Devaki’s Journey: Upskilling Youth through ‘Female Athlete Leadership Programme’

Moving from Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu, to Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, in 2012, Devaki never imagined the sea of opportunities that awaited her. Her journey from a girl who never played a sport to being a young coach was more challenging than it felt, yet unlike most, she seized every chance that came her way.

The 24-year-old hockey coach starts her mornings early, rushing to the ground and begins her day by imparting hockey skills to young athletes at Anantapur Sports Village (ASV). With a confident voice, the young coach motivates her athletes to thrive and never give up on their dreams. She leads by example, showing them how sports can transform lives.

Born into a family of seven, Devaki was the third of five siblings - she has two elder brothers, one younger sister, and one younger brother. In 2006, her father, Ravi Chandran, moved to Anantapur to work as a cook at the Anantapur Sports Village (ASV). Understanding the needs of a seven-member family, Devaki’s mother, Lakshmi, later took up a job as a daily wage worker. With the earnings of two, the family managed to meet the day-to-day needs and ensured the education of all five children.

Devaki’s introduction to sports was unexpected, her father encouraged her to join ASA recognising the possibilities in sports. Making the decision to join the ASA hockey academy changed her life completely. Her initial disinterest evolved into interest and eventually blossomed into a true passion. At ASA, with the mentorship of her coaches and the support of teammates, Devaki honed her hockey skills, paving the way to represent the Anantapur District team and the Andhra Pradesh State team in various state and national level tournaments respectively.

Later, when she was unable to advance to the national side as an athlete, Devaki was at a crossroads, unsure about the direction to take. It was then, in 2017, she got the opportunity to train children at ASA summer camps. Over the next five years, she continued to impart sports skills and valuable life lessons to the young athletes through the summer camps.

When she was uncertain about the next step after her bachelor's degree in Physical Education, the ASA Residential Hockey Academy opened doors for her as a girls' hockey coach. “I was very fortunate to work alongside former Indian Women’s Hockey Senior Team Coach Ankitha Suresh in ASA summer camps. She inspired me to choose coaching as a career,” shares Devaki. She works on and off the field, paving the way for young girls to a brighter future by sharing her knowledge and experience.

While working as a hockey coach at ASA, she got the opportunity as the Andhra Pradesh Sub Junior Girls Hockey Team Head Coach in the Hockey India South Zone National Championship 2023, where they clinched gold. Additionally, in 2023-24 years, eight of her student-athletes got selected to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Academy in Madikeri, Karnataka. Even though she was able to yield the results, she faced struggles as a young coach. Managing a team of young talented athletes came with its challenges, from balancing her coaching duties to building a connection with the athletes.

Seeing the need to upskill the young athletes and coaches, RDT-ASA in partnership with Generalitat Valenciana developed the ‘Female Athlete Leadership Programme’, to upskill young ASA female athletes and coaches including Devaki. With the delivery partner, Simply Sports Foundation, a one-year module, including offline and online sessions, was conducted from June 2023 to June 2024. The athletes were provided with the opportunities to enhance their knowledge of four different topics, namely, Careers in Sports, Menstruation and Puberty, Financial Literacy and Leadership and Soft Skills.

“Being part of the programme as a young coach was very insightful. Everything we learnt was essential and applicable in each of our lives. Especially, learning more about Menstruation and Puberty was very helpful, as I work with young female athletes,” shares Devaki, reflecting on her experience in the year-long certification programme.

With the expertise of the Simply Sports Foundation team, the leadership programme creates a platform for young female athletes to learn through exposure. Through various assignments, and projects, including organising ‘staff engagement day’ and the final project, the programme equipped them with in-hand experience to excel in their careers.

Devaki believes that she was fortunate to have all the opportunities to find her, but often forgets that she seizes every chance that comes her way. Despite all the struggles, sports made her confident in life and the leadership programme equipped her with advanced knowledge. Devaki’s journey is a reminder that with the right opportunities and support, anyone can be inspired to pursue their dreams. Her story encourages all of us to recognise and nurture the potential within ourselves and seize the opportunities that come our way!