School handball and wheelchair basketball reactivate sports practice

2021 is almost gone and this will be two years where school competitions are totally distorted as a result of the pandemic.

Although there was work online and a great effort from coordinators, students and teachers, the disciplines have their genesis in face-to-face duels, where friction and adrenaline are on the rise. For the same reason, parties and instances that until 2019 were normal, today are valued triple. “There were between 45 and 50 children. The more kids that can join, the better. The results in the end are an anecdote ”, commented Raúl Umaña, handball coach.

The previous words arise in relation to a competition held at the Nonguén Sports Fields a few days before it was closed after an outbreak of Covid-19. Four clubs enthusiastically animated a men’s tournament, which ended with Almondale Lomas in first place, Deportes Concepción de Chiguayante in second place, Colegio Pinares and Club Villa Acero third and fourth, each. “Within the framework of the IND support program, which made an agreement with the associations to develop different tournaments, such a competition was held as well as on November 28 there will be one for children’s ladies, cadets and others on the calendar,” added Umaña .

Carrying out these types of instances implies a huge effort due to the difficulties of the pandemic. In this regard, Raúl Umaña added that “several things are coming together. For example, not all schools have returned 100% face-to-face. Many are still in the online mode, so not all children are available. On the other hand, 90% of the schools have not started with their extra-programmatic activities, they have not taken that step yet. I can see that now, because it took a world to get all four teams to be able to play. The teacher, no matter how much initiative he may have, cannot do much if the schools do not want to participate. Parents feel that little by little they want their children to play sports again. With three or four teams, progress is already being made, at least to begin with. The pandemic played havoc in maintaining the sports fidelity of children between 13 and 14 years old ”.

Umaña appreciated the work of the IND in terms of promoting sports activities in difficult times. “Through the School Games program, the IND dared to make an investment in sports. They have provided important support in facilitating collations, awards, referees and a paramedic, in order to reactivate school sport, which has been very, very complex. In addition, they are doing a series of trainings in sports, in face-to-face and online modality to strengthen the training of teachers and coaches of the different sports that participate in the School Sports Games. It is complex to enchant them again. Boys like to compete and that is the missing part at the school level. What is being done is good for the little that there are of schools doing activities. I do not know how it will be in other sports, but I do not think it is very different, because if they do not authorize handball, it is difficult that if they give permission to other disciplines. Hopefully for next year the authorities of the establishments are open to resume activities that are very necessary.

A great job

Those who are also very happy and live days of great satisfaction are those who are part of the Biobío Regional Sports Association for the Disabled. An activity held in the Municipal Gymnasium of Concepción, brought together four basketball teams: Granbulls de Concepción, NBA Los Angeles, Yobilo Coronel and Dital deTalcahuano, who finished in precisely that order. That competition was not school-based like handball, but it also marked an important milestone in wheelchair basketball: it was the return after almost two years without competing as a result of the virus.

Claudio Santander, president of the association, secretary of the national paralympic basketball federation and member of the Concepción Granbulls club, stated that “it was a very good competition, after two years without basketball. God willing, the pandemic and time is with us, many more will come. It was the first competition we had held in a long time. First of all, seeing each other was tremendous and at the level of disability it is complicated, because the boys have to take care of themselves twice because of the virus. This moment was long awaited, a group from Concepción began training some time ago in Barrio Norte in these spaces at 7 in the morning, motivation has never been lost in physical activity ”.

On the occasion, in addition, José Avila (scorer), Jesús Díaz (best player) and Claudio Santander (for his sports career) stood out.
The teams compete in mixed modality and last weekend, a Biobío team traveled to Puerto Montt to face a local team, winning the Friendship Cup against the champion of the last paranational Cruz del Sur.

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School handball and wheelchair basketball reactivate sports practice