Sport on sea: Fisherfolk kids learn to ride the waves

The Marina was once a

makeshift home

for Akash. The 17-year-old differently abled boy from the fishermen community now trains in stand-up paddling off the beach.

The

SUP-Marina Club

, with support from police, is offering fishing community youth free training in the sport to ensure they channelise their energy better. R Sudhakar, joint commissioner of police (east zone) gifted the club an advanced paddle board.

A

Sathish Kumar

, who has represented the country in the sport at the

Dragon World Championships

in 2018 and 2019, has been running the club for the past three years. “Sea is part of the fishermen community. So I thought the children will easily learn nuances of SUP,” said Sathish Kumar.

The 25 members, aged between 7 and 30 years, are trained for two hours each in the morning and evening, he said, adding that he was trying to ensure they didn’t feel the sport was only for the rich.

The children have also been helping rescue beach-goers from drowning. Akash, who is both speech and hearing impaired, and two other children have helped rescued more than 20 people.

Sudhakar said the initiative was part of the police’s effort to help children from the fishermen community hone their skills. “Everyone has a unique talent. This small initiative from our side will help them explore the sport more and also ensure they do not deviate into any illegal activity,” he said. Experimenting with advanced equipment will boost their confidence and help them face any challenge, he said.