Men and women competing with and against each other enables the participation of both genders on an equal footing. Mixed-gender competitions have already been adopted by a number of sports, including tennis, golf, badminton, volleyball, and athletics. Furthering this idea of equal participation, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games hosted 18 mixed-gender events in archery, athletics, badminton, equestrian, judo, sailing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, tennis and triathlon. As Kit McConnell, the IOC Sports Director has said, “There is nothing more equal than a male and female competing as one team on the same field of play towards the same sports performance.”
Following this trend and with the aim to make a change at the grassroots level, Pro Sport Development has been organizing mixed-gender netball tournaments in Bhubaneswar, Odisha since 2017. The latest edition of this tournament took place on 18th December 2022, which saw passionate participation of 79 girls and 64 boys, only confirmed our belief that this type of competition is the future of sports.
Opening door of competition for all
“It feels great to be a part of this type of tournament, as I have never participated in any such event before. We also won two matches!”
– Ashish Kumar Sahoo, Class 8, Vivekananda Shiksha Kendra School, Dumduma, Bhubaneswar.
In the traditional educational system that still prevails in our nation, studies are prioritized above sports. This system makes it challenging for all children to participate in sports and deprives them of the basic necessities of life, such as happiness and good health. Through such tournaments, we have been successful in opening up a new way to engage young students in sports, providing them with an opportunity to engage in healthy competition.
Boosting the confidence of girls
“Initially I was a little nervous and lacked confidence. But gradually I developed confidence and began to enjoy the event, which was so well organized. We ate lunch together and enjoyed watching the games of other teams as well.”
– Somyashree Sahoo, Class 8, Saraswati Sishu Vidya Mandir School, Patrapada, Bhubaneswar
Sport is one of the best ways to help girls break the barriers of gender inequality. It increases their self-confidence and cultivates a sense of self-worth in them.
Girls were enthusiastic participants in this tournament, even outnumbering boys in this latest edition. Sport may, thus, be one way that girls can be empowered.
Teaching communication skills
The scope of imparting communication skills goes beyond the conventional method of classroom lectures. Communication is intuitive, spontaneous and, in some way, inherent in us already; we just need to refine it through practice. Sport becomes a good medium to understand and sense what others want to communicate.
Santosh Behera, a student in class 7 at St. Joseph High School, said introspectively, “Our team lost the match because we lacked communication and coordination. We could have taken on the strongest team, if we could communicate effectively with other team mates. This event taught me the importance of communication and confidence in sports.”
Promoting social assimilation
Sport has traditionally been a driving force behind the social integration of different groups. Participating in sporting events helps people to accept the culture and habits of others, and the unifying spirit of sports transcends the diversity of cultures.
“Today’s event is very different from the regular session because students from different schools are also here to participate. And we are getting this opportunity to play with others, which is the most beautiful thing. I am enjoying it,” said Sonali Patra, a member of Black Buffalo team of St. Joseph High School – the winning team – expressing her delight at being a part of the competition.