Indian coaches exposed to 'science of sports' at UK varsity

Experts at Britain's University of Birmingham haveintroduced coaches and sports scientists from India to their counterparts in English cricket to show how cutting-edge science, including the use of bimechanics, helps boost performance.
The 25-strong Indian team visited Warwickshire County Cricket Club's Edgbaston Stadium as part of a two-week programme to explore coaching and sports science techniques.
Warwickshire CCC Academy Director Paul Greetham was able to showcase how the club uses biomechanics to enhance cricket players' bowling and batting techniques.
There was a demonstration of the club's high-speed camera system and how it is used to analyse cricketers' performance.
Experts from School of Sport, Exercise & Rehabilitation Sciences and University Birmingham Sport have put together a comprehensive programme for the visitors.

Put together by the Sports Authority of India (SAI), the programme was organised by Martin Toms' after discussions with the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and SAI about how the University of Birmingham could help Indian athletes boost their performance.

"With the help of Warwickshire County Cricket Club, we are showing our guests how sports science is applied in the real world. We're keen to showcase ways of identifying, developing and sustaining sports talent," said Toms, senior lecturer in Sport Pedagogy in School of Sport, Exercise & Rehabilitation Sciences. He is a former professional cricket coach with a PhD in youth participation and talent development in cricket.

"By taking our guests to meet the university's sports partners we hope to help them improve performance across Indian sport."
University experts are sharing the latest thinking in a range of areas, including sports nutrition, sports psychology, performance analysis and injury rehabilitation with the group.
They organised a visit to Birmingham City FC's football academy, where the guests watched young players training and learned about how sports science combined with coaching.
The visitors also toured the Football Association HQ at St George's Park, Burton-on-Trent.
"After experts from the University of Birmingham shared comprehensive knowledge about sports theory and practice, it was our pleasure to visit Edgbaston," said Rajdeep Kaur Talwar, dean of Faculty of Sports Sciences at the National Institute of Sports, Patiala, and leader of the delegation.

"Paul Greetham demonstrated different activities being run at Edgbaston and showed us the cricket pitch, gym facilities available to players, and the modern indoor training areas and infrastructure. It was an amazing opportunity to see their facilities."
The group includes coaches from athletics, volleyball, kabaddi, swimming and gymnastics, and sports scientists from a range of disciplines including nutrition and physiology.
The University of Birmingham has seen student Lily Owsley and alumna Sophie Bray win gold in the women's hockey, whilst alumnus James Rodwell scooped silver with the Rugby Sevens - part of Team GB's record haul of 67 medals in Rio.