While regular hoopsters struggle to get noticed, 'roller-basketball', with its swiftness and speed, is gaining wide acceptance among youngsters and school children in Kerala.

"If it is speed that makes traditional basketball interesting, roller basketball, with its grace, speed and flexibility, makes the game attractive. One needs enormous stamina to perform well in this game," says Jomon Jacob, a young coach from Namakuzhi, near Piravom in Kottayam district.
He said that the game is popular in states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and also Puducherry.

"Overseas, it is popular in the USA, Argentina, Europe and Pakistan," he added.

 Jacob said the game is not costly, as one can get a skater for Rs 400.

Roller basketball is played on a cement basketball court, with the rules being the same as for basketball. Compared to five players for basketball, teams in this sport have four players each.

Crossing the sideline is not considered a foul. Each player is allowed eight fouls, unlike the traditional game which allows five fouls.

Though Jacob, a close relative of the famous Namakuzhi volleyball sisters, had a liking for volleyball, he chose to tread a different path and became a physical instructor at the K M High School at Meveloor in Kottayam.

Jacob claimed he was the first to introduce Roller Basketball in Kerala, by staging a match in Kochi in 2005. Seeing the interest shown by youngsters,the first Southern India championship was held in April 2008, in which six teams, including one from Tamil Nadu participated, he said.

Jacob said he was confident that roller-basketball would be popular in future as in the case of Twenty20 cricket. He said that the Roller Basketball Association of India, with E S Jose, a prominent city businessman as President, was making all efforts to gain recognition from the Sports Authority of India.

"If successful, students who take to this sport will get grace marks in academics," he said.

Plans have been chalked out to organise coaching camps in roller basketball in various schools in Kerala when schools reopen after the summer vacation, he added.

 Jacob has also started 'Roller-cricket' at St Peters Senior Secondary School Indoor stadium at Kadayiruppu in Kottayam district and said he has been getting enquiries from various places about this sport.

"Children who excel in roller skating will be selected for roller cricket," he added.