Four years ago, around 20 men from Arihant Vaikunt, an apartment complex in Purasawalkam, formed a volleyball team on a whim.
The men bonded over the sport, and before long, the women from the complex began to play throwball. Before that, they had tried their hand at volleyball.
“Our husbands thought we stayed at home all day long, and we wanted to show them that we liked to be outdoors too,” says Abha Maheshwari, an active member of the AV Throwball Team (as the group from the apartment complex is called) and a former State-level throwball player from Uttar Pradesh.
The throwball team has been playing every day for the last one year.
Initially, the team played with a limited set of rules.
“We followed self-made rules; for example, we would serve the ball crossing the end line.
“However, after two years, we got bored and decided to play like professional players. As we became familiar with the game, we started applying all rules, including rotation of the position of players,” she explains.
In the first two years, there were only 25 women in the throwball team.
And then, in 2016, many more women from the complex joined.
The women’s throwball team meet every evening for a game. Photo: special arrangement
Today, there are 56 members in the team, including professional players, working professionals and youngsters.
Hence, their daily play schedule is divided into two sessions: 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The volleyball team plays between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m.
“We play in the park at the apartment complex. Since there are no permanent nets, we tie nets to the poles before the game and dismantle it after the game. We also draw the lines of the court. Once the game is over, one of the members takes charge and keeps the net with him/ her. Balls are also given to a few members on a rotational basis. We also maintain a register to mark each team’s attendance as not everyone would be able to make it every day due to various personal commitments,” elaborates Abha.
Members of Arihant Vaikunt Association also hold their annual tournaments.
The women’s throwball tournament is followed by a volleyball tournament for men.
A lot system will decide the team members and the team playing against each other.
In addition to mementoes and prizes for the winning team, awards are given away for ‘best player’ and ‘woman/man of the series’.
“It is a whole-day event with games, fun and food,” says Abha, adding, “Playing such games lets us think beyond our chores and children. It extends our social lives and promotes the sportsmanship among us.”
