Tournament Day Stories Kho Kho

 

KHO KHO MODULE STORY

"Chirag's Last Chase"

For Anubhav (Grade 6-8)

Chirag was the fastest chaser in his school's Kho Kho team. When he ran, it looked effortless. Opponents couldn't escape him.

The state-level Kho Kho championship was coming to their district. Chirag's school had never won before. But this year, everyone believed - because of Chirag.

"तू पक्का जिंकशील!" his teammates told him. "You'll definitely win for us!"

Chirag felt the pressure. He wanted to win. He started practicing extra hours after school.

Week 1 before championship:

Chirag was so focused on practice that he stopped eating properly.

Morning: No breakfast (woke up late, rushed to school)
 Lunch: Just paratha from canteen (भाकरी घ्यायला वेळच नाही, no time for Bhakri)
 Evening: Chips and cold drink after practice (quick energy, he thought)
 Dinner: Late night Maggi while studying

Acharya Dhanashree noticed during practice. "Chirag, तू okay आहेस ना? You look tired."

"हो, Acharya. फक्त थोडा थकलो आहे.Just a little tired since practice is intense."

"काय खातोय आजकाल, what have you been eating these days?"

"जे मिळतं ते whatever I can get . I'm too busy for proper meals."

Dhanashree frowned but said nothing. She'd seen this before.

Week 2 before championship:

Chirag started feeling different during practice.

Usually, he could chase for the full 9 minutes without slowing down. Now, after 5 minutes, his legs felt heavy. His breath came harder. His reaction time was slower.

"का होतंय, what on Earth is happening!?" he wondered. "I'm practicing MORE, why am I getting WORSE!?"

His teammates noticed too.

Tejal said, "Chirag, काल तू त्या runner ला miss केलंस. That never happens!"

"Just an off day," Chirag said. But he was worried.

That evening, his आजी came to visit. She watched him eat dinner - instant noodles again.

"हे काय खातोय, what is this?" she asked, shocked.

"Noodles, आजी. Quick and tasty."

"तुझं शरीर noodles वर धावत नाही,  it won’t run well at all. चल, I'll make proper food."

"आजी, no time. Championship आहे next week. I need to practice, not eat fancy food."

His आजी looked at him sadly. "When your आजोबा played Kho Kho for the district team, you know what he ate before big matches?"

Chirag wasn't interested, but आजी continued anyway.

"Simple food. दाळ, भात, भाजी. Milk soaked बदाम, Almonds in the morning. Fresh fruits. Lots of water. His coach said: 'शरीर engine आहे. Good fuel घाल, good performance येईल, it will definitely come."

"आजी, that's old thinking. Modern players eat what they want. Look at cricketers - they eat pasta, sandwiches..."

"हो, but they eat GOOD pasta, GOOD sandwiches. Made by nutritionists. तू काय खातोय? Packet नूडल्स with MSG and chemicals?"

Chirag didn't want to argue. "Okay आजी, I'll eat better. After the championship."

Championship Day:

The morning of the championship, Chirag woke up nervous. He skipped breakfast again - stomach felt upset, probably from nerves.

His team reached the venue. The atmosphere was electric. Eight schools, all fighting for the championship.

Round 1: Chirag's team won easily. Chirag chased well, got 3 opponents out. He felt good.

Round 2: Quarterfinals. Chirag started feeling tired. His legs felt heavy. But he pushed through. His team won by 2 points.

Round 3: Semifinals. This was harder. The other team was strong. Chirag was the main chaser.

First 3 minutes: He chased hard. Got one opponent out.

Minute 4-5: Started feeling weak. Breath became labored. Vision is slightly blurry.

Minute 6: His legs gave out. He stumbled while chasing. Missed an easy catch.

Minute 7: Sat down. Couldn't continue. He felt dizzy.

Acharya Dhanashree rushed over. "Chirag! काय झालं, what happened?"

"डोकं फिरतंय, my head is spinning. Legs are shaking. Can't breathe properly."

The team doctor checked him. "Low blood sugar. Dehydration. When did you last eat properly?"

Chirag couldn't remember.

The doctor gave him glucose water and a banana. "Sit out this match. You're in no condition to play."

Chirag sat on the sidelines, watching his team struggle without him. They lost the semifinal by 1 point.

One point. They were one point away from the finals.

His teammates didn't blame him out loud. But Chirag saw the disappointment in their eyes.

After the match:

Chirag sat alone, devastated. His आजी's words echoed in his mind: "शरीर engine आहे. Good fuel घाल..."

Acharya Dhanashree sat next to him. "You know what happened, right?"

"मी कमकुवत आहे. I'm weak."

"No. You're not weak. तुझं शरीर weak आहे - because you starved it. Completely different thing."

She pulled out her phone and showed him something.

"See this? Top Kho Kho players in the national team - they all have nutritionists. They eat 5-6 times a day. Proper meals. Calculated protein, carbs, hydration. You know why?"

Chirag shook his head.

"Because Kho Kho is one of the most demanding sports. You run, you chase, you change direction constantly. Your heart rate goes to 180-190 beats per minute. You burn 400-500 calories in 9 minutes. That's like running 5 kilometers at full speed."

She continued, "If you don't give your body proper fuel - protein for muscles, carbs for energy, water for hydration - your body shuts down. जसं आज झालं."

"But I practiced so much..."

"Practice on an empty stomach is like driving a car with no petrol. The engine will damage itself. तूही damage केलंस yourself."

Chirag felt tears coming. "We could have won. मी सगळ्यांना निराश केलं, I disappointed everyone."

"हो, you did. But not because you're not talented. Because you didn't respect your body. आता learn from this."

Three months later:

Chirag met Acharya Dhanashree's nutritionist friend. She explained everything:

What to eat before matches (complex carbs, light protein)
 What to eat after practice (protein for recovery)
 How much water (3 liters daily for athletes)
 What to avoid (junk food, cold drinks, heavy meals before matches)

Chirag's new routine:

Morning: Poha with peanuts and लिंबू, soaked बदाम, milk
 Mid-morning: Banana or apple
 Lunch: दाळ, भात, भाजी, salad, दही
 Evening snack: Roasted चना or peanuts, coconut water
 After practice: Banana with milk or egg sandwich
 Dinner: Light - roti, भाजी, soup

First week: He felt the difference. More energy during practice. Less fatigue.

Second week: His chase timing improved. He could run the full 9 minutes at peak speed.

Third week: His teammates noticed. "Chirag, तू पहिल्यासारखा वापस आलास, you are back to your original self!"

District tournament (3 months after the failure):

This time, Chirag was ready.

Round 1: Won easily. Chirag got 5 opponents out. Full energy throughout.

Round 2: Won. Chirag didn't slow down even in minute 9.

Semifinal: The same team that beat them last time. Chirag remembered the heartbreak.

This time was different.

For a full 9 minutes, Chirag chased with explosive energy. Got 6 opponents out. His team won by 8 points.

Final:

The toughest match. Both teams were evenly matched.

Minute 1-5: Intense chase. Back and forth.
 Minute 6: Chirag's opponent was fast, kept escaping.
 Minute 7: Chirag's teammates started tiring.
 Minute 8: Score was tied.
 Minute 9: Final chase. Chirag vs the fastest runner.

In the old days, Chirag would have been exhausted by now. But today, he had energy reserves. Good food, good fuel.

30 seconds left. Chirag chased. Left, right, center. The runner tried everything.

15 seconds. Chirag anticipated the move. Dove. Tagged.

OUT!

The whistle blew. His school won the championship. First time in history.

His teammates lifted him up. "Chirag! तू मस्त खेळलास, you played awesome!"

But Chirag looked for someone else. His आजी was in the stands, smiling, tears in her eyes.

He ran to her. "आजी, you were right. शरीर engine आहे. आज मी proper fuel घातलं. And we won."

She hugged him. "तुझ्या आजोबा ला खूप proud वाटलं असतं."

The lesson Chirag learned:

Talent is not enough. Hard work is not enough. You can be the fastest, most skilled player - but if you don't fuel your body right, it will fail you when you need it most.

Food is not just taste. Food is performance. Food is respect for your body.

The championship trophy sits in his school now. But the real trophy was the knowledge: Your body is your most important teammate. Take care of it.

Questions to think about:

  • What was Chirag's biggest mistake?

  • Why did he fail in the first championship?

  • What changed in 3 months?

  • Have you ever felt tired during sports? Could it be because of food?

  • What will you eat before your next match/performance?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tournament Day NUTRITIONIST DAY 3

  NUTRITIONIST - DAY 3 Anubhav Group (Grade 6-8) DAY 3 LEARNING SHEET: Building Balanced Meals From Knowledge to Action Days 1-2 you learned WHAT'S WRONG. Today you learn WHAT TO DO. Part 1: What is a Balanced Meal? A balanced meal gives your body everything it needs: Energy (to move, think, play) Building blocks (to grow muscles, repair cells) Protection (to fight disease, stay healthy) The traditional Indian thali had all three: Component Examples What it does Protein (Building) Dal, rajma, chole, paneer, dahi, eggs Builds muscle, repairs body Carbohydrates (Energy) Bhat, bhakri, roti, poha Gives quick energy Vegetables (Protection) Bhaji, salad, pickle Vitamins, minerals, fiber Healthy fats (Energy + Brain) Ghee, oil (small amount), nuts Long-lasting energy, brain health Hydration Water, buttermilk All body functions Question 1: Look at what you ate for lunch today. Did it have all 5 components? What you ate: ______________________________________________________________...
Read more

Tournament Day Nutritionist Day2

  NUTRITIONIST - DAY 2 Anubhav Group (Grade 6-8) DAY 2 LEARNING SHEET: The Present What's Happening to Food Today? Part 1: The Lost Art of Cooking Question 1: Yesterday you talked to your family about old recipes. Did they still cook those recipes? Why or why not? Write their answer: _________________________________________________________________ Question 2: How many students in your class know how to cook a complete meal (dal, sabzi, roti)? Count and write: _______ out of _______ students What does this tell you? Part 2: Cities and Cooking The change: 50 years ago: Most people lived in villages Families cooked 3 meals a day at home Children learned cooking by watching elders Recipes passed naturally from generation to generation Today in cities: Both parents work long hours No time to cook Order food online or buy packets Children don't learn cooking Recipes are forgotten Question 3: Why do you think people in cities stopped cooking? Think about: Time (work schedules) Tir...
Read more

Tournament Day Nutritionist Day1

  NUTRITIONIST - DAY 1 Anubhav Group (Grade 6-8) ROLE INTRODUCTION What is a Nutritionist? A nutritionist helps people eat the right food for their body and goals. They know: Which foods give energy Which foods help you think better Which foods make you strong Which foods help you stay healthy Why does your module need a nutritionist? Every athlete, artist, musician, and actor needs fuel. Good food = good performance. Real world jobs: Sports nutritionist (works with cricket teams, football teams) Dietitian (works in hospitals) Food scientist (creates new healthy foods) Health coach (teaches people about nutrition) MODULE STORIES: Why Food Matters SPORTS (Kabaddi/Kho Kho) "The Empty Tank" Your body is like a car. Cars need petrol to run. Your body needs food to run. When you play kabaddi or kho kho, you: Run fast Jump high Push hard Think quick All of this needs energy. Where does energy come from? Food. Wrong food = Problems: Tired legs Slow thinking Weak muscles Can't fi...
Read more