From the bylanes of Alwal to Khatmandu, Komu Venkat has come a long way in the world of sports. For, this 37-year-old is now named the Indian throwball team’s chief coach in the World Games to be held in Khatmandu from June 15 to 18.
For someone who represented the undivided Andhra Pradesh in seven senior national handball championships between 2000–2010, Venkat is pleasantly surprised with the new assignment which also happens to be his maiden one with the national team.
“Honestly, I never thought of being the Indian team coach. It is my passion for the sport that drove me to be so intensely involved in throwball,” he says. “This is a skilful sport with less emphasis on power as the player has to release the ball from his or her possession within three seconds. It is a different kind of challenge for these players,” says Venkat, who is the physical director at Villa Marie Degree College.
But Venkat reminds gently that being a coach of the Telangana throwball team, which finished second in men’s and women’s sections of the senior nationals last time, he is aware of what is expected of him.
“Since the sport originated in Chennai in 1940s and players from the south being really good in that, we have every chance of winning a gold,” says the chief coach while stressing that the sport itself was being introduced in the World Games for the first time.
What about the sport in Hyderabad?
“Well, the response for inter-college girls’ championship has always been encouraging what with 22 teams participating in the last edition. The best part is that many of those colleges which promote sports in a big way like St. Ann’s, Villa Marie, Loyola have extremely good teams with qualified coaches,” he says.
“Well, I am obviously a bit nervous being named the chief national coach, but at the same time feel confident too of coming back with a gold since the players have a lot of experience,” says Venkat, and thanks his friend and mentor, P. Jagan Mohan Goud, who is also the general secretary of Telangana Throwball Association.
