome life’s challenges?

Masculinity and femininity vary across culture, time and space so my approach over the last decade as a single, male, childless adult has been towards a notion of genderless squash. My intention is not to discriminate between genders but to strive for equality. (I am not sure whether my students would agree, but I hope so.) Upon reflection, this may be a threat and/or opportunity for student-centered growth, depending on level of maturity.

Former co-ed intramural squash class at Concord Academy.

Genderless squash may have negative consequences of producing social outcasts and maladjusted individuals who are incapable of taking responsibility for their actions or may have positive consequences of producing champions of growth-mindsets who excel in the classroom and on the court. This is not a personal attack on any single student but rather an attempt at critical reflection of my evolution as a coach.

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Filed under Coaching, Community Development, Education, Gender, Leisure, Psycho-Social Support, Recreation, Squash, Youth Development, Youth Sport

July 30, 2015 · 1:15 pm

Thanking Well Wishers and Donors for Khelshala Service Trip

The Youtube video link below is a big thank you to all who donated and provided encouragement for my summer in India. I may have forgotten to thank someone so, please forgive me if I missed you.

My hope is that by sharing this Youtube video it will educate, inspire and motivate others who feel moved to get involved or make a contribution to this initiative.

Keep Squashing!

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Filed under Capacity Buidling, Coaching, Community Development, Corporate Social Responsibility, Education, International Development, Leadership, Networking, Peace Building, Philanthropy, Poverty, Private Public Partnerships, Psycho-Social Support, Squash, Stakeholder Engagement, Volunteering, Youth Development, Youth Sport

July 29, 2015 · 9:47 am

Learning through Coach Observation at England Squash & Racketball

Coaches often find themselves teaching the way they were taught. This can have positive and negative consequences for athletes. Continual professional development is necessary for finding new approaches, methodologies and techniques of teaching a sport.

National Squash Center in the United Kingdom.

I reached out to Chris Lengthorn, Head Coach of the Manchester Squash Academy at the National Squash Center in the UK, to learn more about their junior development program by being both a participant and observer. As a participant, I assisted Chris in facilitating 7 junior beginners who were working on volleys, drops, drives and footwork. Chris was very thorough in his introduction, demonstration and explanation. However as an observer, I noticed that the beginning students were more driven to play the 7 advanced players to see how far they could go against the best players in the Academy.

It was also enlightening to observe how Chris switched gears to teach advanced players on the concept of playing the ball in front of them. After a group discussion on the pros and cons of adjusting one’s body and racquet position to play the ball in front, Chris was able to highlight a nuance that allows for greater offensive play and efficiency of movement. Overall, I am thankful for Chris and the Manchester Squash Academy for the opportunity to learn more about squash in its country of birth.

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Filed under Coaching, Education, Gender, Leisure, Networking, Professional Development, Recreation, Stakeholder Engagement, Youth Development, Youth Sport

July 28, 2015 · 10:12 am

Kidsquash on World Squash Day

This weekend I was pleased to celebrate World Squash Day by starting Kidsquash’s 9th season at the Murr Center at Harvard University. Seven juniors who are all beginners set forth on their introduction to the game. Opening remarks by Luke Hammond, Lead Coach for Kidsquash were followed by basic ball control exercises, grip and swing mechanics.

Luke Hammond, Lead Coach at Kidsquash on World Squash Day.

Given the small group, Kidsquash students had sufficient feedback from the coaches as well as opportunities to test out their skills in a non-competitive environment. Luke’s well planned clinic had students working in pairs, figuring out the skills on their own with guidance from coaches as and when needed as well as practicing a variety of drills. Luke’s progression of drills, were such that by the end of the clinic, the beginners were able to have basic rallies.

Registration is still open to those who would like to sign up. Massachusetts Squash has kindly included our schedule on their master calendar for easy reference. Overall, it was a promising start to the season for these newcomers to the sport.

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Filed under Capacity Buidling, Coaching, Community Development, Education, Leisure, Philanthropy, Private Public Partnerships, Recreation, Squash, Volunteering, Youth Development, Youth Sport

July 27, 2015 · 1:36 pm

Appreciating My Khelshala Service Trip Experience

I recently completed my 2+ months service trip in Chandigarh at Khelshala. While I have tried to keep you updated of the highlights along the way, I find myself a bit emotional after being so welcomed by the Khelshala family – Founders, Board members, staff, children, volunteers and well wishers.

Satinder Bajwa, Founder & Trustee of Khelshala presenting a “thank you” gift to Khelshala Secretary.

It was truly an honor and privilege to help advance the mission of Khelshala while interacting with various stakeholders in India and abroad. My heartfelt thanks to Satinder Bajwa for encouraging me to make the journey and many thanks to my family and friends for donating to help fund this trip. I thought about each of you along the way. This made me appreciate the experience even more.

We are not done though. We have set Khelshala on a higher path and so there is a lot more to do take the organization where it deserves to be. I will continue to stay connected to the Khelshala mission, but encourage others who read this to get involved as I hope you will find as much joy and satisfaction as I have experienced. Be strong!

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Filed under Capacity Buidling, Coaching, Community Development, Corporate Social Responsibility, Education, International Development, Leadership, Private Public Partnerships, Professional Development, Recreation, Squash, Stakeholder Engagement, Volunteering, Youth Development, Youth Sport

July 14, 2015 · 10:28 am

Celebrating India’s Independence with Khelshala

To celebrate India’s 66th Independence Day, fifteen Khelshala children along with Satinder Bajwa, Founder & Trustee of Khelshala, Rajshekhar, Legal Advisor and myself were graciously invited by Ms. Kavita Das, Principal of St. John’s High School in Chandigarh to mark the occasion.

Khelshala students, Mr. Bajwa, Founder & Trustee of Khelshala, Rajshekhar, Legal Advisor, Ms. Kavita Das, Principal, Ms. Rashi Sethi, Teacher and myself.

The ceremony began with the school’s junior cadets marching us to the flagpole where upon Mr. Bajwa hoisted the Indian flag. Thereafter, St. John’s School students put on array of music, dances and treats. Pooja, one of our Khelshala students proudly spoke to an audience of 250 students, staff and parents about the significance of the day followed by Mr. Bajwa who reminded students that, “if you do good things, good things happen.” St. John’s School students’ skits and dances highlighted India’s multitude of cultures, languages and rich heritage of India while emphasizing the importance of gender equity, social tolerance and inclusion.

Personally, it was moving to connect with my “Indian-ness,” and be reminded that it is a part of me that I cannot forget. Having been fortunate to have studied, lived and worked in multiple countries, I believe we should move beyond patriotism and celebrate our common values and humanity in an increasingly interconnected world.

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Filed under Capacity Buidling, Coaching, Education, Foreign Policy, International Development, Leadership, Networking, Peace Building, Private Public Partnerships, Psycho-Social Support, Squash, Stakeholder Engagement, Volunteering, Youth Development, Youth Sport

June 16, 2015 · 3:13 pm

Launching the Khelshala Computer Learning Center

Another objective during my service trip was to set up the Khelshala Computer Learning Center. I am pleased to report today that 10 Khelshala students under the guidance of Ms. Rajvinder, the new Khelshala computer teacher have now joined the digital age. During their first class, the students learned elementary computing concepts.

This achievement was largely due to the synergistic teamwork between Khelshala and the State Bank of India. Thanks to a grant from the State Bank of India, Khelshala was able to purchase 5 desktops and 3 laptops. Moreover, Satinder Bajwa’s (Founder and Trustree of Khelshala) visionary leadership made the project happen.

First Class of students at the Khelshala Computer Learning Center donated by State Bank of India.

Prem Chander, the Khelshala squash coach who was originally trained as an electrician, did all the wiring of electrical sockets in the Center, while my role was to provide support with anything that needed to get done. Among other things, this ranged from painting the Center, supervising delivery of equipment, designing signage and interviewing computer teachers.

Personally, this was a very satisfying project to work on given my prior professional experiences in applying information and communications technologies to the challenges of sustainable development. To have played a small part in the country of my origin was equally gratifying. The lesson learned from this experience is that one should not discard one’s early professional experiences as they can help inform future ones. Cheers to learning and growth!

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Filed under Capacity Buidling, Community Development, Corporate Social Responsibility, Education, Gender, International Development, Leadership, Networking, Philanthropy, Volunteering, Youth Development

June 10, 2015 · 4:29 pm

Reflecting and Teaching About Life Through Sport

One of my objectives during my time at Khelshala is to provide direct teaching, coaching and mentoring to the children. As such during the academic component of the day, the Tutors and I facilitate a 15-minute reflection exercise 3 times a week. The rationale behind doing these exercises is to enable the children as well as the Tutors to feel greater ownership for Khelshala and themselves.

We just completed our third week of these exercises with a few initial positive results. At first, the students were reluctant to share their thoughts openly in a group setting on why Khelshala is important, how the program helps and what they can do to improve their experiences.

After feedback from the staff, we decided to capture their attention by incorporating physical and vocal inter-play. Much to our surprise, during the second week Anand, one of the younger and quieter boys spontaneously led the entire group in a Hindi song while the rest of the group were waving their hands in the air from side to side! It was a great moment in confidence building for Anand and the group.

Upon further feedback from the Director of Academics we decided to use my workbook “What Squash Can Teach You,” to focus on practicing English by reading in front of the group and facilitating a reflective question and answer session. Without sounding too biased I am impressed by the children’s ability to interpret and comprehend what squash means to them. Personally, it is very rewarding to hear and see the students absorb life skills through sport.

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May 21, 2015 · 2:07 pm

Khelshala Finding Strength at AISEC Event in Rock Garden, Chandigarh

Today I had the pleasure of chaperoning 22 underprivileged children from Khelshala to attend the 2013 Balakaladkaar, an event organized by AISEC’s Chandigarh chapter for 975 underprivileged children from various local non-governmental organizations.

Khelshala Children at AISEC’s 2013 Balakaladkaar at the Rock Garden in Chandigarh

Khelshala competed in dance and art competitions facilitated by the AISEC organizing committee. Moreover, the event was held at the Rock Garden in Chandigarh where children were provided transportation and lunch. There were prizes given out for the best dance performance and artwork. Though Khelshala did not receive any prizes, the children applauded the winners and demonstrated good sportsmanship off the court.

Overall, it was an educational opportunity for the Khelshala children to interact with peer groups, test their skills, develop cross-cultural understanding by interacting with AISECers from 15 countries and have fun in a safe environment! Many thanks to the AISEC Chandigarh Organizing Committee and sponsors.

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May 8, 2015 · 10:41 pm

Representing Khelshala and Kidsquash at the United Nations Headquarters

Over the past few days, I was fortunate to attend the 3rd International Forum on Sport for Peace and Development at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and the Dr. Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee led the opening session of the Forum. Here is the official UN press release.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and Dr. Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee leading the opening session.

As a member of the International Sport for Development and Peace Association, I attended the forum to represent Khelshala (India) and Kidsquash (USA) to learn, connect and collaborate with others working in the field of sport for development and peace. An informal meeting of practitioners, researchers and educators provided an opportunity for networking as well as an avenue for sharing updates on university programs, research and sport-based youth development initiatives.

There were several references made by Mr. Wilfred Lemke, UN Special Advisor on Sport, on the role of volunteerism in sport as a means to activate young people. As a former United Nations Volunteer, I believe this would be a valuable experience for aspiring development professionals. Thanks to the organizers of the event it was an opportunity to learn from the nuances in high-level, policy discussions as well as be at the forefront to mainstream sport-for development programming in the United Nations systems and beyond.

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Filed under Community Development, Conferences, Education, Foreign Policy, International Development, Leadership, Networking, Olympic, Paralympic, Peace Building, Private Public Partnerships, Professional Development, Public Policy, Stakeholder Engagement, Youth Development, Youth Sport