An Athlete Leadership Program was held at the Hi-Tech Institute of Engineering & Technology, Ghaziabad, UP on 6^th and 7^th of October 2016 with the participation of 8 Athlete Leaders and 4 Mentors. As the program was planned to run parallel with an Advanced Coaches Training Course, the opportunity was leveraged to extend the training to the Coaches attending the Course as well. The lead persons for the training were Mr. Harpreet Singh Gambhir, Director Sports, SO Bharat; Mr. Virender Kumar, Area Director, SO Bharat- Haryana while Mr. Nishant Sharma, Trainer, SO Bharat- UP represented the hosting state. The participants were from 4 states, namely, Delhi, Haryana, UP & Uttrakhand

Following the training, the Athlete leaders moved on to receive the Coaches training till the 9^th of October. The ALPs training served a dual purpose of training the Athlete Leaders as Public Speakers and Assistant Coaches while also impressing on the Coaches the abilities of the Athletes outside the sports field. The Coaches were encouraged to identify more Athlete leaders and expand focus on their overall development.

As a precursor to the Ghaziabad training a session with the prospective Athlete Leaders was held at the National Office on 3 October, attended by 6 participants, led by Mr. Harpreet Singh Gambhir and along with representatives of the National as well as Delhi State Chapter was witnessed by Mr. Dipak Natali, Director- Organizational Development, SOAP Regional Office, Singapore.

Monday, 3 October 2016

6 Athlete leaders were invited to attend an orientation session at the National office. For few of them their past Special Olympics experiences were considered for their eligibility while few who were fairly new to Special Olympics were invited as well.

 The participants, all from Delhi, included Shrey Kadian, Vice Captain of the Soft ball team which bagged a Gold in a match against Australia at the LA World Games 2015. Rithik Hukkus, who represented SO Bharat at the GenUin Youth summit held during the World Games in 2015. Ragini Sharma, an articulate and highly experienced Youth leader and advocate of Special Olympics, associated with the SO Bharat program since 2005. Ragini motivated three Athletes from Upasna School, where she is a  Special Educator, to join the session.

The Session , led by Harpreet Singh, encouraged the participants to speak , making it interactive while receiving the perception of the participants on what the Special olympics program is and how did it bring about a change in their lives. The program witnessed differing levels of communication skills exhibited by the participants.

The 3 hour long session concluded with a group task given to the participants. The task was for all the participants to discuss qualities a good Athlete Leader should have.

Thursday, 6^th & Friday 7^th October 2016

A two day workshop was held in Ghaziabad, UP focussing on exploring and training the participants in public speaking, self decision and self- reliance, taking them through interactive sessions, group discussions and individual addresses. Casual interaction amongst the participants was encouraged to bring them to level them comfortably with each other.

Agenda- ALPs Input Council Training

Throughout the training Rithik and Shrey were blended in the role of the Resource person as well. As the participants were encouraged to speak uninhibited, there was some candid feedback received from them.

Rithik , while speaking about his experience as a team player in the Unified Cricket team that went to Bangladesh in May 2014, he expressed his concern about 1-2 Coaches who were not up to the mark in the sport, according to him. Rithik, has recently (September 2016) joined the SO Bharat Delhi Chapter as assistant to the Area Director. Rithik is passionate about Cricket and continues to visit the Cricket Academy at GK, Delhi twice a week for his own practises as well as assists the Coach in training players falling in a younger age- group.

Shrey spoke about too much emphasis being laid on Cricket in India and suggested that games like wrestling and rugby should be added to Scial Olympics

When the participants were asked about their thoughts on what should be removed from Special Olympics, they replied that this is a serious sports program. They would like those who are not interested to be removed and to retain only those who are serious, knowledgeable and loyal. These were responses that surfaced in an open question-answer session.

The Coaches who were present at the venue for a Coaches training attended the ALPs training during recess, as the two trainings were scheduled to run simultaneously on both the days. The objective was to expose the Coaches to the possibility of Athletes having the ability to assuming higher and lead roles, on and off the sports field. Since they work in close proximity to the Athletes their participation in identifying and also mentoring the Athletes in these roles would be important.

The Training concluded with a group task assigned to the four groups that the participants were divided into. Each of the groups had to plan a Fundraising program and also present it. Two group plans were presented by the Athletes while the other two were presented by the Mentors.

Following conclusion of the ALPs training, all the participants joined the Coaches till the 9^th of October for the rest of the Coaches training in Athletics.

Champions

I will be the Change – Ragini Rao Sharma

“ I will work for people like me and take them higher”, was the thought that crossed Ragini’s mind when she joined Purti Special School, Delhi at the age of 14. 

An Athlete Leadership Program was held at the Hi-Tech Institute of Engineering & Technology, Ghaziabad, UP on 6^th and 7^th of October 2016 with the participation of 8 Athlete Leaders and 4 Mentors. As the program was planned to run parallel with an Advanced Coaches Training Course, the opportunity was leveraged to extend the training to the Coaches attending the Course as well. The lead persons for the training were Mr. Harpreet Singh Gambhir, Director Sports, SO Bharat; Mr. Virender Kumar, Area Director, SO Bharat- Haryana while Mr. Nishant Sharma, Trainer, SO Bharat- UP represented the hosting state. The participants were from 4 states, namely, Delhi, Haryana, UP & Uttrakhand

Following the training, the Athlete leaders moved on to receive the Coaches training till the 9^th of October. The ALPs training served a dual purpose of training the Athlete Leaders as Public Speakers and Assistant Coaches while also impressing on the Coaches the abilities of the Athletes outside the sports field. The Coaches were encouraged to identify more Athlete leaders and expand focus on their overall development.

As a precursor to the Ghaziabad training a session with the prospective Athlete Leaders was held at the National Office on 3 October, attended by 6 participants, led by Mr. Harpreet Singh Gambhir and along with representatives of the National as well as Delhi State Chapter was witnessed by Mr. Dipak Natali, Director- Organizational Development, SOAP Regional Office, Singapore.

Monday, 3 October 2016

6 Athlete leaders were invited to attend an orientation session at the National office. For few of them their past Special Olympics experiences were considered for their eligibility while few who were fairly new to Special Olympics were invited as well.

 The participants, all from Delhi, included Shrey Kadian, Vice Captain of the Soft ball team which bagged a Gold in a match against Australia at the LA World Games 2015. Rithik Hukkus, who represented SO Bharat at the GenUin Youth summit held during the World Games in 2015. Ragini Sharma, an articulate and highly experienced Youth leader and advocate of Special Olympics, associated with the SO Bharat program since 2005. Ragini motivated three Athletes from Upasna School, where she is a  Special Educator, to join the session.

The Session , led by Harpreet Singh, encouraged the participants to speak , making it interactive while receiving the perception of the participants on what the Special olympics program is and how did it bring about a change in their lives. The program witnessed differing levels of communication skills exhibited by the participants.

The 3 hour long session concluded with a group task given to the participants. The task was for all the participants to discuss qualities a good Athlete Leader should have.

Thursday, 6^th & Friday 7^th October 2016

A two day workshop was held in Ghaziabad, UP focussing on exploring and training the participants in public speaking, self decision and self- reliance, taking them through interactive sessions, group discussions and individual addresses. Casual interaction amongst the participants was encouraged to bring them to level them comfortably with each other.

Agenda- ALPs Input Council Training

Throughout the training Rithik and Shrey were blended in the role of the Resource person as well. As the participants were encouraged to speak uninhibited, there was some candid feedback received from them.

Rithik , while speaking about his experience as a team player in the Unified Cricket team that went to Bangladesh in May 2014, he expressed his concern about 1-2 Coaches who were not up to the mark in the sport, according to him. Rithik, has recently (September 2016) joined the SO Bharat Delhi Chapter as assistant to the Area Director. Rithik is passionate about Cricket and continues to visit the Cricket Academy at GK, Delhi twice a week for his own practises as well as assists the Coach in training players falling in a younger age- group.

Shrey spoke about too much emphasis being laid on Cricket in India and suggested that games like wrestling and rugby should be added to Scial Olympics

When the participants were asked about their thoughts on what should be removed from Special Olympics, they replied that this is a serious sports program. They would like those who are not interested to be removed and to retain only those who are serious, knowledgeable and loyal. These were responses that surfaced in an open question-answer session.

The Coaches who were present at the venue for a Coaches training attended the ALPs training during recess, as the two trainings were scheduled to run simultaneously on both the days. The objective was to expose the Coaches to the possibility of Athletes having the ability to assuming higher and lead roles, on and off the sports field. Since they work in close proximity to the Athletes their participation in identifying and also mentoring the Athletes in these roles would be important.

The Training concluded with a group task assigned to the four groups that the participants were divided into. Each of the groups had to plan a Fundraising program and also present it. Two group plans were presented by the Athletes while the other two were presented by the Mentors.

Following conclusion of the ALPs training, all the participants joined the Coaches till the 9^th of October for the rest of the Coaches training in Athletics.

Champions

I will be the Change – Ragini Rao Sharma

“ I will work for people like me and take them higher”, was the thought that crossed Ragini’s mind when she joined Purti Special School, Delhi at the age of 14. 

The calm on her face confirms her resilience. Her cheerfulness defies the struggles she went through in the early years of her education. She understood her limitations but was unable to cope with them. Class 9 at the regular school was the last straw, and she along with her family decided to put an end to the constant bullying and nagging by the staff and classmates. To spend each day feeling left out, having no one to talk to and having to hear how slow she was in her studies and also overall, began to isolate her even more. She left her school to join Purti Special School.

It was at Purti that she felt comfortable, blending with persons ‘like her’. Through their long standing association with SO Bharat Ragini, now 27 yrs, Athlete from Delhi, joined the movement in 2005 in Badminton, under the guidance of Coach Manoj Kumari. Along with sporting opportunities she gained exposure through her travel to, both, within and outside of India

She met the former President of USA, Mr. Bill Clinton, during his visit to Delhi in 2008, along with 7-8 more Athletes. She recalls presenting him with a Cricket bat and Ball.

Ragini participated, at the Global Youth Summit held during the World Summer Games, Shanghai in 2007 , along with her mentor, Ms. Deeksha Lal and chaperone Ms. Shivani Gupta

She met Ms. Eunice Kennedy Shriver and Dr. Tim Shriver there. Next year Ragini attended the Regional Project Unify Training in Bangkok along with her mentor and chaperone, following which she implemented her project of fundraising through selling SO Bharat memorabilia across metro trains and through setting up a Special Olympics stall at an exhibition at Pragati Maidan, Delhi.

Ragini became a member of the Board of the Delhi State Chapter. In her role as a board member she attended functions, welcoming the guests, talking about Special Olympics and interviewing Athletes, Parents and Teachers. While getting interviewed by her surprised the parents, seeing her in this role made them feel positive about the future of their children as well.

A program conducted in collaboration with the British Council gave her another opportunity to talk about Special Olympics and to make an appeal to ban the ‘R’ Word.  Her perseverance and resolve to raise the bar for herself, gave her reason to return to her alma mater, St. Xaviers School that had once rejected her. A transformation in the outlook of the institute inasmuch as recognizing differing abilities manifests itself through their walls which proudly don Ragini’s   achievements, following an apology to her.

“Special Olympics helped me come out of my shell- and that is the biggest change for me. I am completely a different person now. Had it not been for my school, Coaches, Special Olympics I would not have reached the stage where I find myself today.”

Ragini got married in 2012 and has a son who is 2 1/2 yrs.  She has been working in Special schools for the past 7 years. Through NIOS (National Institute of Open Studies) she completed 12^th grade and later on, continued to complete a Nursery and Primary Teacher’s Training Course. She is currently working as a Special Educator at the Upasna School, Delhi while working her way back in Special Olympics Bharat in an active and a  more visible role.

The calm on her face confirms her resilience. Her cheerfulness defies the struggles she went through in the early years of her education. She understood her limitations but was unable to cope with them. Class 9 at the regular school was the last straw, and she along with her family decided to put an end to the constant bullying and nagging by the staff and classmates. To spend each day feeling left out, having no one to talk to and having to hear how slow she was in her studies and also overall, began to isolate her even more. She left her school to join Purti Special School.

It was at Purti that she felt comfortable, blending with persons ‘like her’. Through their long standing association with SO Bharat Ragini, now 27 yrs, Athlete from Delhi, joined the movement in 2005 in Badminton, under the guidance of Coach Manoj Kumari. Along with sporting opportunities she gained exposure through her travel to, both, within and outside of India

She met the former President of USA, Mr. Bill Clinton, during his visit to Delhi in 2008, along with 7-8 more Athletes. She recalls presenting him with a Cricket bat and Ball.

Ragini participated, at the Global Youth Summit held during the World Summer Games, Shanghai in 2007 , along with her mentor, Ms. Deeksha Lal and chaperone Ms. Shivani Gupta

She met Ms. Eunice Kennedy Shriver and Dr. Tim Shriver there. Next year Ragini attended the Regional Project Unify Training in Bangkok along with her mentor and chaperone, following which she implemented her project of fundraising through selling SO Bharat memorabilia across metro trains and through setting up a Special Olympics stall at an exhibition at Pragati Maidan, Delhi.

Ragini became a member of the Board of the Delhi State Chapter. In her role as a board member she attended functions, welcoming the guests, talking about Special Olympics and interviewing Athletes, Parents and Teachers. While getting interviewed by her surprised the parents, seeing her in this role made them feel positive about the future of their children as well.

A program conducted in collaboration with the British Council gave her another opportunity to talk about Special Olympics and to make an appeal to ban the ‘R’ Word.  Her perseverance and resolve to raise the bar for herself, gave her reason to return to her alma mater, St. Xaviers School that had once rejected her. A transformation in the outlook of the institute inasmuch as recognizing differing abilities manifests itself through their walls which proudly don Ragini’s   achievements, following an apology to her.

“Special Olympics helped me come out of my shell- and that is the biggest change for me. I am completely a different person now. Had it not been for my school, Coaches, Special Olympics I would not have reached the stage where I find myself today.”

Ragini got married in 2012 and has a son who is 2 1/2 yrs.  She has been working in Special schools for the past 7 years. Through NIOS (National Institute of Open Studies) she completed 12^th grade and later on, continued to complete a Nursery and Primary Teacher’s Training Course. She is currently working as a Special Educator at the Upasna School, Delhi while working her way back in Special Olympics Bharat in an active and a  more visible role.