An Exclusive Q&A With Basketball Legend Shiba Maggon
1. How did you develop a keen interest for a sport like basketball in India at a time when Cricket was the only major sport in the country?
I hail from a sports family. My father and his brother used to play cricket for their college and district. Basketball came into our family by sheer luck. One of my cousins had to go to a local gym at Karnal, for her school basketball matches, and she asked me to pick her up. I went and saw her play and brought her back, I found it boring so told her I wouldn’t go the next day to pick her up. The next day my elder sister, who happened to be 6″1, went to pick her up.
The district Coach showed interest in her because of her stature and asked her to start playing, which she agreed to. Since she was keen on playing she use to drag me along with her. I didn’t like the sport then, so I always used to run to the other fields. It was only when we lost her in an accident I realized what she wanted to do. So after two years introduction to this sport, I finally decided to accomplish what she wanted.
2. Could you describe your journey from being a young kid to the Indian Women’s Basketball Team Captain and give a learning to the young kids in the country wanting to play sports of their choice?
As I mentioned when I had no interest in the sport, I was just killing my time on the field but after I lost her, the zeal to feel her presence around me was more than anything. The more I trained the more I felt she was around, so I changed my schedule completely. I would get up at 3:45 in the morning & start to train by 4, by the time my teammates and Coach Mallhan used to arrive I would be drenched in sweat.
I used to run back, change and train again from 5:30 to 7:15. My school hours were from 8:00 to 12.30, the school I was at (SAI hostel) was very strict, so we had to attend all our classes. After lunch at 1:30 We used to sleep, but wake up around 2:30 due to the noise in our dorms because of the college girls returning. I used to train again from 3:00 to 5:00 in the evening & then practice with my team from 5:00 to 7:00. After dinner at 8:00 we had a study period from 8:30 to 10:30. This was the schedule I followed for 6 years. The only goal in my life was to represent India. I was shortlisted for the Junior India team within 8 months of this schedule but due to some difficult circumstances the Indian team did not go, and it kept on happening for the next 6 years. This time period of 6 years made me like iron.
My wish to play for India became stronger and stronger. In this process, I became one of the best players in the country and continued to be a top player for the next decade and a half. Now, when I look back at my journey it only tells me that the determination I had was stronger than any circumstance or obstacle I faced. My reason to follow the sport I was not interested in was bigger than anything. We all have that one thing in our hearts as to why we start to like something, never let that fade away and you will be a winner.
3. Do you agree with the perception that pursuing a career as a professional athlete forces you to neglect your education
Not at all, I believe that if you cannot balance your studies you cannot be a great player. Of course one can be a good athlete but each game has its own logic and angles to understand. Like in basketball, we have different angles to shoot from, how much force is required to shoot, what should the bio-mechanism be like etc.
Sports are very much like academics, you need to focus and understand your sport’s techniques and apply brains, Although nowadays there are so many social networking sites which take away the concept of time management.
If we can learn to manage our time we can easily balance our academics. The Olympic medalists in the US are doctors, mayors, professors, engineers and even bank managers. They are not offered these jobs, but they manage their time and study. In India, sports is taken as a separate career whereas it goes hand in hand with studies.
4. What were some of the challenges you faced as a female athlete pursuing a career in sports in India?
Honestly, I never faced any challenges. My family was very supportive. I was not good in studies but still, they encouraged me to play. My Coach was my mentor who wanted the best out of me. Initially when I joined the railways I used to train early in the morning at 4 am. People made stories about me, that there was no girl who comes to train & only boys who do, but I did not have the time to react and by my actions they came to know that I have no interest in what they had to say. The most important is your family and if they stand by you, what others think of you doesn’t matter.
5. How different is it to be a coach from being an athlete? What aspects of both have you enjoyed the most?
Being an athlete was my sister’s choice which was easy as I only had to train myself and I knew what I wanted from myself. Being a Coach was my choice which was very difficult in all the aspects. I started to coach way back around 2005 at a school in Delhi and that was just to make quick money and manage my finances. I’ve coached in 4 different schools which include Modern Barakhamba & DPS Rk Puram. At that point, I was just experiencing school environments. My job was on and off but I understood that I can help players understand the game.
Finally, in 2009 I coached SRCC boys in a basketball tournament and they won. My confidence rose & I knew then, that after I retire I will be a Coach. Becoming a full-fledged Coach was very difficult, each player has a different mind they think differently. Before teaching them I have to find a level at which I can connect with them. Each player has their own capacity for learning I have to break the skill to make it easy or difficult as per their learning capacity. I make them see what they can do and not what they think they can do. I am accountable for the future of my trainees, so I have to always be updated to give them the best coaching & knowledge.
6. How have you honed your skills as a coach over the years? What are some of the tips that you would like to give to all the budding coaches so that they can help develop elite talent throughout the country in order to compete at the highest level?
After becoming Coach I have learnt from my every single one of my failures and successes. I’ve watched other coaches while training and in game situations as to what works for them. I have done many courses to keep me updated about the latest changes. We all have coaches around us, try connecting with them, watch their sessions see what is working for them. Sometimes you can learn a very small detail from a young coach which can help in improving us. I have been shadowing Coaches in the US and have taken some international courses for advanced training. Try attending clinics around you, not only of basketball but for other sports as well, you never know what you might gain from there. We have talent everywhere, athletes who trust us when they come to train with us. We are accountable for their bright future.
7. Any parting words before we wrap up the interview? Please share your genuine thoughts on our young start-up The Coach Crew that has built a bridge between athletes and enthusiasts to find the best coaches near them to get trained in the sports of their choice. Your feedback about our website, the idea or the things we could do in the future would really help us do more for each of our athletes and coaches!
It is a beautiful and unique concept for both coaches and players. For the players who want to learn sports like basketball, your site is an easy step to find a good coach and connect with them. Coaches can get good talent as well, it is kind of scouting site for players. Keep up with the good job!
To keep up with the latest on Shiba Maggon you can follow her on her official channels
Website – https://www.shibamaggon.in
Twitter – https://twitter.com/shibamaggon
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/shibamaggon/
