Movahedi stresses sports in schools

KARACHI: Pakistan’s Iranian volleyball coach Hamid Movahedi on Monday said if Pakistan adopted the sports system which has been established in schools of Iran, the results would be more productive.

“Sure, in my idea we have the best sports talent in Pakistan. If Pakistan’s government can arrange the system established in Iran and can manage the equipment and the programmes for Pakistani students it will yield great results as Pakistan has a larger population than Iran,” Movahedi told ‘The News’ in an interview.

However, he was quick to add that Pakistan would have to stick to the plan for at least one decade.“You need to plan exactly the same way Iran has done. That will require hefty budget and specialists to work in schools. It will take ten to 12 years to start giving you the desired results,” Movahedi said.

He said he was surprised why Pakistan was not focusing on school sports which were the basic nurseries. “Sports in schools are important. But in Pakistan this area has been ignored,” added Movahedi, who has been serving as Pakistan’s volleyball coach for the last couple of years.

Highlighting the features of Iran’s sports system in schools, colleges and universities, he said: “We have a very, very strong sports system in Iranian schools.“They start sports in primary schools which have high-standard equipment and halls,” he said.

“There we have sports teachers in every school who work very hard with students. We also have sports academies in every city and zone,” he said.“We have quite a few inter-school tournaments besides school leagues in every zone, city and state,” the coach elaborated.He said Iran also sends its school teams to World Schools Championships and other international schools tournaments.

About Pakistan volleyball team’s camp for the South Asian Games, he said Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF) had been trying to hold it as early as possible.Movahedi, who lives in Turkey, has worked with youth and junior teams as well. Recently under his command Pakistan surprised everyone when they shocked China in the Asian Games in Indonesia.

Asked how he found volleyball talent in Pakistani schools, Movahedi said: “Last year we had an Inter-School Championship in Bannu and one in Islamabad and from there we got a few good players who were sent to youth and junior training camps.”