Ankit Patel is without doubt one of the shiny tennis coaches within the National Capital Region. A present member of the Indian group for Junior Davis Cup, Aarjun Pandit has been groomed by the 35-year-old Ankit.
Sandeepti Singh Rao is one other participant developed by Ankit. Tavish Pahwa, a proficient under-14 participant, is shaping up properly below the tutelage of Ankit.
An excellent basketball coach, who had labored wonders with the Chhattisgarh ladies’s group, the late Rajesh Patel had pushed his son, Ankit from basketball into tennis. The senior Patel died whereas travelling from one nationwide basketball match to a different in 2018.
While the household runs a basketball teaching centre and grooms 120 ladies on the Rajesh Patel Sports Complex in Bhilai, Ankit conducts a tennis match yearly within the reminiscence of his father.
“My dad was a one-man army. He was a basketball coach, fitness trainer, yoga teacher. He was also a math and commerce teacher. He had three degrees — M.A., M. Com and LLB. He was a gold medallist in basketball coaching at the NIS. His day started at 5 a.m. and ended at 9 p.m. From 2019 till date, the family is managing all the expenses of running the basketball academy. My mother Anita and brother Rohit take care of the centre,” mentioned Ankit.
Hundreds of ladies have been educated by Rajesh over 20 years, and lots of made a profession on the nationwide and worldwide stage.
“My wife Mridula was trained by my dad. She played in the Asian under-18 championship. Like all his students, she was also attached to him. She was the one who gave me the idea to do a memorial tournament,” mentioned Ankit.
The video games could also be totally different, however Ankit has grasped the great factors from his father to be an environment friendly and profitable coach.
“My father did not believe in the old military style of coaching. He was more friends with the players and helped them to play their best, giving them conviction in the method. He always emphasises on discipline, dedication, hard work, self belief and good attitude. He demanded 100% concentration on court,” noticed Ankit.
The good work of Rajesh continues in Bhilai. Last 12 months D. Kirti performed within the Asian under-18 championship. Moni Adla performed within the Asian under-16 championship in Jordan.
Ankit not solely coaches proficient gamers, he additionally competes within the ITF Masters circuit, making it to the finals more often than not, together with his sturdy recreation and wonderful courtroom craft.
The household guides basketball and tennis gamers with equal felicity, based mostly on sturdy fundamentals developed by Rajesh throughout his sterling profession, solely dedicated to sports activities.