Hyderabad : Consumer goods giant Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) announced the launch of the Junior Athlete Development Program (JADP) on Wednesday. The initiative aims to support emerging women cricketers from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu, promoting the sport at the grassroots level, and offering opportunities for 50 beneficiaries.
The JADP, a comprehensive cricket coaching program, will be conducted in partnership with Coaching Beyond, a cricket coaching center. It will select 25 female cricketers each for training in Hyderabad and Chennai, with a total of 50 scholarships offered annually. The program aims to enhance players’ technical, tactical, physical, and mental skills.
According to Srinandan Sundaram, Executive Director, Foods & Refreshment at Hindustan Unilever Limited, young girls in India have faced obstacles in pursuing their passion for sports due to limited access to coaching academies, mentors, and infrastructure. He said, “We aim to bridge this gap and encourage athletes to play the sport they love without any barriers.”
The program will be divided into four phases, starting with trials across 20 districts in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. The selected female cricketers will then participate in a tournament hosted in Chennai and Hyderabad. From there, 50 cricketers will be shortlisted for the HUL scholarship program. The final phase will be the three-year HUL scholarship program, which includes training.
Coaching Beyond Co-founder Ravi Shastri stated, “The developments in women’s cricket in India are tremendous, and it is exhilarating to witness. The way ahead is to encourage and recruit young talent to take the sport to greater heights. I have always believed that playing a sport during childhood not only fosters character and confidence but also instills a sense of achievement, liberty, and fun.”
In addition to offering selected cricketers with match clothing, practice clothing, and general cricket equipment, the Junior Athlete Development Scholarship Programme encompasses various elements, including Bio-Mechanical Analysis, a Curated Skill Development Programme, Musculoskeletal Screening, a Rehabilitation Programme, Fitness Parameters Assessment, and an Individualised Strength and Conditioning Programme.
