Steel city kids get football lessons

Jamshedpur: Tiny tots of steel city may soon dribble like Messi or Ronaldo in the coming years.

Jamshedpur FC, which made its debut in the cash-rich Indan Super League last season, is all set to launch an ambitious grass-roots programme for children between the age group of 3 and 12 years.

JFC has appointed experienced coach Kundan Chandra, an accredited FIFA grass-roots instructor, to guide the children and also prepared a blueprint for the programme till 2020.

JFC CEO Mukul Choudhari said the grass-roots programme would initially be launched in three city schools - Hill Top School, Mount Litera Zee School and Gulmohur High School.

"We have approached other schools and some might even come on board in the coming days. We wish to conduct the programme in a structured manner," the JFC CEO added.

According to Choudhari, JFC is currently building up a football ecosystem, which will benefit the senior team and the entire state of Jharkhand. "Our primary focus is to educate and develop grass-roots coaches so that the children can identify their true potential."

Training centres will be set up at schools with proper playgrounds. JFC will also set up Jamshedpur Soccer School where children will get to enjoy the ambience of a playschool alongside learn the tactics of football.

Chandra, who hails from Nainital in Uttarakhand and has played Santosh Trophy, said the steel city was a conducive place to launch the grass-roots programme. "Teaching the nuances of football to children is itself challenging. We'll start with the ABCD (agility, balance, co-ordination and decision making) method," the head coach said.

Shedding light on the functioning of the programme, Chandra, former head of youth and grass-roots programme at Mumbai FC, said it would initially begin with a workshop for coaches at Tata Football Academy from July 16 to 18. This will be followed by a football festival for kids from July 27 to 29.