YOU GO GIRLS!!!
Recently four players from Jammu and Kashmir have been selected by the Roll Ball Federation of India as probable players for Indian team, which is going to participate in the 3rd Asian Roll Ball Championship to be held at Bangkok, Thailand from November 22 to 24. The players, who have been selected, are Ankita Chopra, Garvita Gupta, Rakshak Jandyal and Hiteshwar Singh. They were selected during the 13th Senior Rollball Championship, which was held at Pune, where under J&K girls' team stood second and boys' team stood fifth. Practice for national team is starting from 14 November and it will last for a week. It is basically to pick main six players out of 12 and bring coordination among all of them, since every player is in good form right now. AKRITI JAMWAL met the selected girls and had a talk with them.
It was after a long time that Girls' Rollball team of Jammu and Kashmir participated in National Senior Rollball championship. And more amazing is that stood at second position in it.
This year it was possible to make a team and grab a position because of the efforts that were put in both by the players and authorities. Ankita told me that since sports are struggling all around in our nation especially if we are considering J&K, this game doesn't get much preference; hardly any camps are organised for the game and even practice is not given much attention. There are only few people and some players who are devoted to it. She said "I believe the team stood runner-up because the players practiced really well.
This game doesn't get financed well, so we had to arrange our equipments, ourselves. We used to go for practice after our school or college and practice till 9 in the evening, daily"
Ankita, 22, has recently graduated in English honors from Gandhinagar Women College and presently perusing Masters' in English. According to her, rollball is combination of skating, basketball, volleyball and handball. She has been skating since she was in 4th class because her mother introduced this game to her being national player and a bronze medalist, herself. In 9th and 10th class she participated in nationals through school in which her team was 1st and second respectively. After which she left rollball because it wasn't introduced in SRO and wasn't progressing. She switched to basketball instead, it being a relatable game to Rollball.
"But now the game has progressed rapidly. So I came back because my heart always lied in it" said Ankita. Though it was difficult but Ankita did fine, as she got selected in National team. Ankita proudly added "We made a team for senior national. Last year when it was held in Kerala we couldn't participate because we couldn't make a girls team. And this year, in pune, we not only made a team we stood second. And along with that two girls got selected to make national team". She is enthusiastic for the Asian games and hopes to win it too like former years.
Roll ball being new has its own struggle. It isn't given much importance. But I think we need to give it more, because we introduced it to the world.
Garwita, 19 is also English honours student and currently pursuing graduation in Gandhinagar Women College. She used to do Speeding in skating first but, on pursuance by her coach she tried Rollball and played national for school. " I used to love skating so my parents got me enrolled in it. I Love to stay active so I try to learn as much as possible. I am learning dance, art and so many other things. My parents supported me and my sisters in everything we wanted to do. And all this had led to my selection in national team, I believe" says Garvita.
Garwita says that difference in behavior towards girls and boys team is prominent in other games but since this game is still growing and no stereotype is applied in this game. There isn't any such malice in this sport but we need more girls to come forward and join the game told Gavita. "We lost by 3-2 from Rajasthan, which was a very strong team as 4 girls are selected from it. This shows that our team did its best.
Talking about women in sports Ankita said that on person level she can tell that opportunities for girls are less. Girls are not sponsored easily. But now since women are doing great on international platforms like Olympics and World cup, this mentality is changing. Being a player your gender shouldn't matter. Players need to get appreciated. She said so because being both in basketball and rollball and also because of the fact that our state's girl team stood second despite of all odds, she felt that there was hardly any appreciation. Girls have accepted that they cannot face physical hardships; they whine that they cannot do push-ups, squats and other exercises. "I want to say that it isn't because they are girls that they cannot do it; many guys cannot. You just have to start from one a day and work your way up. And that applies to everyone for everything they want to achieve" said Garvita on being asked about the physical strength it takes to be a sportsperson.
Despite being both literature student and a sports person it is still very clear for Ankita how both of her choices is part of her individuality. And she is aware she has to work hard to prove it to others that girls are no less than guys. Mentality of society, of family is influencing the mentality of girls. Girls usually believe that they are not meant for sports. And this has crushed so much of potential in girls. Message for girls from the girls was that if you choose to be in sports, which you should, because it makes you fit and stronger, you should never let it get into your mind that you are any less than anyone because of your gender. And you should focus on your game and not complaining about the disadvantages you face.
Being a girl you have to twice as hard as men. Let your performance speak for you. Let's look forward to the 3rd Asian Roll Ball Championship and hope that these girls do their best and win our nation that shining trophy and these two girls bring laurels to our state.