Varsha Patle who basically belongs to a poor family wanted to represent Vidarbha at national-level in cricket but her financial condition and struggle to earn a place in the team forced her to go for coaching.
Taking one step towards her aim of becoming a BCCI Level-3 coach, Varsha who has represented RTM Nagpur University for three years in All India Inter-University Cricket Tournament has recently cleared BCCI's Level-1 coaching course at National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. She scored the highest ( 78 marks out of 100) and has qualified for Level-2 coaching with flying colours. Four coaches from Vidarbha including Devesh Shende, Shubham Wagh, Dharmender Ahlawat and Varsha herself had appeared for Level-1 coaching from Vidarbha and Varsha secured highest marks among them. After Shibika Francis Varsha is only second woman coach from Vidarbha who has qualified for Level-2.
Talking to Lokmat Times Varsha who was among Vidarbha probables in Under-19, Under-23 and senior team said, “ I struggled a lot to earn the place in Vidarbha team. Secondly, my financial condition was not so good. My father passed away in 2021 and I had to look after my family. Therefore, I decided to go for coaching and now I have qualified for Level-2 ”, she said.
Varsha said first she cleared VCA's coaching course and then the association sent her to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) . “ It is very hard to score above 70 marks at Level-1. The course included all aspects of coaching like how to train children technically. You get just three minutes to study and tell the kids. Secondly, they give you a case study. The coaches were satisfied with my performance. I am thankful to Chimote sir who taught me a lot at VCA before going to NCA.”
Elaborating further she said, “ In Level-1 coaching the coaches have to go through practicals, theory, group discussions etc. In practical there are three parameters including how to teach, unique fielding drills, running and pressure handling and most importantly how to conduct the sessions with maximum 150 boys and a minimum ten.”
About her future planning in the field of coaching, Varsha who is coaching at Nagpur Cricket Academy (NCA) at present said, “ There are plenty of level-1 coaches in the country but level-2 qualified are very rare. It is very difficult to sustain at Level-2. My ultimate aim is to clear Level-3 course and coach any women cricket team in the country. Nowadays a lot of women players are emerging even at district-level.”