The summer sporting camps have come as a whiff of fresh air for children in Guntur, with the NTR Municipal Stadium at Brindavan Gardens full of excited youngsters taking part in summer coaching programmes in various sports and games.
The summer camps began on May 1 and would continue till the end of the month. Municipal Commissioner Shrikesh B. Lathkar inaugurated the summer sports camp.
Be it athletics, basketball, skating, badminton, table tennis or swimming, the overwhelming response to the camps has been a welcome change. Hundreds of children, accompanied by their parents, attend the camps, where the coaches teach the basics of games and sports.
The daily morning drill usually starts with jogging and ground exercises aimed at increasing flexibility, body strength and sharp reflexes.
“We teach the basics of the game and if anyone is interested, they can continue even after the camp. We had a lot of players who took to the game seriously after the end of the summer camps,” said tennis coach G. Siva Prasad.
Children enrolled for one of the sports disciplines have to pay ₹700-₹1,000 depending on the sport. They would be provided with breakfast and snacks in the evening. About 1,000 children have been enrolled in the camp.