The Story of Dr. Ketan Gaikwad: A Young and Dynamic NIS Ceritfied Coach!

Dr. Ketan Gaikwad 

NIS Certified Coach

Former Kabaddi Player

Ketan Gaikwad got involved in sports at a very young age. Kabaddi was something he started playing and got interested in very quickly. When he was in 7th std, he participated in Sub Junior Nationals, which we went on to play for the next 2-3 years. Later went on to participate in Junior Nationals when he was in 12th std. Around the same time, he got into the Sports Authority of India in Mumbai, where he trained for four years.

He completed his bachelor's and master's degrees from Baba Saab Ambedkar University, where he also played for the University team during his time there. After he completed his education, he decided to pursue coaching. He completed his NIS certification from Bangalore and stepped into the world of Kabaddi Coaching at a very young age. Recently his name made it to the list for the Online coaching program for the Indian team camp during the Pandemic.

He has done his PHD from OPJS University, Rajasthan and currently runs his own academy named 'Sharda Sports Academy' in Beed, Maharashtra. 

We at Kabaddi Adda had a chance to talk to Dr. Ketan Gaikwad, where he threw some light on his journey as a player, as a coach, and much more.

KA: How did Kabaddi happen to you and a few words on your journey.

Ketan: When I was in 4-5th std, I used to be very inclined towards sports and used to play all sports, including Kabaddi. My father was a teacher at a school and, he got transferred to a different school where Kabaddi was pretty famous. I started playing there and, a coach named Mr. Pradeep Udhay was impressed by my game. I used to train with him in the morning and evening daily. My game improved and, soon, I was playing the Sub Junior Nationals, which I played for three years. Later I went on to play the Junior Nationals held in Bhopal. Then, I got a chance to go to the Sports Authority of India, Mumbai, where I trained and played there for four years. Simultaneously, I completed mine under graduation and joined for Post Graduation at Baba Saab Ambedkar University. I participated in the All-India Inter-University tournament for two years and a few other local Tournaments for the University. Once I completed my education, I decided to take up coaching as a career as I always wanted to. I did my NIS certification from Bangalore and, I stepped into the world of coaching. Currently, I run an academy named Sharda Sports Academy in Beed- my Hometown.

KA: Few words on your coaching journey and on how it all happened.

Ketan:  After completion of my NIS Diploma in coaching back in 2019. I started conducting camps in different districts of Maharashtra. These camps were run in my capacity and not with the help of anyone. Once the federation heard about the camps, they started inviting me to conduct more camps in other districts of Maharashtra like Kholaphur, Aurangabad, Sangli, Beed, Pune, etc. By this time, I had realized that I can start my own Academy, and I did start it in my hometown Beed. 

The Academy was running well. That's when, I got an offer from the Maharashtra Youth federation to coach the state team in the U-19 school games, which was held in Delhi. Currently, from my Academy, we have players who have played Khelo India, District level, and State level, which is a very proud feeling for me. Recently, I was announced as a coach for the Online Training for the National team camp. It was a great experience to be part of this initiative during tough times like these.

KA: How was the experience in conducting online training for the India camp during the Pandemic?

Ketan: I was allotted players from Kerala, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra, for whom I had to run the online training sessions. So, Hindi and English was the medium in which I had to communicate. The biggest challenge was to put Kabaddi in theory, which I'm managing to do. We still have one session left, which is on the 16th of December. I touched upon a few topics such as Raiding, Defending, Motor skills, Agility, and Fitness to help the Players understand these topics. Athletes love being on the field more than anything. I made sure that I gave them theory on their training schedule, workout plan, and more of those sorts during the online program. So once they come back to the grounds, they can execute these skills on the mat.

KA: What is your take on technology coming into a sport like Kabaddi?

Ketan: Kabaddi has come a long way and, technology is something that is very much a boon for the sport. Video analysis has changed the game of Kabaddi. Players have the privilege to watch their game at the end of a session or a match. They can identify what they are doing right and what errors they are committing on the mat. They can also analyze their opposition before a game. They can have a plan for a particular player or players. It helps the players to a large extent and, it also improves their game. 

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