| US firm sponsors meet to groom Assam footballers | ||
Guwahati, Feb 24 : The West Virginia-based firm M/s FS Sports has engaged three competent coaches from the US to train Assam footballers during an inaugural camp for the Santosh Trophy senior tournament. The first phase of the camp got under way at the Nehru Stadium here today. Altogether 66 probables have been invited to the camp, conducted by FS Sports coaches Carl Grey, Robert Grey and Glenn Grey. Launching the programme, the president of FS Sports, Francis Saldonha, said the decision to sponsor the coaching programme was part of his initiative to help underprivileged nations in the field of sport. “After launching the sports promotion firm in July last year, I did not have an idea whom to approach and how to help India develop football. I had contacted the All India Football Federation and accordingly, I sponsored the Indian under-16 team in an exposure trip to the US last year. It was then that I met Assam Football Association secretary Ankur Dutta who, in turn, invited me to be involved in the coaching programme,” Saldonha said. The US firm will spend around $20,000 in the programme. “Besides, the coaches deployed here will be spotting talented players for sponsorship. Moreover, we are launching a website to scout talent where players will be able to upload video clips of their athletic skills and we will select potential talents for grooming and sponsorship,” the West Virginia-based physician of Indian origin said. He added that they would not only promote football but also disciplines like athletics, swimming and tennis. The AFA hoped the camp was going to help the state team qualify for the 34th National Games in Jharkhand by finishing among the top eight in the Santosh Trophy tournament in May. Assam was shown the door from the group league stage in the last edition of the Santosh Trophy tournament, thus failing to qualify for the National Games. |
