Month: April 2016

U15 Nike Premier Cup India Final Round Kicks Off

The last match of the U15 Youth League Zonal Phase concluded almost two months ago and we’re happy to report that the Final Round of the U15 League, now known as the Nike Premier Cup India, kicked off this morning in Goa. The top 12 teams from the Zonal Phase have been put into three groups and will play 18 matches over the next week. The top team from each group will secure their place in the semi-finals along with the best second placed team across all groups.

While these are all teams that have done well in the Zonal Phase, the level of competition will be significantly higher with past results counting for nothing. Everyone starts off on a clean slate and, still in its inaugural season despite the many challenges, the U15 Youth League is now coming to a head! The time has come for the boys to show their mettle.

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Football – The Dark Side of Hope

If you haven’t been living in a cave for the past 3 years, you’ll know full well about the terror and trauma that Syria and its people have suffered. But you probably haven’t heard what it is for a child to live in the war-ravaged country. UNICEF posted this haunting video about Saja, a 12-year-old girl, who lives in Aleppo, Syria.

In the video, Saja talks about how she has lost friends and a leg to the war. She speaks about her difficulty in making the long walk to school everyday, how she has no one to explain her schoolwork to her when she doesn’t understand things too well and her love for football. She says:

“I love playing football. When I play football, I don’t feel like I’ve lost anything at all.”

All Saja wants is something the majority of us have the privilege of enjoying for most of our lives – a bit of peace so that she doesn’t have to worry about family and friends coming back whenever they step out of their homes, a relaxed game of football to forget her worries, and a job as a gymnastics coach when she’s older.

“My wish for Syria’s future is that it goes back to the way it was. No more war. I hope that we can go out and know that we will come back safely, not go out and never return home, to live like we used to.”

We hope so too, Saja.

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All Set for Season 2 of the Reliance Foundation Young Champs Program

Apart from popularising football in the country, the Indian Super League (ISL) is doing a good job of encouraging clubs to invest in grassroots football. In 2015, the Reliance Foundation Young Champs (RFYC) initiative was kick-started as part of the ISL’s grassroots programme. The RFYC Program makes use of the ISL’s clubs’ grassroots initiatives to spot talented children from across the country between the ages of 11 and 14. The Foundation then offers the most talented and deserving children full-time residential scholarships to the Reliance Foundation School.

ATK RFYC Scouting

The RFYC Scouts with the Talents Picked by Atletico de Kolkata
Source: Indian Super League

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