As former US professional tennis player Billie Jean King put it: ?Sports are a microcosm of society.? If one was to see this in the Indian context, one could concur that India is yet to be perceived as a nation that has a positive disposition towards sports and, more importantly, the scientific approach and structured thinking needed to churn out able sportsmen. Several questions have been raised about India?s reserves, lack of able leadership, injury and burn-outs of the players and most of all?the administrative bodies of various sports! A case in point would be the Indian cricket team?the recent England tour and the performance of our team therein. In a country where the sport of cricket is worshipped, has an exalted status and a nation that largely adores victory (particularly after the World Cup win), the England tour brought forth interesting learnings?in terms of the science of sports and effective strategy management.

Given players like Saina Nehwal, Deepika Kumari and Abhinav Bindra making a mark in sports barring cricket, a career in sports is being viewed seriously, albeit slowly. While the past few years have marked the beginning of the transformation of the sports industry in India, a lot needs to be achieved. In the past, sports were unfortunately relegated to a low priority in a society that recognised and encouraged academic excellence. The promotion and development of sports is largely undertaken by the Centre and states, the Indian Olympic Association, the Sports Authority of India and the National States Federation and its affiliates. The Indian government has substantially increased funding for the country?s sports industry from R270 million ($5.58 million) in the Sixth Five-Year Plan (1980-1985) to more than R46 billion ($950.82 million) in the Eleventh Five-Year Plan (1997-2012). While there are some sports that are placed on a plinth, there are many others who do not get their due share of recognition.

So what would it take to bring about an attitudinal shift in the way a career in sports is considered meaningful? To begin with, one needs to create awareness and ingrain a structured approach of imparting sports education and outdoor activities at the grassroots? and community level. Sports could be taught the scientific way incorporating the scientific disciplines of physiology, psychology, nutrition and diet, biomechanics, performance analysis and technology to deliver a meaningful sporting experience. For example, on the basis of a computer video analysis program that is used across various sports, players could compare their performance and make necessary improvements. One of the learnings derived basis the performance of the Indian cricket team was the differentiation between the white and red cricket balls. The aerodynamics associated with a red cricket ball are different vis-?-vis white cricket balls that swing much less and imply lesser strain on the batsman. It is things like these that make a striking difference on the field. There are schools that are beginning to partner with professionally managed outfits that manage the end-to-end infrastructure for schools, right from managing the physical training for children, providing equipment and advanced technologies to teach sports the scientific way to coach and nurture future sports stars. According to a recent study by IMRB in India, of a total of 394 schools surveyed, 70% of the schools were interested in outsourcing their sports curriculum to professional third-party outsourcers.

While we are slowly moving towards adopting fitness and sports, we still have a myopic way of looking at this. Not many of us reckon that there are two primary avenues to a career in sports?one is a career in sports management, where one is not a sportsperson but is entrusted with handling a sports event or facilitating a sportsperson?s career by providing him with all necessary support systems, and the other involves becoming a sportsperson and earning a livelihood through one?s performance in sports events. Hence, sports as a career option now possesses tremendous opportunities for growth.

For management graduates with a degree in sports, there is a plethora of opportunities?from beginning as an amateur player and graduating to become a professional. They can also train to become umpires and referees or take up the posts of coach or a physical instructor in educational institutions. Further on, they can work as administrators or officials in local sports organisations, either government or private. Those with an enduring liking for sports can also juggle their primetime careers with sports. These options include becoming sports journalists, physiotherapists sports physicians, and fitness coaches. Other areas they can branch into are adventure sports and setting-up training centres and health clubs. At the community front, families are beginning to realise the importance of physical and outdoor activities in the midst of an increasingly rapid and stressed lifestyle. There are adventure gaming and outdoor gaming companies that create a platform for the entire family to play unique outdoor games, which are prop-intensive and fun for all age groups. Sports management, thus, involves all the activities on and off the field that are to be performed for the success of any sporting event. Athletes, events, teams, facilities, licensed goods and sponsorship organisations are in need of highly professional management and will be keener to work with them.

To encourage and provide a boost to sports in the country, industry and academia have to partner so as to introduce formal courses in the country and nurture budding sports managers. This would involve embracing and understanding the entire sporting ecosystem right from the fundamentals of management, sports marketing, advertising and sponsorship issues, spectator management, sports media and event management. Certain organisations are emerging today, recognising these futuristic needs and catering to services that provide a complete range of sports facilities management, professional sports programmes, state-of-the-art body and performance analysis, technological mapping of body growth certified and trained coaches, talent assessment for aspiring sports kids, scheduling, management, marketing and event implementation of intra-school sports and corporate events and a unique outdoor games experience.

A burgeoning middle class, a large prospective student population and an underdeveloped sports ecosystem present a tremendous opportunity to nurture a culture of sports in the country at various levels. Thus, a career in sports is promising in the days to come!

The author is founder of KOOH (Kids Out Of Home)?a sports outfit that provides professional sports programmes and events that aim to nurture the future sports stars of India