Star Sports launches 'Young Heroes' in Kolkata

 

Starting at Kolkata, the mega football tournament will travel to 14 other Indian cities. Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kochi, Goa, Indore, Pune, Mumbai, Shillong, Guwahati, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Chandigarh and Delhi will serve as the hosts for the inaugural season.

The Kolkata chapter will start on August 25 and will conclude by the next day, August 26. The national finals are slated for January 2016.

1500 Indian schools will be taking part in this competition out of which 650 schools will be shortlisted for the play-offs. A mammoth 4, 20,000 students are estimated to be playing at the tournament, making it the country’s biggest talent scouting program.

After the conclusion of the tournament, 45 boys will be selected by Head Mentor Jamshid Nassiri for a week long training camp. 16 boys will advance to the main team which will then travel to Spain for an international exposure.

Speaking at the event, Rohan Gavaskar, Director, High Life Management said, “The renewed passion for the beautiful game and significant enthusiasm and interest in football in India is heartening to see for any sportsman. Although cricket is still the undisputed leader in terms of mass popularity yet the kind of fan support we have seen at the stadiums recently during prestigious football tournaments makes us believe that Indian football is slowly heading back to its days of glory. Our Endeavour through Young Heroes would be to spot the new young talented footballers across 650 schools in India and the mentors will guide them to the next level of professional football.”

Jamshid Nassiri, Ex-Iranian Footballer and Head Mentor, Star Sports Young Heroes, said, “My association with Indian Football is over three decades old and it will be a great experience to share my knowledge of the game with young budding footballers during my association with Star Sports Young Heroes. I always believed that football needs to be promoted at the very grassroots to facilitate optimum level of fitness and discipline. If we can provide the right platform for the amazing young talents in India then I am sure they will be able to graduate into passionate footballers in future.”

Mayank Shah, Deputy Marketing Manager, Parle Products, said, “In India, football is very much present at school level but beyond inter school tournaments there is hardly any scope to showcase individual talent to the whole country at that tender age. Young Heroes will not only provide the right platform for the young talented footballers to showcase their skills but also allow them the opportunity to test their passion for the game.”

Vighnesh Shahane, CEO IDBI Federal Life Insurance, said, “Our associations with sporting properties emerge from this vision of shaping a better tomorrow. Sports have always inspired people to develop into responsible, mature winners who make a real difference around them. The Young Heroes initiative gives school children the opportunity to showcase their talent and in the process learn the very important lessons in team work, dedication and the will to succeed. The coaching camps will also help the champions hone their talent further both in India and on an international platform. In its inaugural year, the inter-school tournament will identify upcoming young talent with the potential to change the landscape of Indian football. We are truly excited to be a part of this initiative."

(Reporting By Sudipto Maity)