Ankit Patel (second from left) with household, champion Tamanna Takoria and officers on the tennis match in reminiscence of his father Rajesh Patel.
| Picture Credit score: Particular Association
Ankit Patel is among the vibrant tennis coaches within the Nationwide Capital Area. A present member of the Indian workforce 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 gifted under-14 participant, is shaping up properly below the tutelage of Ankit.
An important basketball coach, who had labored wonders with the Chhattisgarh ladies’s workforce, 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.
Whereas the household runs a basketball teaching centre and grooms 120 women on the Rajesh Patel Sports activities Complicated in Bhilai, Ankit conducts a tennis match yearly within the reminiscence of his father.
“My dad was a one-man military. He was a basketball coach, health coach, yoga trainer. He was additionally a math and commerce trainer. He had three levels — M.A., M. Com and LLB. He was a gold medallist in basketball teaching on the NIS. His day began at 5 a.m. and ended at 9 p.m. From 2019 until date, the household is managing all of the bills of operating the basketball academy. My mom Anita and brother Rohit maintain the centre,” stated Ankit.
Lots of of ladies have been educated by Rajesh over 20 years, and plenty of made a profession on the nationwide and worldwide stage.
“My spouse Mridula was educated by my dad. She performed within the Asian under-18 championship. Like all his college students, she was additionally hooked up to him. She was the one who gave me the thought to do a memorial match,” stated 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 didn’t imagine within the previous army model of teaching. He was extra mates with the gamers and helped them to play their finest, giving them conviction within the technique. He all the time emphasises on self-discipline, dedication, exhausting work, self perception and good angle. He demanded 100% focus on court docket,” noticed Ankit.
The great work of Rajesh continues in Bhilai. Final yr D. Kirti performed within the Asian under-18 championship. Moni Adla performed within the Asian under-16 championship in Jordan.
Ankit not solely coaches gifted gamers, he additionally competes within the ITF Masters circuit, making it to the finals more often than not, together with his robust sport and glorious court docket craft.
The household guides basketball and tennis gamers with equal felicity, based mostly on robust fundamentals developed by Rajesh throughout his sterling profession, fully dedicated to sports activities.