Things just keep getting better for UAE's lone multi-purpose indoor sports academy, Insportz. Having bagged sponsorship by Chevrolet in 2005, the Al Quoz venue is now being graced by stars of the cricketing galaxy. India's 1983 World Cup winning skipper Kapil Dev was here this month and next month, the kids will get to play with Australian speedster Brett Lee, who is missing the World Cup due to an ankle injury.
And that's not all, as plans are also afoot to bring the likes of Sourav Ganguly, Glenn McGrath and Jacques Kallis to the academy.
For now, though, Insportz is busy planning a fitting tribute to their favourite guest. Bob Woolmer was a regular visitor to the academy, having made his fifth visit in April last year and the academy plans to organise a couple of tournaments in memory of the former Pakistan coach. A one-day tournament featuring 24 teams will be held tomorrow, followed by a league tournament in April.
There are bigger plans for Insportz as well. They intend to open their second centre in the UAE, in Abu Dhabi between July and August. And according to the Dubai centre manager Menino Po, they have received offers to open academies from far-flung places.
“We have received offers from places like Kazakhstan as well. Hyderabad is another place which has shown interest,'' he said.
Thanks to the financial backing of Chevrolet, which has renewed its yearly contract for another year till October 2007, youngsters from the academy are also getting a chance to go abroad. Having been to Hyderabad in 2005 and Sydney last year, a group of under-15s is slated to go to England this year.
So, what brings the youngsters to the academy, despite having to pay Dh200 a month for five sessions?
Menino said: “Besides the fact that the kids get to interact with the top cricketers in the world, they also stand a better chance to pursue the game at the highest level.''
In this regard he spoke highly of two of the academy's ‘graduates' — spinner Ranjit Wagmore and Mohammad Hamid. “They have confirmed their interest to take up cricket professionally and will be setting up base in Chennai and Hyderabad to try and make it to the respective state sides,'' Menino said.
Besides cricket, the academy also caters to other sports such as football, hockey, handball, volleyball, throwball (women), table tennis, basketball and badminton.
The Multi-purpose Man
- Menino Po is a physical education teacher from India.
- Originally from Goa, Menino played club football before coming to Dubai in 1991. He joined Insportz in August, 2005.
- Besides cricket, he coaches table tennis, badminton, football and swimming.
- Menino is also a member of the US-based International Council for Health, Physical Education, Recreation Sports and Dance.
Background
Insportz was born in Dubai in 1997 and after an initial struggle, managed to land a sponsor in LG. Things really began to look up after the academy was backed by Chevrolet in October, 2005 and now Insportz plans to open another centre in Abu Dhabi during the summer.