BEYOND GOLD: INSIDE RELIANCE FOUNDATION'S SPORTS REVOLUTION

Reliance Foundation, one of the largest corporate houses, is making young athletes' dreams come true.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

1) They have established a number of sports programs for athletes under the name Reliance Youth and Sports Foundation. Giving them full scholarships, managing their housing, education, and, of course, all aspects of training in a handful of Olympic sports.

2) They have reached out to over 90 lakh youth across 26 states in the country and educated 13,000 physical education teachers.

3) Their main goal is to recreate the NCAA system in the United States, and with all of the work they've achieved over the years, they're well on their way to success.

4) RYFS recruits young talent from all around India and provides them with the opportunity to pursue their sporting goals.

Just a few days ago I had visited the reliance physiotherapy department for a consultation with their strength and conditioning coach, little did I know that he was the coach for the Reliance Olympic initiative program, a wing of reliance I didn't know existed. He told me all about their program and the support they provided to athletes across India . This made me very curious and that same day I started to research more on their program and also made a few calls to fully understand what reliance is actually doing to support athletes.

After learning more about this my liking towards reliance as a company has increased tremendously, and it immediately made me want to write on their programs sharing and spreading the great work they are putting in for the athletes of our country.

RYFS FOOTBALL PROGRAM :

Now I know that such blogs are commonplace. This program in specific has received a lot of lime light being founded by Nita Ambani, but as I read through the comments, a single question struck out to me: What is the registration process? And there was not one response in regards to that. This piqued my interest in writing about the process of being a part of their program. Everyone can write about the impact made and the numbers that go with it, but no one has covered the actual process of applying and given information on the eligibility guidelines, so here I am wanting to share the entire process on how to become a part of their program; although it is a fairly simple process, I just wanted to share it in a more structured manner.

Let's talk more about the sports programs they offer. Their most successful program so far is their RELIANCE FOUNDATION YOUTH CHAMPS PROGRAM, an initiative taken for the young footballers of our country, including everything from scouting athletes using AI SCOUT to signing professional contracts with clubs. They guide the athlete till the end, but why are their athletes so good?

It's because of their comprehensive training, which takes into account every facet of being an athlete. They have it all, from nutritionists to psychologists. Reliance has structured this program in a manner that no athlete is left out whether or not they make the cut, as we all know only a hand few end up signing professional contracts, but the athletes that don't are not just left in the lurch but are enrolled in some of the best schools around ensuring them a strong academic background.

Now, enough talk about the program; here is the application process and age criteria to get spotted and contacted by some of these coaches:

ADMISSIONS PROCESS IN STEPS:

Here's an easy-to-follow guide to downloading the AISCOUT app and submitting your entries:

1) Install the iOS / Android app

2) Sign up using your email address & fill up your profile information

3) Make certain to enter your location. - India

4) Enter the appropriate age range. (For the 2023-2024 season, girls' age categories are U/15, U/19, and boys' age groups are U/15,U/19,U/21).

5) Make videos with the camera app, set the camera at the proper angle, and upload your videos. You can also upload your highlights!

Here are a few things to remember when registering:

• The trials are graded out of 10 assessing different parameters.

• The selection process is divided into three trials.

The procedure for completing these trials is as follows:

• Send them a video of you finishing the NRS trials.

• You advance to the RFYC trials after finishing all of the NRS drills and earning your score.

• Upload a video of yourself doing all of the RFYC trials drills, and you're done.

• The software will then assign you a score and provide feedback. The entries will be evaluated by their coaches and scouts, and selected applicants will be invited to the final selection camp !

The following equipments are required:

Most trials require at least two balls in the appropriate size for your age. Some trials additionally demand the use of cones or other similar-sized objects as markers. Large rocks, for example, can be used in place of cones.

For further information, go to:

https://www.rfyouthsports.com/football/news/rfyc-aiscout-virtual-football-trials-the-hunt-is-on

SUPPORT FOR SCHOOLS :

The Reliance Foundation has not only focused on a few sports but have a goal of developing an overall sports culture, Along with individual programs, Reliance Foundation has partnered with many schools and colleges to promote sports by organizing multiple inter-school competitions, providing scholarships, funding for the construction of international level infrastructure in schools, and providing appropriate training to coaches/ P.E teachers.

Schools and institutions interested in participating in the program must first complete an online participation form, which is available on the official RFYS website. Institutions are accepted or rejected after enrollment based on their eligibility criteria. However, in other situations, the organizers retain the right to admission.

JR.NBA PROGRAM :

They have also collaborated with the Jr. NBA India to develop a programme for our country's young and passionate basketball players. Scouting basketball talents across India, particularly in schools, they have worked with over 11 million athletes from over 13,500 schools since 2013. Through this programme, athletes have also had the opportunity to meet with some of the most well-known NBA players and coaches.

For further information, please contact info.rfjrnbaindia@gmail.com.

RELIANCE HPC :

The Reliance Foundation exists to assist athletes at all levels, from amateur to professional. With one objective in mind: to make India excel at the Olympics and compete against some of the world's most powerful sporting nations.

I'm sure we've all seen old movies that illustrate or document the deplorable state of our country's sports facilities, from female athletes not having access to clean and well-maintained changing rooms / bathrooms. To have athletes practising on 20-30 year old equipment that are on the edge of breaking, and let's not even get started on diet and psychology, which have not even been considered.

That was the case at least a few years ago. That's the thing about change; it doesn't happen instantly. It happens gradually when foundations like Reliance recognise why Indians lack representation in the Olympics and take action against it rather than criticise or complain.

With their recent collaboration with the Odisha Government, they have launched a high performance training center in Bhubaneswar for elite athletes in the discipline of athletics who have been scouted from state and national competitions, particularly for those who intend to represent India at the highest level in their sport. The entire set up provided by them is the reason why they have been so instrumental in producing international and national medalist, from Jyotji Yarraji a 100m hurdle runner breaking records at the international level to Amlan Borgohain the 2022 national games 100m champion.

Their success can be attributed to their holistic coaching setup and Olympic-level infrastructure. They focus on an athlete's total well-being with the goal of producing medalists in the 2026 youth Olympics and 2032 Olympics. "The government is proactive and willing to invest in good people to create a performance system that allows talented athletes to flourish," said James Hillier, Athletics director at the Reliance Foundation.

The Reliance foundation has accomplished what the government has been unable to do for decades. The support of such foundations is the reason why the athletes have started to shackle and break the stereotypes of the Indian sports system.

Did you find this blog helpful? What are your thoughts on the programs offered by them?