There was a time when Hyderabad and Secunderabad used to produce top class sportsmen and women in different games. There were excellent football players who made the country proud, many superb volleyball players, badminton champs, hockey players, cyclists, boxers and cricket players.
But Hyderabad’s success story has come to an end. There are few now who can bring glory to Hyderabad from the sports fields of the world. Only a handful of badminton players can boast of playing at the top level. The youth of the twin cities seem to have lost their ambition and drive to excel in sports.
But amidst all the despondency, there are a handful of individuals who are still fighting to keep sports alive in Hyderabad. One such person is Maxwell Trevor, a former national champion cyclist who had ruled the sport for eleven years when he was India’s best cyclist.
After retiring as an active cyclist, Maxwell began to look for ways in which he could contribute something back to the game. He got down to serious study and obtained a doctorate in sport with specialisation in cycling. Thereafter he started the Dr. Maxwell Trevor Cycling Welfare Association (MTCWA) and began training children and inspiring them to take part in sport and lead a healthy lifestyle.
Creating a sports culture
Maxwell was lucky to find a few other dedicated people and together they all began to build up the edifice of a sports culture brick by brick. Children and their parents began to trickle in as the concept grew. The MTCWA had a few foreign made cycles and about 30 of Indian make which the children were allowed to use.
“The wonderful thing is that I found the parents to be very enthusiastic. They were really keen that the children should take part in our programmes, learn about sport and about a healthy lifestyle,” said Maxwell.
Helped the underprivileged
“I am especially glad that we have been able to help several children from underprivileged backgrounds. They had dropped out of school and used to roam the streets from morning till evening. After a few more years these kids may have taken some sort of anti-social activity. It is easy for criminals to lure such kids with drugs, alcohol and pocket money,” said Max.
“But when they joined our camps they found a new meaning in their lives. My wife Lorraine looked after them like a mother and they have now become young men with a purpose in life. In our set up, I am the task master. I am harsh with them while Lorraine provides them a soft touch. This method has worked wonders,” said Max.
“Thanks to some sponsors, we were able to purchase Watt bikes which are very expensive pieces of equipment but are extremely useful for gauging a cyclist’s fitness levels very accurately. This has helped us in training the kids,” said Max.
“The velodrome which was constructed in the Osmania University campus before the Hyderabad National Games of 2002 is an excellent place and we make use of that venue,” Max explained. The fact that Maxwell has close ties with the Cycling Federation of India and was appointed as a talent spotter for the Sports Authority of India, has given him many different experiences and has made him a well known person in the cycling community of India.
Guidelines for a healthy life
The young trainees at his programme are taught not only about sports but also given a holistic guideline about how to lead a healthy and balanced life. One morning, during a visit to a summer coaching camp, this correspondent witnessed one such talk being given by M K Pasha, Secretary of the MTCWA.
Pasha, who was a good cyclist himself, explained to the children about the importance of diet for a sportsperson. As every professional sportsman knows, diet and nutrition play a big role in achieving success in sport. But school-going children and their parents are often unaware of the right diet for a sportsperson.
Pasha explained to the kids about carbs, proteins, fats, essential amino acids, digestion and absorption of nutrients, and many details about which most children do not know. Parents often give in to their children’s demands for burgers, soft drinks, and other unhealthy foods.
But now, aided with inputs from experienced sportsmen and coaches, it is likely that these kids will one day become successful not only in sports but in life as well.
