SAIIER 2021:Auroville Sports Resource Centre (AVSRC)
 New Creation Sports |
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 CRIPA (Centre for Research in the Performing Arts) |
| Entity::Auroville Sports Resource Center (AVSRC) by AVSRC team | ||
Auroville Sports Resource Centre (AVSRC) coordinates regular trainings, coaching camps, friendly matches and tournaments as part of on-going efforts towards human unity through sports. Strengthening the relation between Auroville and its surrounding villages is another aim, which we try to reach through a growing communication based on the bilateral interest in sports and culture.
AVSRC has also been trying to help develop sports facilities due to a severe lack of sports facilities in the bioregion: there is only one public sports stadium in the whole of Villupuram District, in the capital town of Villupuram, created and maintained by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) that’s meant to cater to about 928 villages in Villupuram district.
Activities of the year:
- AVSRC held weekly regular classes in basketball for children ages 8 to 16 from Auroville and the villages. Around 45 students both boys and girls underwent regular training. The Auroville women’s team and the senior men basketball players, about 150 persons, also came for weekly regular practices in the indoor stadium.
- Volleyball training for the youth (boys and girls) and adults was provided to the 9 immediately surrounding villages of Auroville. About 320 persons benefit from this program coordinated through Senthil, our Volleyball coach.
- This year we were able to work with differently-abled children and youth from the surrounding villages providing fitness and basketball training in the indoor stadium.
- Through Senthil AVSRC also helped the Auroville Village Action Group (AVAG) with its annual sports activities and cultural programs for women. These events take place at the Village Action grounds at Irumbai.
- A dismantable tennis court was created and set up in the indoor stadium for the use of the tennis players. This is an experiment to see how the space in the indoor stadium can be used for multiple sports.
Reflections:
Sports, games and cultural activities are very meaningful approaches towards our efforts in approaching human unity. The joy of sharing through sports activities and programs while teaching and learning is very enriching, especially in the context of the variety of people from different walks of life.
We had a big challenge in the form of the Coronavirus pandemic, dealing with a different approach to training and playing in accordance with government stipulations.
Conclusion:
We see sports and games as a meaningful exercise in the pursuit of Integral Yoga, involving physical and collective transformation.