Goa College of Quepem ready for new challenges - who dares wins

Goa College of Quepem ready for new challenges - who dares wins

Govt College  Quepem (GCQ) students once again proved their mettle and ended the academic year 2019-20 with another rich haul of medals & trophies. Overall 19 trophies were bagged by the GCQ challengers in various Sports competitions organised by Goa University & other institutions, which also includes SJAG/GENO award for the Best College in Sports –Rural category. 

 Around 23 students represented the state at the Nationals. 07 National awardees were in the game like Chess, Football Tennis ball Cricket, Sapaktakrow, Tennikoit & Sqay National. 16 students represented Nationals in various games & sports viz: Athletics, Cross Country, Hockey, Kabaddi, Volleyball etc. 

A new record was created in the 5000 mtrs run (women’s) at the Goa University Athletics Meet held at Bambolim Stadium in January 2020. Also lots of individual medals were won by students in the  various competitions organised by Goa University. 

GCQ Football team topped South Goa at the Reliance Foundation Youth Sports in the College category.

I would like to thank the Almighty Lord for His Grace & Blessings.

The Covid -19 Lockdown has posed challenges for sportspersons in terms of their training and daily routine. Sports tournaments prematurely has come to an end with the  GCQ Cricket team still in the fray with  the ten teams remaining matches to be played.

Significance of Sports cannot be underestimated. It plays an important role in the lives of individuals & society. Thanks to each & everyone for their co-operation, & services rendered to the college, directly or indirectly, without which it would have not been possible to achieve the desired results.

Let us pray to the almighty Lord to keep all of us safe & healthy. It is said prayer  is powerful and that’s what GCQ students start each of their practice sessions with a word of prayer. 

The great gusto with which teams cry out “GCQ CHALLENGERS!” before the start of every match, pumps that extra strength in them. Keep working hard. Let the GCQ Challengers saga continue… 

The blessings are Sweetest that are Won with Prayers and Worn with thanks…

College professors begin survey of Impact of Covid-19 lock-down on Goan sportspersons

College professors begin survey of Impact of Covid-19 lock-down on Goan sportspersons 

Margao

Will the corona virus outbreak and lock down adversely affect the sporting careers and the entire sport industry in the near future that is question which has been troubling many a people who are directly and indirectly linked to it on the global stage.

In Goa it is no different, with uncertainty hanging around in the air; three physical education teachers have started a survey to study the impact the Covid-19 lock-down on training and daily routine of sportsperson and economic impact on the lockdown on the sports persons in the state.

Dr Anil Ramachandran, Associate Professor, Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Kannur University, Kerala; Dr Rajan Mathew, Director of Physical Education, Govt. College, Quepem; and Milton Fernandes, Assistant Director of Physical Education & Sports, Goa University have began a survey and got in touch with various sports persons through the state to get their feedback over the same.

“The covid-19 lockdown has posed challenges to sportsperson in terms of their training and daily routine. Being researchers in the field,  we (Dr Anil Ramachandran, Associate Professor, Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Kannur University, Kerala; Dr Rajan Mathew, Director of Physical Education, Govt. College, Quepem; and Milton Fernandes, Assistant Director of Physical Education & Sports, Goa University) are interested to know how you as a sportsperson have been able to cope with this lock-down restriction and how you are managing your training schedule and daily routine,” the three have written to different sportspersons and sought their feedback.

The sports professor’s survey focuses on many topics including the financial impact of the lockdown on their careers and the tournament or events they have missed during the Corona Virus Epidemic.

“Have you missed any important tournament/competition  you were preparing because of the lock-down?. Do you think that such loss and the lack of preparation and training during lock down will affect your sporting career at this juncture?

“Do you think that the lock down will add to the financial crisis to meet you training and competition post lock-down?,” they have asked.

The questions also touch the effect on their sporting careers post-Corona Virus.

“How much time do you think that you will require to get in shape and to the previous performance level after the lock-down period is over,” one of the questions asks the sports people.

The questions also touch on the mental health of the sports persons owing to the lack of sporting competitions.

“With uncertainty prevailing over the lock-down period, and no certainty of how long it will continue, are you facing greater mental toll (stress) in terms of keeping you motivated and fixing sporting career goal? Are you getting frustrated and depressed since you are not able to train and follow the daily routine you were following before the lock-down period?”, it adds.

The survey also seeks to know whether “there been increased or decreased engagement in the following activities - Exercise/Training, TV/Entertainment, Social media, Academic Pursuits, Business Pursuits , Online sources related to your game, Gardening, Household chores, Reading, Family time, Rest/Sleep, Other creative/innovative endeavours, Exercise/Training, TV/Entertainment, Social media, Academic Pursuits, Business Pursuits, Online sources related to your game, Gardening, Household chores, Reading, Family time, Rest/Sleep, Other creative/innovative endeavours -  during the lock-down period as compared to period before lock down?

The other questions relate to the number of training session before the lock down and during the lockdown period.

• How many sessions/hours were you practicing/playing/training before the lock-down period?

• How many hours do you train and involve in physical exercise during the lock down period ?

• What extent of training are you able to carry out during the lock-down as compared to your normal training period?

What type of training - Physical training, Skills and Technical training, Mental training, Yoga and Relaxation - do you do during the lock-down period to keep yourself fit and in shape?

• What are the different training modalities - Jogging/Running, Strength and Weight Training, Core and Stability Exercises, Circuit Training, Aerobics/Zumba and other dance forms, Yoga, Fitness training with resistance bands/Loops/Kettle-bells/Foam roller etc, Skipping - you are able to do during the lock-down period?

• Do you have advanced training facility at your home/residence during the lock down to meet your training requirements?

• What training facilities- Treadmill/ Cycle Ergometer, Multi-gym and advanced training equipment, General Weight Training Equipment, Resistance bands/Loops/Kettle-bells, etc, Skipping ropes / Cones and Training markers, Indoor Badminton Court, Outdoor Badminton Court, Courtyard, Terrace and Space inside House- do you have in your house for training?

• From where do you get training schedule - Coach,  Fitness Trainer, Coaching Academy, Friends and Peer players, Prepare on your own, From online sources from your academy/coaching center, From other online coaching sessions/videos - during the lock-down period?

• Are you regulating your dietary intake to compensate for the shortage of training and exercise?

• Are you taking assistance of a specialist dietitian to keep your body in shape and fit to re-start training post lock-down?

• Are you of the opinion that one needs to be equipped with basic training facilities and essential infrastructure at home itself to meet your training possibilities during such lock-down or emergency periods?

• If you are an injured athlete or recovering from injury/fitness issues do you have difficulties in getting assistance and support for rehabilitation and training?

Interested can fill up the form at http://forms.gle/H81zDZaTcySTZyA46

Ronaldo, Barcelona fan from India reaches out to poor people in Goa

Goan football coach along with UK and USA nationals rendering yeomen service in Palolem during lockdown

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A football coach, a businessman and a yoga teacher have come together under one roof in Goa. They have a common cause - reach out to the poor and needy people in the coastal beach side resort of Palolem.

Goan Akhil Pagui, UK-born Linda Russell and Andrew Mason, a UK citizen having business interests in Cambodia are on the field delivering essential food items to the needy people of Palolem ever since the lockdown was imposed.

Pagui, is a known Cristiano Ronaldo fan while Barcelona FC is his favouritie club.  He has been in to football coaching for the last one and half decade. His football coaching odessey has taken him to different part of the country. On the way he has been inspired by different football ideologies and come across varied football coaching mythologies.

But when the lockdown came calling in Palolem, he momentary set aside his football shoes. Instead for the last few weeks, distributing food grains and other essential items has become his priority.

In Palolem Beach area, one of the most popular beach in Goa, Akhil along with other local volunteers have identified around 20 families living without any financial support and who don't have money to buy provisions during the lockdown period.

“It's very challenging to those who are daily wage earners and who have absolutely no support. We have decided to provide them with support in the form of food packages and other essential items. This package will contain supplies for 10 to 15 days. Supplies will be distributed through a network of our volunteers in respective families. Cost of each packet is ₹ 1000/,” said Pagui.

 For the records, Pagui football journey started with Mumbai-based OSCAR Foundation, a organization which uses football as a platform to bring about change in the lives of the under prevailed children of the metropolis.

 Thereafter he has had coaching stings with Canacona Sports Academy (Goa), Lyceum Sports Club (Jaipur), Shanti Asiatic School (CBSE) Jaipur, Chinmaya school (Mumbai), Patel boarding school ( Gujarat , Bhachau), and  Concrete Involvement Football Academy ( C.I.F.A), his personal academy in (Vadodara Gujarat).

“CIFA aims to develop talented young footballers across India. We believe in holistic approach to football coaching development the player as well as the young person,” he said about his football academy and vision.

“CIFA understands the role sport can play in developing well rounded and successful young adults. As well as coaching football to high level CIFA also teaches children about health diet and how to build self confidence and concentration through their unique coaching games and drills,’ he added.

Working alongside and the driving force of the mission are two veteran from two different fields.

Bhakti Yogi teacher Russell has been a long time visitor to India dating back to nearly three decades while Mason, owner of franchise Big Easy Phnom Penh and Ko Rong Samloem, Cambodia, which generates money for charities in Cambodia, completes the circle. Mason has been extending his charitable hand to the India project initiated by Pagui and is a major fund raiser.

“So far we have raise rupees one lakh. More money is on the way hopefully thanks to the efforts of Linda Russell and Andrew Mason,” said Pagui.

“It’s a golden opportunity to change life to think creative or do something to stay with the family and people understand the value of food, especially the value of farmer. Everything is going to change. It's a learning of the life. How to leave peacefully. Here I'm helping  underprivileged people giving food and working as a social volunteer,” said Pagui.

Russell, stay put in Goa even as over 7,000 western tourists flew back to their respective countries via the special repartition flights arranged by the respective governments in association with their Indian counterparts.

“I have stayed back to help my Indian friend (Akhil Pagui) to feed the no income families in Palolem so they can survive this lockdown,” Linda said in response to a question.

A Bhakti Yogi for the last 26 years has so far been helping 15 to 20 families in Palolem since the first nationwide 21-day lockdown was announced on March 24 and its second extension happened till May 3, and which was further extended to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.

Linda describes Pagui as a ‘Spiderman’ ready to help people in need.

“I have met a young guy Akhil Pagui who has the rainbow above his head. Heartfelt kindness of which I have not seen in such a young chap in a long time. We are collectively are on a quiet mission here in India to help the needy. Selflessly he perseveres quietly like Spiderman with as much aid as we can help,” Linda says.

Russell says life has been hard for the local residents of Palolem residents, who have no income on their own in the lockdown period and were dependent on daily wages to keep the house fires burning.

”We shop and distribute basic staples such as fruit, vegetable, rice, flour etc. Some families went to the forest in search of food during the lockdown. We allocated families with adequate food to keep them well and healthy. Toiletries and must haves have been also been included,” she added.

Russell said her decision to stay back and help was with a view to pay back to India the country from where she has learnt many things over the years.

“Thank you India for my education of 26 years to give me an opportunity to give something good back. Love all, serve all,” she adds.

She informed that they are looking for more financial aid to help the families in the long run as they are running out of the money.

“We are raising money from the West and appealing for financial help,” she adds.

Meanwhile, American national Alexander Mark Kinaj has also joined the team and they have set up a crowdfunding appeal, details which will be shared shortly they said.

 

 

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