Right, so about this football coaching thing in Delhi. It wasn’t exactly planned, you know? I just sort of fell into it. Moved here a few years back, and honestly, I was just looking for a game myself. But finding decent places to play, consistently, was a headache.
I started noticing lots of kids just kicking a ball around in parks, dusty lots, wherever they could find a bit of space. Raw energy, you know? But not much structure. So, I thought, why not try? Started really small. Just a few kids from the neighborhood whose parents knew me. We found a patch of land near my place – wasn’t great, uneven mostly, but it was something.
Getting it going
First few weeks were just chaos, really. Getting cones, a few decent balls – that took some running around. Then getting the kids to actually listen for more than five minutes. It’s different from just playing. You gotta have some plan, even a simple one.
We’d meet up early mornings, especially during the hot months. Delhi heat is no joke, hits you like a wall sometimes. Set up the cones, try and get some basic drills going – passing, dribbling, just controlling the ball. A lot of it was just getting them used to moving with the ball, not just hoofing it.
Had to deal with all sorts of stuff. Sometimes the ground would be randomly taken over for something else. Sometimes half the kids wouldn’t show up – exams, family stuff, Delhi traffic messing up their parents’ schedule. You learn to be flexible, real quick.
What I saw on the ground
There’s definitely talent here. Some kids, you just see it. Natural balance, speed, that spark. But the infrastructure… well, it’s tough. Good grounds cost money, or they’re tied up with schools or big clubs. We mostly made do with what we could find.
Parental support was mixed too. Some were super keen, bringing the kids on time, asking how they were doing. Others, you could tell football was just a side thing, academics always came first. Which is fair enough, I guess, but it makes consistent coaching hard.
- Finding decent, affordable grounds was a constant struggle.
- Getting quality equipment wasn’t always easy.
- Dealing with unpredictable attendance.
- Sometimes language was a bit of a mix too, but mostly we managed.
Little wins keep you going
It wasn’t all struggle, mind you. Seeing a kid finally nail a move we’d been practicing for weeks, that feels good. Or watching them play as a team, passing the ball instead of everyone trying to score themselves. We even managed to get into a couple of small, local tournaments. Didn’t win much, but the experience for the kids was massive.
You build a little community, too. The kids become friends, the parents start chatting on the sidelines. It becomes more than just kicking a ball.
So yeah, that’s been my experience trying to coach football here. It’s gritty, often frustrating, dealing with the dust, the heat, the limitations. But then you see a kid improve, see them loving the game. It’s complex. It’s not some fancy academy setup, just basic stuff on the ground level. But it’s something, right? Still doing bits and pieces, figuring it out as I go along.
