Vignesh Iyer

Senior Coach, Wadala

When I came to junior college, I was hooked to the game. I only played basketball the entirety of 11th grade. In fact, I chose to pursue Commerce because everyone around me discouraged pursuing Science because I would then have to study a lot and wouldn’t have been able to play basketball at all! My parents didn’t restrict me for anything really because I would scrape average marks even if I was playing basketball all day. As long as I was doing well and good work, they were happy with me. There is an NBA player, Steph Curry, who is my all-time favourite basketball player. Watching him play is how I have learned a lot about basketball as a game. Before I had watched him, I didn’t even know that something like a 3-pointer existed!

When I was in my first year of college, I had coached at a private organization but they were not serious about coaching so I got very disinterested in it. But I didn’t want to quit basketball and I got introduced to Hi5 through Ramu Sir at the same time. I never thought this would become by full-time job when I joined but the more time passed, the more I was attracted to becoming a coach to these kids. Because they’re brilliant, these BMC kids are way responsive when compared to other privileged international schools and even better than the BMC school kids are the children from the tribal school in Vajreshwari!

Kevin Francis

Senior Coach, Motilal Nagar, Unnat Nagar, Curriculum supervisor

Even though I was passionate about the game, my parents didn’t support the idea of playing basketball professionally as a career. In fact, when I was young, they didn’t even know I played basketball for those many insane hours! Academically, I studied engineering and sought a job in my field itself later. Although I didn’t find a job that was well paying and according to my requirements. I even tried my hand at entrepreneurship but it didn’t work out.

I never stopped playing though and one day, when I was playing at a center close to my house, Mr. Lohe from the BMC saw me coaching other players and approached me to coach students part-time. Initially, I refused because I didn’t see myself as a coach. I didn’t think it was something I’d be good at. But after sometime, I tried it and loved every bit of it!

When I got introduced to Hi5, it was a blessing! Their curriculum approach to coaching basketball showed that they were serious about coaching. They also invested time in teaching the coaches and giving them a support system that enables them to do better. I am now a part of testing and designing the curriculum as well as coordinating with other coaches. We measure everybody’s performance on a common scale and method.

This is now my full-time career considering we’ve been successful and are scaling. Plus teaching these kids is a joy. They are aware of this opportunity presented to them and learn the sport seriously. I am happy that I am finally doing something I think I was meant to do. As a coach, I get the respect and I also get to do play basketball every day, my vision matches with the leadership, what more can I ask? This is like a dream job for me!

Arafaat Memon

Beginner coaching - Baradevi Sewri Assist coach - Dixit Road,Vile Parle Intermediate coaching - Pahadi, Goregaon

I was very young when I was introduced to basketball. I started playing when I was 7, in Nagpada near Mastan YMCA. Every child who belongs to that area only knows how to eat, breathe, and sleep basketball! It’s free, which makes a lot of difference for young talent to grow and flourish. I have given a lot of years to the game and come with the knowledge too. I used to play from Mumbai South-East area at the district level and then played state finals for Maharashtra. I was also selected for the Indian team camp in the Under-16 category, but couldn’t make it to the national team.

Basketball is a very under-represented and unpopular sport in India. Here, people only have cricket on their minds. Even at a federation and government level, basketball is given zero importance. I believe I would have been more motivated to pursue a career in basketball if the infrastructure and resources for the game existed.

But life makes it turns and I got introduced to coaching when I was 18. I’ve worked at different schools and organisations in Mumbai to train school-going kids but none of them were satisfying jobs. They had a lot of restrictions and would change coaches for the teams constantly in the fear that the coach might start privately coaching them. I joined Hi5 primarily because their philosophy matches with mine—teach one team fully and take them to win a tournament.

Coaching at Hi5 is rewarding in so many ways. I get to teach children who don’t have the opportunity otherwise and don’t come with any air about themselves. They’re genuinely interested in the game and I can see how much they’ve improved. When they come running to me with a loud, “Sir, sir!” after winning a match, it’s a different feeling of proud altogether!

Narayan Jadhav

Coach, Dixit Road, DN Nagar

I am from Nanded and came to Mumbai to live here far away from my family, only for basketball! In our town, wrestling, kabaddi, volleyball and cricket were popular. My brother himself is a national-level wrestler. So, basketball wasn’t something we had heard of much. I started playing basketball just for fun and within two months I went to play a tournament!

I’ve played until national camp several times, from under-14, under-16, under-17 but unfortunately didn’t make it to the national team. So, during my under-16 tryouts, I got my younger brother introduced to Basketball. I coached him quite vigorously I think, I was quite hard on him. He was 11 when he won the first gold medal for his national team performance playing for Maharashtra! I was 11 when I started.

My brother dreamt that I would eventually join the Sports Authority of India and I did. I got an international platform there and started playing nationally. A few years later, I eventually decided not to continue to play professionally and came to Bombay to further my career in coaching. I started going to college to complete my graduation and then do a physical education degree. Coaching is quite messy in Mumbai; schools just wanted us to entertain the kids for an hour instead of teaching them. Once I met Ramu Sir, everything changed and I feel like all this effort I have made in my basketball career, I can finally put to use and coach honestly at Hi5! In fact, I have improved immensely after joining Hi5 and that’s humbling!

Saneej Patil

Saneej started playing basketball at the age of 10 at AVS club in Dombivali. His parents being national level athletes, they enrolled him in basketball as they wanted him to get more involved in sport. Throughout his basketball career, he has played from 3 districts (Thane – 2, Raigad – 1), and also played netball for one district. During college he met his basketball coach – Akash Waghmare (now colleague at Hi 5), who suggested assisting him in a coaching program at the college. That’s where his journey as a basketball coach began. Nearly 2 years later, he left his private sector job after his friend Edward (also a coach Hi 5) convinced him to be part of Hi 5. Soon after, his journey has now taken him to Vajreshwari -Hi5’s tribal residential school center.

Snehil Mahajan

After completing his 12th, Snehil learnt animation at Kalyan. For the past 9 years he has been coaching basketball. Before joining Hi5 Youth Foundation in 2018, he has coached children at various schools such Podar International (Kalyan), Vidyaniketan (Dombivali), AVS Dombivali, St. Theresa (Dombivali) & Sister Nivedita (Dombivali). Currently he coaches basketball to the children at Hi5’s tribal residential school in Vajreshwari.

Sachin Pardeshi

After completing his B.P.Ed, M.P.Ed and certification at NIS, Sachin has gathered more than 6+ years of experience as a basketball coach. Currently a coach at Hi5’s DN Nagar center, in the past he has been a player in SAI, and has also played Junior State level, Senior State level, Inter-University matches, Ashwamedh matches & All-India Inter-SAI matches. Besides basketball, he has also played State level boxing matches.

Edward Paul

Coach, DD Mulund

I was Introduced to the game of basketball back in my school(LourdesHigh School). Being an Alter Server In Church(Our Lady Of Lourdes Church)I used to go early in school/Church where I used to find big boys playing basketball with passion.

That time I used to play football from school team but I don't know the feeling for this game was different I don't know what it was but it was way different feeling from everything.

I requested My school basketball coach can I join for the practice? He answered "Go and Join That Line" and from there the journey begins in the field of basketball for me.

Since Childhood I always looked how Priests create good vibes of being good human being the culture of caring sharing and accepting nothing in return.So Even I wanted to be someone who influence someone same as Priests do.

Time when I just completed my Third Year in college I got call from one of senior(where I used to play in a club Indian Gymkhana) Vignesh Iyer He asked "would you like to coach basketball to underprivileged kids?" AND my answer was "It will be my Privilege".So Deendayal Upadhaya BMC School In Mulund was that center where I was assigned to do so.

Basketball not only teached me how play the game of basketball but it teached lot more beyond that how to be good person, how to be a leader, how to care, how to share,how to be responsible, being humble & kind.

Opportunities is the place where we lack in India "Changing Young Life Through The game of Basketball" giving Opportunities to underprivileged kids all appreciation goes to R.SUNDAR SIR & USHA MA'AM for the initiative of Hi-5 Youth Foundation.

Akash Waghmare

Coach Hailing from an engineering background, Akash always had an interest in basketball and started playing at a very young age of 12 years. He is passionate about the game - lives and breathes basketball. Akash has worked in 2-3 companies and he is extremely happy to be part of Hi5 now. He believes Hi5 is a unique NGO, which works for the welfare of kids through sports. He believes the kids from big schools just play to pass time while the kids under the Hi5 regime are brilliant and understand the value of the sport. He feels Hi5 children will pursue basketball as long time career. He has a vision that there will be a rise of basketball in India and soon there will a league dedicated to basketball hailing in India. Akash loves to coach the kids as they are extremely interested in the sport and are quite serious about their practice even in scorching heat. Someday he wants to see the Hi5 kids drafted in the NBA India program.

Mukesh Tiwari

Coach, Motilal Nagar

My elder brother, Rakesh, is a national-level hockey player and my journey with sports began with him. I played basketball for the first time in Agra in school. I also played cricket, hockey, and basketball all at once and didn’t have time to study at all!

I came to Bombay hoping to secure a Railways job. It didn’t work out and I started looking for coaching jobs in basketball because it was taught in international schools. Through this social circle, I was introduced to Lohe Sir from the BMC and he took me under his wing. So, before I joined Hi5 I had been coaching in BMC schools for nearly 7-8 years.

I am absolutely passionate about the game because it promotes teamwork. When I coach basketball to young kids, that’s the first plus point I see in them. They develop an attitude to work in a group and play for their team instead of themselves. There is no discrimination in the game according to me, everybody has a role and is treated equally in the game. But, the sport doesn’t get its due, like many other sports that are incredible games but aren’t highlighted by the media. There is so much hype around cricket that no one even knows if a hockey championship is ongoing. The media would rather write about the love lives of cricketers than write about other sports and games. There’s also no money in basketball. All the money goes to cricket federations, then how will players move up the ladder?

Pawankumar Sannake

Management

Pawan started playing at the age of 7 when he first got introduced to basketball at AVS club at Dombivli by the age of 9 he then got a place in team of U/14 category. Throughout his basketball career heparticipated in 6 inter district championship 5 for thane district & 1 for Mumbaicentral but couldn’tmake it through state team. During a match for U/18 category he had an injuryand was asked to rest. But he couldn’t resist himself going on to the field and started coaching 4thStd children nearby. He was introducedto Hi5via one of the other coach at Gymkahana and his good friend Edward, and he started his professional coaching career with Hi5. He truly enjoys coachingchildrenon basketball and is proud of being representedas Hi5 coach.