| No.41 June 2004 |
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Appeal for Donation of Sports Books for Establishing
a Sports Library in Nepal
Athletes in many countries strive to achieve excellence in sporting
performance. At the same time, it has been observed that the performance
of Nepalese sportsmen and women is not just unsatisfactory but very
poor at the international level. Efforts, however, have been made to
improve performance standards, but very little success has so far been
achieved. The low economic standards of people, lack of scientific consciousness
in the society, inadequate socio-political awareness of its importance
and meager infrastructure facilities seem to be the main drawbacks for
development in Nepal.
There is no doubt that coaches should have a minimum educational background
to help athletes during the long process of sports coaching. It is a
concern to see that more than 40% of coaches working in the National
Sports Council have only achieved a maximum of S.L.C (ie, completed
10 classes of school). Out of 308 coaches, 28.57 % have education up
to Intermediate level (12 classes) and are followed by school graduates,
making only 9.74 %.
After more than half a century of participation in sports by Nepalese
youth, there is no single sports library. Physical education standards
are still in the developmental stage in Nepal. There is no institution
to educate athletes and coaches in Nepal so most of the coaches and
few physical education specialists have learned coaching and sports
skills from India, a neighboring country. Now, they don’t have
access to information and advanced knowledge available in their fields.
The main cause is their low income status. Sports professional and physical
education students and teachers cannot afford US$50 for a single book,
which is why the National Association for Sports Health and Fitness
is venturing to establish the first Sports Library in Nepal.
With the help of ICSSPE, the IOC and Human Kinetics Publishing, we
have already received 50 valuable sports and sports science books through
the Share The Knowledge program. Dr. Keith Henschen, President of the
International Society for Sports Psychology had sent 100 sports books
relating to sports psychology, research methods and other similar topics.
International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK)
President, Mike Marfell Jones of New Zealand, and Bill Ross from Canada
are also helping with this venture.
Students and teacher in physical education are facing scarcity of contemporary
sports books and research journals, while they are preparing their thesis,
which is why the standard of the university theses can be regarded as
being in the infancy stage. We are of the firm opinion that until the
standards of theses are upgraded, university standards cannot reach
a higher level.
Coaches and athletes are as a consequence, not getting information
regarding recent sports technology development in the field of coaching
science and training, which are taking place around the world. With all these background, we sincerely appeal to all organisation to be a part of this venture. Sports science books, research journals and other related sports library materials are most welcome for the development of sports and physical education in Nepal. Diwakar Lal Amatya
President-National Association for Sports Health and Fitness 16/1 Nakabahil Lalitpur, Patan Nepal Ph: 9 77 155 3316 Fax: 9 77 155 42606 E-mail: mlamatya@ntc.net.np http://www.icsspe.org/portal/bulletin-June2004.htm |