Sports camps return to normal after two years of COVID gap

VIJAYAWADA: After two years of inaction, sports activities are returning to normal in AP. Summer sports coaching camps have also started.

The pandemic had spoiled sports activities including summer coaching camps for the past two years. Every year, the summer coaching camps used to be organised by the Sports Authority of AP and some other organisations in the state but these were halted from March 2020.

The absence of sports training activities disappointed many students who had planned to get coaching and training in various sports.

The SAAP started a summer sports training camp at India Gandhi Municipal Corporation Stadium related to indoor and outdoor sports for students and children below the age of 16 free of cost. Minister for Tourism, Culture and Youth Advancement, RK Roja, inaugurated the summer sports training camps on Wednesday and asked students, children and youths to make good use of the summer camps.

She said the state government is on a mission to recognise and nurture talent at the village level, as part of which 1,670 sports and games training camps are being conducted in 48 disciplines by spending Rs 83.50 lakh.

She urged parents to send their wards to the summer camps and encourage them to have physical activity.

Many educational institutions started summer coaching camps on their campuses in various sports and in mathematics, arts, crafts, dance, chess and other disciplines. The Amaravati Walkers and Runners is offering a summer swimming camp in the Krishna river for all age groups.

The coaches say there is a good response from the students, children and youths and they are back on track with the restart of physical activity.

Students D Rajesh and K Vasu said that they are depressed for the past two years due to the absence of mental and physical activities. They are coming to summer camps twice a day.

Dr Radhika said summer camps will help boost physical and mental immunity.