The former coach of the Indian women’s basketball team Tamika Williams stressed the need for Indians to improve their skills with respect to strength and speed, to become more competitive at the highest level.
Changed a lot
Speaking at a webinar, organised by the Indian Basketball Players Association, Williams, a former WNBA player and who coached the Indian women’s team during the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou said, “The game has changed a lot over the last 10 years. It is more physical and faster with scores of 70-80 the norm from the 50-60 points.”
“So the one area where the Indian women need to focus and get better is to become stronger.
“When I was here, there was some apprehension to working on core strengths, lifting weights and being stronger because they did not want to become very muscular. But once they realised what it could do to their games, it changed.”
The route
Williams also added that more Indian women need to go through the US university system and slowly lay the foundation by teaching the local talent at the grassroots level and help them take the next step.
Former India player Appoorva Muralinath who is currently an assistant women’s coach at Dean College, Massachusetts said, “The strength and conditioning part of the game is something we are not used to, but it is a huge part of the game.
“It does not just help you avoid injuries or recover faster from one, but it goes beyond that. It is not just about becoming big.
“ Knowing you are stronger takes your game to a different level and makes you believe in yourself that you can take on any opponent.”