Chennai

The Don Bosco Higher Secondary School in the city emerged winners in the first edition of the Chennai Kaalpandhu League that concluded recently, with the Hindu Union Committee Higher Secondary School trailing as the runner-up.

The Under-15 football tournament for schoolchildren organised by LatentView Analytics that is touted to be a first of its kind in Chennai saw some nail-biting moments and a lot of excellent sportsmanship displayed by the young players, a release stated. The tournament reached out to 50 schools across the city, encouraging them to take part in the sport. The football league is a lead project for the propagation of football and engages directly with students. In association with Siksha, an NGO that works for the empowerment of the underprivileged section of the society, the programme created awareness about the possibilities for youngsters in football and helped them to realise their potential in the sport, the release read.  With support from the Education department and Greater Chennai Corporation, the LatentView Chennai Kaalpandhu League proved a unique initiative to promote inclusion through sports. “With qualified football coaches providing specialised training and orientation to school students, the initiative intended to open

the doors of world class football for students in Chennai,” said Poornima Shankar of LatentView. Apart from engaging with students, the team behind the league also focused on training and team building at the school level. “The programme not only explores a child’s skills in the sport but also helps to develop mental stability. The intent is to have participation as the core value rather than mere competiveness. Apart from physical strength, football training provides overall personality development in the participants,” said Raza Haider, president, Siksha. The league aims to intensify in the coming years with more focus on training and building talent in and around Chennai and act as a platform for those who do not have opportunities to exhibit their  sporting skills.

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