Sports village goes global 

Sports Village, a multipurpose sports promoter, which has successfully organised training camps under coaches from Switzerland, Sweden and those drawn from Barcelona Tennis Academy (BTA) in Hyderabad and Guntur, is going places, quite literally. Its CEO Mohd Shamsuddin, who is presently on a European tour, has enlisted the support and collaboration of some of the leading academies in the Continent.

This is aimed at providing the complete package given that the Hyderabad-based Sports Village has already working associations with Sánchez Casal Tennis Academies in Barcelona, Justine Henin Tennis Academy in Brussels and BTA. ‘We wish to bring the best of coaching standards so that loads of talent that exists in India can get fine-tuned in the Spanish and Europe Method of play that is the dominating style in contemporary times,’ points out Shamsuddin, who is working alongside Sports Village Europa.

‘It has been a fruitful tour because several have evinced interest in sending their coaches for our camps. They include Mouratoglou Tennis Academy in Nice, Croatian Tennis Academy in Umag City, BTT Tennis Academy, Barcelona, Academie des Hauts de Nimes Tennis Academy in NIMES France and Atlètic Terrassa Tennis Academy,’ he said while asserting that they wished to spread quality across the Indian sub-continent.

The establishment has been urged by the King of Bahrain to set up camps in the Middle East so that the talent there can fine-tune playing skills and make a mark abroad. Shamsuddin said that he was happy to have tied-up with Joaquin Beana Martinez from Sports Village Europa, ‘who has been a major help in striking working relationships with leading tennis schools in Europe.’ Sports Village is looking at the positives from the visit to the Rafael Nadal Tennis Academy.

‘I was shown around the fantastic facilities and courts they have. It is top class and should rank among the best in the world. Its International Marketing Manager Xavi Comerma, was impressed with the strides being made by Sports Village and the burst of talent in India. A second round of discussions of a possible association is likely to be held next month,’ said Shamsuddin. Meanwhile, as Sports Village is to actively promote other disciplines, he visited clubs that are into football.

Towards this he also had ‘fruitful discussions with Nerea Alonso, the Branding Communications Director of Spanish Football Association (SFA). There is a likelihood of a mutual understanding between us, SFA and Sports Village Europa. With India hosting the next Under-17 World Cup, we are keen on bringing in the Spanish flourish by conducting exclusive camps. Their coaches will train young Indian footballers during camps that we propose to conduct in various cities in course of time.’ Clearly, Sports Village is ‘going places.’