Guns and roses for young Indian shooters

CHENNAI: Standing toe-to-toe against the creme de la creme of the sport, Indian shooters shone like never before in the ISSF World Cup in Guadalajara. With nine medals (4 gold, 1 silver, 4 bronze), the Indians finished as toppers for the first time in the event. It was mostly the new faces who announced themselves with a bang, an indication that Indian shooting has a lot to look forward to.

Even though shooters have always done well on the big stage, not many would have predicted this haul. But coaches Deepali Deshpande and Jaspal Rana knew a big performance was just around the corner. They, along with a bunch of other senior pros, had worked with these youngsters from the start and helped them master the art of shooting in a competitive environment.

Young guns like Anjum Moudgil, Swapnil Kusale, Shahzar Rizvi and Akhil Sheoran are products of an ambitious initiative which started in 2013, under the close watch of former shooters-turned coaches. “We had been working for five years on this junior program. Anjum, Akhil, Swapnil were all part of it. They got a very strong base and it had to show after some time. The Mexico WC was a perfect platform. This year we have multiple events coming up. So, this was a great start to the year,” Deepali, the junior rifle coach, told Express.

Mexico saw Indians shoot down three world records and it has proven to be a perfect platform for shooters. “It was the first time we segregated seniors and juniors and we had coaches for each and every section. The NRAI and SAI also roped in all top shooters (depending on availability) to coach the juniors,” she added.

Having tasted success, Jaspal was delighted too but stressed on the importance of staying grounded. “Each one of them deserves the plaudits. But one has to be careful. These shooters are still very young and have a lot to learn. The coaches, the federation and parents should ensure that they stay on the right track and build on this performance,” Jaspal remarked.

Given that he has observed many happy tales turn sour as a competitor and a coach, he wants everyone to take a cautious step ahead. “As a coach, it is a little worrying too. The expectations go very high. People will throw money, jobs but to maintain such performance, one has to work even harder.”

The coaches say that the strong base has handed them a robust mindset which was missing in the past. “They don’t have pre-conceived ideas about the world. They don’t see themselves less than anybody else. We see that as a strength and try to maintain it. That is the main aspect of the junior program. We are more focussed on moulding minds, rather than being stuck up about their shooting techniques,” Deepali opined.

anmol@newindianexpress.com