Dubai: Kannur, a district situated in India’s southern state of Kerala used to produce talented sportsmen in the past. Among the cricketers to first don the Indian cap from this state was JK Mahendra. They also produced many famous football players.
Of late, due to shortage of playgrounds, the number of high class sportsmen emerging from this district had dwindled. However, group of sports-lovers have now decided to revive the lost glory of the district by setting up Go Getters Sports Academy in Kannur and taking it to different parts of Kerala.
This academy’s mission has got support from the UAE with Air Arabia as the main sponsor and is backed by Dubai-based Space Max and Kannur’s popular Western India Plywood backing them. The four who have set out to spot and groom talented sportsmen include A.K. Nizar, managing director of the academy and A.K. Shereif, director of Sports Administration and promoters such as veteran UAE cricketer CTK Nasir and TTP Mahmood, managing director of Ayesha Hosiery.
Speaking to Gulf News, Nizar said: “We want to regain that glory by unearthing talented sportsmen. So we approached the Kerala government which has leased us an area behind Kannur Collectorate. Our aim is not to make profits but find talent and groom them. Whatever money we generate from the academy will be pumped into sports development.”
With this motive in mind, the academy was inaugurated on December 17 last year by world-renowned coach Dave Whatmore in the presence of N Ram, chairman of Hindu newspaper. Former Indian cricket team all-rounder and 1983 World Cup team player Sunil Valson, whose parents are from Kannur, also attended the function.
Some of the past sportsmen from Kannur include Mahendra, who was the first Keralite to represent India as a member of the All India School Cricket Team and internationally-acclaimed Jimmy George, who captained the Indian volleyball team for a long period.
“Our mission is to produce players who can go on to play for India. We have already 30 kids training with us. We do take training fees, but not for profit, but to ensure that the children remain committed. We have earmarked a percentage of the revenue for spotting and training children from poor background,” Nizar said,
Renowned coach Imtiaz Ahmad from Bengaluru, who has groomed Indian players like Robin Uthappa and Stuart Binny, is the technical director of the academy. He will visit the academy every month for five days to ensure that coaching guidelines are being followed. “Nearly 15 girls are also being trained in cricket. The academy team also played with Ahmad’s Academy in Bengaluru and reciprocal tours are also being planned,” said Nizar, who has welcomed young cricketers from the UAE for training at this academy during summer holidays and wants reciprocal tours with teams here.
“We also have a tie-up with Whatmore Cricket Academy in Chennai and are on the lookout for not only talent but like-minded people to support our mission from the UAE,” said Nizar.
For more details on the academy log on to gogetters.co.in.
