Hit that ball, seriously

Beach volleyball, once seen as a leisure sport, is now being promoted in earnest.

Beach volleyball in India has been on the fringes of the sporting world. It is looked at as a leisure sport more than anything else. In fact, forget beach volleyball, India as a nation is yet to establish more than decent credentials in the plain vanilla version of the game.

But yet, the seeds for growing this leisure sport have been sown and the people behind it are confident that the game will become popular. Says Mohak Gupta, director, Beyond Thought, who has put his money where his mouth is and is trying to make this sport big here, "It might sound like it's an ambitious plan but we are confident that we will be able to pull it off successfully."

With the backing of the Volleyball Federation of India (VFI), the game is set to take off in the next few months. Gupta says that beach volleyball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world and probably one of the most viewed as well.

One problem area that may hinder this sport's growth in India is the skimpy attire that is associated with it. After all, tennis player Sania Mirza was targetted by an orthodox section of society for wearing shorts and mini skirts, clothes that are a lot less revealing than what is required for beach volleyball.

"I don't think that should be an issue out here. We are looking to promote the sport as a viable career option as well," adds Gupta.

The VFI will hold state-level selections for girls between the ages of 16 and 25 as per selection norms that have been set by them, and will shortlist 100 girls for further tests.

This prospective talent pool will then be pruned to 48 girls who will undergo 30-45 days of rigorous beach volleyball training and personality grooming at a location selected by the technical support partners of VFI.

The final 24 players will play the inaugural season in November 2007. The girls will form teams and the venue is likely to be the sylvan beaches of Goa. While each of the 24 players will be given a match participation fee by Beyond Thought, the best four players of the event will be titled "Volleygirls".

With the support of VFI, these four players will undergo advanced training abroad. The whole process is likely to take around six months and then the players will be sent to take part in international tournaments.

Though beach volleyball is played in several parts of the country, the players are mostly those who have retired from professional volleyball. And in this sport it's the women who tend to dominate, though men also play the game internationally.

Gupta is under no illusion that the game is likely to achieve instant success, but he says, "We understand that the game is new to India and there will be no ready talent available. We also see this as a great opportunity to identify, create and nurture prospective talent in our country."

But what about venues? Fortunately, the game doesn't require too much infrastructure-building and Gupta feels that there are several places where the game can be played. And if there aren't any beaches, the game can be played on sand.

"It's not an easy sport or leisure activity as often portrayed, and tests the endurance levels probably more than normal volleyball does," says Gupta.

Of course, to establish any game in the country, the backing of the corporate world is required. And beach volleyball has made a good start in this regard.

Mikasa, one of the leading equipment and apparel providers for the game, has come on board and Gupta feels that a sport like this will see a lot of brands wanting to be associated with it. "Since it's a women-dominated sport, it's likely that cosmetic brands would be able to relate to it."

The VFI on its part has offered its full backing; it has decided to provide coaches, as well as pick up the tab for travel to other countries. Says Gupta, "We have a long-term vision for the game and in the next two years the game getting the kind of popularity it deserves."

From being a leisure sport, beach volleyball now aspires to be a serious sport. Given half a chance, these players will be able to prove that they too can leave a mark on the sands of time.