Skating lessons keep kids away from gadgets

Nellore: Parents, who realised health benefits of roller skating which is equal to jogging in terms of burning calories, are showing interest in joining their children for training. Even athletes who are looking for an activity to keep them in shape during the offseason are also preferring a pair of roller skates.

On a roller skating ride

• Skating rink at Children’s Park is getting congested with more kids showing interest
• Civic body proposes to start another skating rink at ACSR stadium
• Around 400 children attended the summer camp last month
• Parents too are encouraging skating to keep their children from electronic gadgets

Just to achieve double benefits of excelling in the sport and physical fitness, parents are encouraging children to visit parks and other places where roller skating classes are being conducted.

Nellore District Skating Association conducted summer camp recently with the help of physical education teachers who provided coaching on voluntary basis. More than 400 children joined the programme last month. “We have started the association for the kids in 1999 and 3,500 students so far were trained in the sport.

This sport is very good physical exercise for the kids. Some students have attended national events earlier. We engaged five coaches who are basically PETs for summer crash coaching organised at the Children’s Park,” said N Veera Venkateswarlu, who founded the Association.

Number of people showing interest in the sport has gradually been increasing as they witnessed children being trained are excelling in academics and sports. Parents are also happy with the activity since majority kids are away from television, mobile phone and other electronic gadgets.

“We have been sending our two children for coaching at the Park for last three years. They are now happy with the sport. They get good oxygen and relief from routine pressure from school-based activities. We are happy that they are spending limited time on TV and mobile phones. We appreciate coaches for their patience in teaching children by creating interest in the sport,” said K Haritha, a resident of Aditya Nagar area.

Now, there is one skating rink in the Children’s Park being run by the civic body. Officials have proposed another rink at ACSR Stadium in Dargamitta which is yet to become reality for the people from southern parts of Nellore city. Civic body is also focusing on sport activity at all parks in Nellore by providing necessary infrastructure, said an official from Municipal Corporation.