WITHOUT A COURT TO CALL HOME, CALANGUTE’S BASKETBALL RUNS OUT OF PLAYERS
CALANGUTE: Calangute’s basketball story is no longer about losing matches. It’s about having nowhere to play one. The village has no public court for the game to thrive, and the impact is stark: no teams, no training, and no new players taking up the sport.Calangute has fielded sides for football and cricket leagues and run summer coaching camps for boys and girls in both sports, but there were no takers for basketball. The sport has no dedicated ground in the village and no coaching is imparted to children.
While football drew crowds and coaching support at several grounds, basketball never found a foothold. The same summer camps that saw 40-50 youngsters turn up for football drills had zero registrations for basketball. Without demand, the village panchayat and local clubs channelled funds and space into football, cricket, and cultural activities.“There was never a pucca court here. We tried with a temporary rim on a school wall in 2015, but it came down during monsoon repairs and was never replaced,” said a basketball coach from the village. “Parents saw football tournaments with prizes and village pride. Basketball had no matches, no court, and no coach. Naturally, kids drifted away.”“No infrastructure, no interest,” he added.Unlike football, which can be played on any open ground, basketball needs a level cement court, standard rims, backboards, and markings.
Calangute has none. The closest usable public court is at Peddem, Mapusa, 9 km away and inaccessible for daily practice. Private schools in the beach belt have not built courts either, citing space and coastal regulations.“We have seen football ground maintenance, but basketball has not been raised by any club or school,” said another basketball player.
In an era where 3×3 basketball is an Olympic sport and NBA India runs talent hunts across Goa, Calangute’s absence is glaring.
Coaches say the village has children with natural height and athleticism — traits suited for basketball.“We’ve lost a generation before they even started. You can’t revive a sport without a place to play it,” said a former state-level player from Calangute.
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