A coach in search of the talented

By M.C. Raman

CHENNAI, JULY 23. Indian sportspersons may be underrated in their own land but there are foreign coaches who think there is plenty of talent in this country.

Mr. Frank Schneider, a Division One and Head Women's Basketball coach of the Southeastern Louisiana University, is here to offer scholarship to deserving sportspersons.

Mr. Schneider is on a talent-hunt trip, covering the African and Asian continents. His main aim is to choose college players with proven ability in four disciplines-tennis, basketball, volleyball and swimming-for his university.

``We normally prefer good students in individual sports like tennis and swimming. But if there are good basketball and volleyball players, I am ready to take them into my university teams. All they have to do is purchase their travel tickets and take some pocket money with them. We will provide them boarding and lodging as also free education,'' said Mr. Schneider.

``But the lone condition is that the players' progress will be assessed every year. If they do not study or play well we will terminate the benefits and send them back. They have to maintain the stipulated standard both in education and sports,'' said Mr. Schneider.

He also said that if there were deserving candidates he would help them join whichever universities they wanted to. He feels a player's success depends on the American university he chooses, considering his own skills in the sport.

This is the first time such a high-level University coach has come to India hunting for sportspersons. He has sounded some tennis, basketball and volleyball players here, but they didn't seem interested. He admits that he landed in India quietly without any prior announcement.

``Don't worry I will be here next year. I hope I may be successful in persuading some sportspersons at that time to join my university,'' said the disappointed coach.

Mr. Schneider is of the opinion that the depth of talent in Africa, China, Japan and Korea is enormous.

Unfortunately, there are no sports nurturing centres in India for the benefit of these foreign trainers who come here to select players.

There is a move in Chennai to form a Foundation with the help of adidas to collect all the details of talented players in the State and other places in order to enable visiting coaches like Mr. Schneider to straightaway get in touch with such sportspersons.

He is expected to leave India in a day or two. His contact address is SLU 309, Hammond, LA 70402. Office - 504-549- 3744.

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