Grassroots Playday League Season 5 concludes at TNA

HEMIKA NAG

GANGTOK,: The fifth season of the Grassroots Playday League (GPL), the flagship programme of the Grassroots Football School under the Khelum Foundation, concluded at the Tashi Namgyal Academy (TNA) ground here on Sunday.

The five-day league featured 100 matches involving players in the Under-7, Under-8 Girls, Under-9 and Under-11 categories.

The organisers said the main objective was to provide children with meaningful match exposure in a tournament-like environment, allowing them to experience the excitement and challenges of competitive football while keeping player development at the centre of the competition.

The final day was attended by TNA director Brig. Mothi George Jacob (Retd.), vice principal Dr. Devaleena Arora, head of administration Sujata and head of pre-primary Manasha.

The winners of the various categories were:

Under-7: League and Super Cup – Roosters

Under-8: League and Super Cup – Falcons

Under-9: League and Super Cup – Bulldogs

Under-11:   League Winner – Falcons; Super Cup Winner – Wolves

The key focus of the Grassroots Playday League was to recognise and celebrate young players for their effort, attitude, progress and contribution, rather than focusing only on results.

Several awards were presented during the five-day event, including category-wise top scorers, Player of the Tournament awards and the Best Goalkeeper award in the Under-11 category.

Daily Player of the Day awards were also presented across the age groups, with support from Kelly’s Café, MG Marg, Zongri Café, MG Marg, Decathlon Siliguri and Treenz Hotel, Ranka.

The Super Cup Finale added to the excitement on the closing day, with Treenz Hotel, Ranka sponsoring a special one-night stay, including dinner and breakfast, for the winners of the Most Promising Player awards from the Super Cup Finals.

The organisers thanked all the students who gave their best throughout the tournament and embraced the experiences both on and off the field.

They also acknowledged the parents for their consistent presence and encouragement throughout the five days, as well as the students, coaches, volunteers and other stakeholders who contributed to the success of the season.

The Grassroots Football School and Khelum Foundation also acknowledged the support of the Sikkim Football Association in promoting grassroots football.

Special appreciation was extended to the Blue Cubs App, which enabled participants, parents and supporters to follow league standings, top scorers and other tournament statistics.

The organisers also expressed their gratitude to TNA for its continued support of the Grassroots Football School programme. The institution's encouragement, they said, has helped create opportunities for children to experience football in a positive, structured and enjoyable environment.

With Season 5 now concluded, the Grassroots Football School and Khelum Foundation look forward to returning with another season of the Grassroots Playday League, with a continued focus on providing young players with more opportunities to play, learn and enjoy the game.

The organisers said the journey of grassroots football will continue, with many more young players waiting for their opportunity to step onto the field.