Lack of infrastructure prompts Shopian girl to start cricket academy

Jahangeer Ganaie
Shopian, Dec 22: A girl from south Kashmir who has represented Jammu and Kashmir for 13 years in cricket, is now training over 40 aspiring cricketers to help them to make their mark at the national level.
Lone Summayah, a resident of Kachdoora belt of Shopian district who has pursued a diploma in sports coaching from Asia’s largest sports Institute in Patiala besides BPE, BPEd and MPEd, has switched to coaching to support young cricketers of Jammu and Kashmir.
Summayah said they want of infrastructure promoted her to switch to coaching so that she can help youth who want to make a career in cricket.
“Whatever cricket I have played was only because of my natural talent. There was no coach or academy in my town where I would have trained,” she said.
Summayah said there is a huge difference when it comes to the infrastructure for sports activities in J&K with the rest of India. “Our youth are very talented but they are not unable to showcase their talent,” she said.
“As a player I have gone through various difficulties and I don’t want the same should happen with any other player,” she said, adding that she wants to groom and train youth so that they can represent J&K on big platforms.
Welcoming International player Suresh Raina’s investment in finding young talent in Kashmir, Summayah said the government must appoint coordinators/coaches at the district level as well who can search for talented players from ground zero.
“At present, I am giving training to over 40 players at Jammu and in coming days, more will join,” she said. “If the government will support us we can definitely see a change on the ground.”
Summayah said though she many times tried to approach higher authorities of J&K including Lt Governor but so far she was not been given an appointment.
“There are a lot of diploma coaches in J&K who are struggling to get a job, the government must look into the matter and engage them at district levels like other states are doing,” she said.
“There is only one cricket academy in whole Kashmir. More academies must be opened at district levels as well,” she said.