Starting Five Basketball’ Survey Finds Untapped Basketball Potential in Kerala Schools

Thiruvananthapuram: A new initiative by Starting Five Sports Management Pvt Ltd has revealed that while many schools in Kerala already have basketball courts, they lack active teams — not because of low student interest, but due to the absence of trained coaches and support staff.

The preliminary survey, conducted across a wide set of about 300 schools, shows that student enthusiasm for basketball is strong. In fact, in several schools, children expressed keen interest to play, but without structured coaching or proper guidance, the courts remain underutilized.

“The infrastructure is already there in many schools. What is missing is the human element — trained manpower to channel student energy into teams and competitions,” said Me Vijaykumar, Coordinator for Starting Five Sports who has consolidated the Survey findings.

This finding underscores a critical gap in Kerala’s Basketball ecosystem. While football and cricket enjoy strong institutional support, basketball, despite its popularity in urban centres, often struggles at the grassroots due to a shortage of qualified trainers.

Starting Five Sports Management believes the solution lies in a three-tiered approach: 1. Coach Training & Certification – creating a pool of qualified trainers who can be deployed across schools with the support of the local Basketball Association 2. School-to-Cluster Pathways – linking schools with courts to district-level competitions, ensuring that talent has an avenue to showcase itself. 3. Public-Private Partnerships – encouraging collaboration between state associations, private academies, and educational boards to scale manpower resources.

“The demand is clear. Students want to play. Schools have the facilities. What is missing is trained coaches who can bring structure, discipline, and competitive opportunities,” the spokesperson added.

If addressed, this gap could unlock a new wave of basketball growth in Kerala. With initiatives like these, Starting Five Sports Management is aiming not just to identify challenges but to create actionable solutions that ensure basketball talent in schools is nurtured early.

The survey is expected to form the baseline for a larger program to activate new school-level teams across the state, potentially adding hundreds of young players into Kerala’s basketball ecosystem within the next two years.

“ A series of action points to convert this problem into an oppurtunity is the way forward” said Mr P C Antony, Secretary of the Kerala Basketball Association who is closely interacting with Starting Five in this regard.