INDIAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION:Youth Development Programmes

The frontline Countries of the football world have adapted the policy of catch them young by spotting out talents from amongst the teenagers in course of their school and college career. I.F.A also have tried to emulate the policy.

IFA NURSERY LEAGUE AND KNOCK -OUT FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT

IFA started Nursery League since 1993.At Present 60 Nursery Teams divided into 5 groups/Zones play Nursery league. Nursery Boys within the age Group of 11 - 13 years are allowed to play in Nursery League.
Nursery units are provided with financial assistance for kits and gears and tiffin. From the year 2003 Calcutta Football League has 5th Division Group B to accommodate players within the age group of 13 + to 15+ specially for Nursery players exceeding the age of 13 years.

IFA SCHOOL/COLLEGE FOOTBALL TOURNAMENTS

BANKIM CUP FOR SCHOOL STUDENTS: 64 School teams from in and around Kolkata take part in this sponsored Championship. Targeted at giving school Football a major fillip, the Bankim Cup is a roaring success.

ALL BENGAL SCHOOL FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT:180 School from Kolkata and 20 District of West Bengal participates in the School Tournament at 20 Venues. If generated a lot of interest for Football in the Schools.

FOOTBALL COACHING SCHEME FOR SCHOOL STUDENTS: This project has been undertaken to inspire students of the elite Metro City School in Football by imparting scientific Football coaching so as to bring up genuine Football talents from the Boys belonging to the elite class.

More than a thousand students belonging to 12 Schools are involved in this scheme who are undergoing training from reouted AFC Licensed Coaches, who are also former Indian International Football Players.The students are being 4 months of training and 2 months of participation in a Tournament amongst the above elite Schools in the cyclic order.

ELLIOT SHILD FOR COLLEGE STUDEBTS: This is a premier College level Championship, the Elliot Shield, one of the oldest Tournaments in the Country. This has also fostered the involvement of verious Colleges in Football and generated interest among the youth for the promotion of the game.

VIDYASAGAR TROPHY FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: This is a Inter University Football Tournament for the University students of West Bengal.

IFA UNDER -19 FOOTBALL LEAGUE

IFA organises a league with eight U-19 teams from Clubs playing in the Premier Division of Calcutta Football League.Overall 28 matches are played in straight League format.The under 19 teams of the Giant Kolkata Football viz EastBengal, Mohunbagan,Mohammedan Sporting, EverReady Assn. participates in this Tournaments which take this league Football to a great height.This Tournament plays a vital role in the development of Youth Football and also act to boost the supply line of promising players to the main stream of Calcutta Football League playing Clubs.

IFA YOUTH DEVELOPMENT IN THE DISTRICTS OF WEST BENGAL

In the Districts of West Bengal,the inter District Sub-Junior and Junior Football Tournaments also generates a lot of enthusiasm amongst the Young ones.
To have effective control and close monitoring of the Football related activities of the Districts,IFA has formed Four District Zonal Head Quarters and also initiated a coaches Coaching programmes for the District Coaches by sending a "C" licensed qualified Coach to each District for two weeks to train 15 Coaches of that District at a time.

IFA DISTRICT FOOTBALL COACHING CAMPS

In all the Districts of West Bengal IFA has opened Coaching Camps for Boys of 12 - 14 years and 16-19 years of age.
IFA District long term Football Coaching Programmes is running successfully in all the Districts and closely monitor the Quality of training of these Coaching Camps by sending "C" license Coaches for evaluation of the performance, introduction of uniform training syllabus and recruitment of talent trainees.IFA also extend all coooperation to these Camps by giving Football Boots to all the fresh Trainees apart from the usual Bips, Shorts and Socks.
These Coaching Camps are required to be actively monitored and their performance needs to be assessed. For this purpose IFA has started inter Coaching Camp Competition amongst the respective age groups.
More such Camps shall be opened in Sub-Division Towns where Football is quite popular and talents are available.

IFA INTER SUB-DIVISIONAL SUB.JR.(U-13) FOOTBALL TOURNAMENTS

For the last few years IFA is organising and conducting the above Tournament. About 60 Sub-Division Teams(U-13) participate in this Tournament. IFA appoints Coaches and Spotters to spot out talents for furure training.
During the poeriod of the Tournament Coaches Workshop, Referees(District)Seminars and Training classes are conducted. Video shows of Football training and matches are shown to the young participants.
In order to explore the potential at the grass-root level, IFA has already requested the Government of West BEngal to start this Football Tournament at the Block Level( 360 Blocks) in all District of the State of West Bengal.

IFA NURSERY FOOTBALL COACHING CENTRES

With a view to standardize coaching in nursery coaching centres all over West BEngal, 75 such centres have been brought under one unique unbrella by accrediatating them under us. This endeavour to monitor the quality of training and take care of the coaching centres would certainly yeald results and troom up talents for main stream of Kolkata Football.

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