Private sports facilities thriving in Tiruchi with badminton finding favour with all age groups

Gone are the days when aspiring sportspersons solely depended on the infrastructure owned by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT), civic bodies, and other government agencies. Thanks to the growing interest among the people, particularly the youth, private sports facilities and academies are thriving in Tiruchi

Gone are the days when aspiring sportspersons solely depended on the infrastructure owned by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT), civic bodies, and other government agencies. Thanks to the growing interest among the people, particularly the youth, private sports facilities and academies are thriving in Tiruchi.

Badminton, tennis, and football are some of the top disciplines that have infrastructure promoted by private players.

Badminton courts outnumber other courts in Tiruchi. According to sources, there are 87 badminton courts in the city. Most of them are owned by the private clubs or academies. Courts are available in Srirangam, Thiruvanaikoil, Cantonment, Annamalai Nagar, Thiruverumbur, Kattur, Khajamalai and many parts of the city.

Similarly, tennis courts managed by private players have sprung up in Dheeran Nagar, Karumandapam, and Woraiyur. Synthetic football turf is the latest entrant to the list of private clubs. Though it involves huge sums for any sport facility, especially when it comes to land cost, it is the love of sports that is believed to have motivated the promoters to create sports infrastructure.

“It requires huge capital investment to set up sports facilities. We cannot set up such facilities if we calculate profit and loss. We need a healthy society. It is aimed at promoting sports culture among students at a young age,” says J. Madhan Mohan of Jay’s Institute of Tennis, Tiruchi.

Among all sports, badminton has emerged as a popular sport across all age groups. The number of badminton enthusiasts is said to have gone up rapidly in the recent past. “There is at least one or two badminton courts every two km in Tiruchi. The number of badminton clubs is also going up. It creates a healthy competition between the clubs to win tournaments. It is a healthy sign for not just spotting new talents but also keeping them fit and healthy,’ says Aravind, a badminton coach.

Football on synthetic turf is catching up among the youth. Unlike the usual football ground, which requires a huge space, the turf can be established on a 5,000 sq. ft. feet area, besides facilities for players’ lounge, dressing room, lawns and sanitation area. The promoters, who import the synthetic turf, invariably meet the guidelines of the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA). The turf has come up in many areas, including Kumaran Nagar, Annamalai Nagar, and K.K. Nagar. It hosts five players per team.