Women basketball players toil hard to prove mettle at National Games

BHILAI: Players of India's ace basketball

women

team from

Bhilai

are toiling hard day and night to put up a good show at the upcoming National Games. To enhance their practice schedule and performance, these players are now looking forward to an indoor stadium equipped with modern facilities.

Chhattisgarh women basketball team shot to national fame after it trounced railways team in 2014. Chhattisgarh Basketball Association secretary and coach Rajesh Patel said, "We have earned a good position in India and now our next target is National Games in which our team was runner-up last time." Having an indoor stadium would enhance the level of practice of our players, he added.

"Usually we start practice at 5:00 in the morning and it goes on till 9:00. In the evening, we practice from 4pm to 10pm. But if we get a facility like indoor stadium with wooden flooring, floodlights, our players can produce much better results," he added.

"For the last 15 years, we have been practising at Panth Stadium of Bhilai Steel Plant and all the facilities are being provided by the BSP for men and women teams. BSP day boarding is also looking after 40 basketball students and fulfilling their basic amenities as well," Patel added.

Bhilai Engineering Corporation (

BEC

), a sponsor, provides Rs 25 lakh per annum to meet all expenses of the players, including their education. Cosco India Private Limited is another sponsor ever since the team was born immediately after the formation of Chhattisgarh in November 2000. They provide balls, bags, uniforms and complete playing kit for all the players.

When contacted, state sports secretary

Somoni Borah

said chief minister Raman Singh had announced recently that Steel Authority of India would open a basketball academy in the state.

"Within two years, an indoor stadium for basketball would be constructed in Bhilai," he added.

Chhattisgarh is no ordinary basketball story. In the last 15 years, Chhattisgarh has taken Indian basketball by storm in the women's category winning several medals. Chhattisgarh has won 44

gold

, 14 silver and 21 bronze medals at the national level, including Senior National Basketball Championship against teams like Railways - until then unbeaten for 12 years - and star-studded Delhi.