The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruption to the sports ecosystem across the world to varying degrees. The Indian sports fraternity is also staring at an uncertain future with a looming threat of economic challenges amid the pandemic. Individuals, including athletes, coaches and staff fear about their future in sports and their source of income without the slightest idea when things will limp back to normalcy. To overcome this challenge and create a meaningful economic impact in the sports world, the Padukone Sports Management (PSM) has come up with a unique solution of guiding badminton enthusiasts to become full-time/part-time coaches.

The PSM, under the watchful eyes of India’s pioneer badminton player, Prakash Padukone, has developed a Coach Certification Program with an adage “Badminton for all”. The program aims to impart beginner-level badminton coaching certification to the enthusiasts who are equipped with technical skills of a good coach, along with a holistic view of the world of coaching, on-court requirements and off-court soft skills. The program started in 2019 has been tailored and structured into an online module since the outbreak of COVID-19, under the aegis of Padukone, who is the Co-founder and Director of the company. 

“In the last five years, badminton’s popularity has seen a surge because our players are doing so well. I see a lot of young people taking up badminton as an activity or a hobby. Just like dance, or music, more people are coming to play badminton. While the number of these amateur players have grown exponentially, there is no such basic coach certification program, which can produce coaches to train the growing number of players. This is where our Coach Certification Program plays a key role, which shapes the coaches who can join clubs and centres where they can impart training to the players,” says Padukone.

The online program is a pioneering concept in India, particularly for badminton, which is on par with countries like England and Canada. Anyone who knows the technicalities of the sport can undergo the basic-level training program, which will be suitable for the individual to become a badminton coach at a school level and subsequently graduate to state-level coaching. The Coach Certification Program ensures a strong foundation by creating a carefully crafted module developed by some of the best badminton coaches of PSM. Once Padukone approved the module, the program was rolled out for individuals to enroll on the website of PSM. 

The program is based on the Badminton World Federation Level 1 and Shuttle Time Module along with the expertise of PSM fraternity. The program entails the following features:

• A concoction of theory and demonstration structured systematically.
• Coaches are trained to level up their fitness regime
• Basic education and imparting of knowledge of sports nutrition
• An important element for nurturing and developing a player, by building strong foundations
• Direct interaction with legends of the game like Prakash and Vimal 
• Know-how of first-aid and injury management

So far, the organisation has completed six editions of  the Coach Certification Programs. Despite the lockdown and restrictions imposed in the country, more than 200 participants from all over India have successfully completed their certification. Each module includes theory and demonstration videos of experts from PSM who diligently guide players online with their knowledge. Generally each course is a  11-day online program conducted daily in the evenings for 2 hrs.

The team of coaches who conduct this program include some prominent names like Narendra Ubhayankar, Coach of Karnataka State Badminton team; Balachandran TR, former coach at the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy. Head coach of the program is Aditya Prakash, who brings with him a rich experience, which he learnt during his training stints at the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy and Gopichand Academy.

“With the right guidance, anybody can become a coach, and the successful completion of our program will allow an individual to become a coach at the basic level. Learning the basics of coaching and imparting lessons can also yield extra income for an individual. I think it’s a win-win for all who will be actively taking part in this program,” concludes Padukone. 

The 11-day program also comes easy on the pocket with a nominal fee of Rs 7,670 including taxes. The next Coach Certification Program of PSM is scheduled to start on Monday 14th September 2020. You can also hone up your skill sets in badminton coaching and become a coach by registering yourself in the program and be a part of the transformation. 

Check out the program on their website: 

https://padukonesportsmanagement.com/badminton-coach/