Sports academy moves in

State level athletic academy moves in to Tiruvannamal

Middle Distance Academy, a state level academy concentrating on training youngsters in 400, 800 and 1500 meter race now moved into Tiruvannamalai from its earlier location, Salem.
The only academy of its kind in the state is run by Sports Authority of TamilNadu. District collector Sathyabratha Sahoo flagged off the operations of the academy in its new home, sprawling District Sports Complex situated in the collectorate master plan complex in the temple town.
73 students including 33 girls who were selected from various schools across the state got enrolled in the academy after the screening of around one lakh students. They would be staying and practicing in the new premises of the unique academy for select days of every month and during school vocations.
SP V Balakrishnan, District Sports Officer Pugazhendhi, Chief Educational Officer V Balamurugan, PWD Executive Engineer V Balamurugan, Information and Public Relations Officer Vijayakumar were among those who took part in the inaugural event.
Sports officer Pugazhendhi said that it was only because of the availability of wonderful infrastructure and natural atmospheres required to train players the Academy has been shifted to Tiruvannamalai. The newly inaugurated district sports complex where the students were made to stay and practice posses a very good track, multi gym, and it was surrounded by an uneven and rocky terrain which would be useful for students to run a practice race called ‘cross country’, Pugazhendhi said.
“We have hills nearby where students could practice trekking also. Trekking and cross country would give a boost to the endurance level of the players” he added.
The academy has three coaches and one assistant director who would be at the helm of the academy. Areas of inadequacies in every individual player would be identified and necessary training would be supplemented to overcome them. If a student lacks strength or endurance or speed he would get focused in that area. If he or she encounters a psychological problem, they would be offered counseling, he added. The academy going to be a jewel in the crown, that is the sprawling sports complex.