Kohima: Rajasthan United Football Club (RUFC), an I-league club, on Tuesday conducted a residential scholarship trial in Kohima for players under the age of 18.Nearly 200 young players 18 took part in the trial conducted in collaboration with the Kohima Town Club (KTC) under the Nagaland Football Association (NFA).
Speaking with EastMojo, Dinesh Negi, CEO RUFC, informed that 5-10 players each would be selected in three categories: Under-13, Under-15, and Under-18 for their youth residential academy in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
“We are focusing more on 10-11 years because we can work on them for 5-6 years at the residential academy, give them proper training and athlete-specific diets so that they can become professionals,” he said.
Selected candidates will be given scholarships on a 100-40% basis depending on the players and trained by professional coaches at the academy. The trials for Nagaland began in Dimapur on Monday and concluded in Kohima.
The RUFC team will head to Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim for trials. The final list of selected players would be notified after the completion of trials.
Mathew Yhome, an official of the Kohima Town Club (KTC), informed that as part of the club’s initiative to promote football in the state, the KTC is assisting the RUFC in identifying potential football players.
“We want to promote our players to a higher level. Since we do not get these kinds of opportunities in our state, we are fortunate that Rajasthan United football club has come to Nagaland. To attend trials in other states would have been a huge challenge,” he added.
Diethozotuo Sechü, coach of the Sechü Zubza Football Academy who attended the trials with 16 players said, “We wanted our young players to get some exposure and help them go beyond in achieving their football dreams”.
The academy, which was formed in 2020, has been training players below the age of 18 years, free of cost, to encourage and motivate young players.
“Football is not just about kicking the ball. Along with football lessons, we impart life and moral lessons for them to grow up to become good sportspersons, “ the All India Football Federation (AIFF) D-licensed coach said.
Geared in a football jersey, Noyingbemo Odyuo, a 10-year-old participant said “At first, my mother did not want me to participate because I am just 10 years old. But then, she bought me new jerseys, stockings and shoes. It is only because of my mother that I can play football.”
The young player then said he loves to play football as it is more than just a sport. “Football is not just a sport. It is gameplay that helps me bond with the other players as a team. When we win, everyone is happy so it makes me happy,” he added.
As for 13-year-old Daniel Ngullie, football equals liberation. The young student who took part in the football trial said. “When I play football, I can be free and I can be myself. So I like playing football because it gives me joy. I want to be a professional football player when I grow up, and for that, I am going to work hard, be confident and will keep trying my best.”
Among many parents who brought the children to attend the trials was Daniel’s mother Mhabeni Kikon.
“Opportunities like this are very less in our state. Since my son has been interested in playing football from a tender age, we saw this as a golden opportunity for him,” she said.
As she watched her son perform at the trials, she added, saying, “I don’t force him to do what I want him to do because he has the right to choose what he wants to do. Along with studies, if we want our children to excel, we should support them and help them achieve great heights.”
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