Chennai: A career in sports isn’t always a bed of roses like most people think. Especially in India, a student-sportsperson is subjected to hardships of demanding academic pursuit in schools in which s/he has to do well before even thinking about sports.
Even if s/he manages to shine in both, he has to compete with out-of-the-blue problems like on-field politics.
Badminton player, V Dikson Raja a former multiple-time junior State Championship winner and runner-up in the 2017 CBSE Nationals is one such player who has seen it all in his sporting stint during school days.
The resident of Mugappair East in the city who just stepped into college this year, talks to News Today about his own achievements and the struggles a student-athlete intent on a career in sports must face.
Dikson says that one of the major challenges a student-athlete has to endure is striking a balance between academics and their athletic ambitions.
He says, “While there are many rewarding opportunities associated with a career in sports, academics lends a helping hand to the athletes if such a career does not materialise.”
As a sportsperson, Dikson says that time management is he first thing that one needs to learn.
“We have to schedule time for sports and studies. When time comes for each activity, we have to concentrate only on that. It is also important to be in a school that supports you. I studied in DAV Mogappair that provided us with a wooden court and gave us free shuttles for training. I also had an encouraging PT teacher,” he elaborated.
But all this is incomplete if your parents do not understand your passion. So Dikson asks young sportspeople to sit and talk to their parents. He said, “Initially when I started, I was struggling to balance studies with sports. It was my parents who understood it and did not pressurise me. They gave me the time to figure it out myself.”
Aided by the support, Dikson’s school time badminton career yielded him many medals. He was a semi-finalist twice at the under 15 and under 17 Ashways State Badminton Tournament. The last two years of his school life, he has been the runner-up at the CBSE National Badminton Tournaments.
But, Dikson says that overcoming opponents on-field alone is not enough and learning to battle them off-field is a must.
“One thing that no one will talk to you about as a student-athlete is politics in sports. This, you will face and you will have to find a way to beat,” says Dikson, offering a word of caution to young sportspersons.
He said, “Talent will take you up to an extent. When you face your first road block, it is your hard work which will make you cross it. So work hard, plan your career intelligently and dont ever give up on academics. Sportspersons have short careers. It is academics that will help you off the field.”
You can contact Dikson at 9789066667.