Eagle-eyed coaches scouting for fresh talent at Nationals

HYDERABAD: One of the most well-known Kabaddi coaches in the country, Ram Mehar Singh, is in the ‘City of pearls’ these days to guide the defending national champions, Services at the ongoing 65th Senior National Kabaddi Championship. In the midst of all the hullabaloo, he could be seen giving his boys a pep talk or two.

However, that is not all what he is here for. While coaching, he is also — from the corner of his eyes — observing fresh talent from other states and teams at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium. Some of the fresh legs that come under Mehar Singh, who also coaches Patna Pirates in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL), may go on to hit the mat in the 2018 PKL season.

It has only been about two months since the last PKL season got over, but the process of talent scouting has already started. In a chat with Express, the Pirates’ coach explained how scouting is done. “Tournaments like the senior nationals, national departmental championship and junior nationals (which was held in Cuttack from December 12 to 15 last year), serve as the hunting ground for talents,” Mehar Singh said.

Since last season, open selection trials at various centres have also been held. “Boys aged from 18 to 22 are called to various centres to appear in open selection trials.

It makes it easier for the youngsters living in the vicinity of the centre to appear for the trials. Anyone within the age group can come. The aim is to give an opportunity to every kid,” said Mehar Singh, adding that a total of almost 20,000 hopefuls appeared for trials last year.

“Each centre hosted around 3,000 youngsters. ”

Sitting beside the mat, Mehar Singh also observes the Pirates’ players appearing for different teams in the nationals.

He informed that the 2018 trials will most likely start in February.  “It will begin next month. Last year, out of the thousands who flocked for the trials, 700 were selected after the first round of filtration. Then 350 were chosen. Finally, about 100 were called for the final camp in Mumbai. Each of the 12 teams had two to three players from the chosen 100. The clarity in the selections is just tremendous in Kabaddi.”
World Cup-winning coach Balwant Singh too had a few words to say about the process of spotting talent at nationals.

“The best players emerge in the knockout stages because that is when different situations surface. Then you get to see players perform according to them,” Singh opined. The hundreds, who have come from almost every nook and corner of country, would be watching these talent-spotters with bated breath as they wait for their big break into the big leagues.

vishal@newindianexpress.com