NT Sports Reporter
Panaji, March 20, 2005: The Goa Football Association in association with Boxer Sports Goods Company Pvt Ltd will organise the �1st Boxer U-12 seven-a-side football festival� in the third week of April on a zonal format. Buoyed by the success of the school adoption programme wherein six schools namely Don Bosco, Deepvihar, Manovikas, Bethany Convent, St Joseph�s Calangute and Fr Agnel Pilar, competed in a seven-a-side event which received an overwhelming response from the kids and their parents alike, the �Boxer event� is the latest step by the GFA to boost the youth development. After the recent breakthroughs of forging bonds with the Portuguese and German football authorities to train young Goan footballers and coaches, the GFA added one more feather to its cap by tying up with the kochi-based Boxer company, for the betterment of age-group football.
�The idea behind the festival is to take the kids away from TV and bring them to the ground accompanied by their parents. We hope to organise more such festivals in the U-10 and U-8 categories next year,� disclosed Mr Savio Messias, GFA secretary, at a press conference, here today. Mr Itteera Kavungal, MD Boxer company, literally announced the beginning of a long-serving partnership with Goan football with their decision of sponsoring kits to Shallum Pires, Marshal Fernandes and Raymond Rodrigues, who have been selected for the all-India U-13 camp in Kolkata.
Mr Kavungal saluting the football-crazy Goans, divulged that it was former international I M Vijayan�s idea to launch the Boxer company in Goa with a novel event wherein normal winners and runners-up positions will be christened as �fair play winners� and so on. Legendary footballer Vijayan also happens to be the chairman of the company and its brand ambassador. While the ties will be held on Sundays and holidays, the number of matches on each day will depend on the entries, stated Mr Messais adding that the players will be provided with refreshments. The main highlight of the festival though, is the introduction of the �green card.� Unlike the yellow and red cards which symbolise penalties, the green card will show approval and appreciation when a footballer is involved in a positive action like helping out his fellow player on the field; demonstrating fair play and good sportsmanship all the time; helping and showing sympathy to those who are injured; applauding the losers and victors; respecting the opponents, own team officials and most importantly the referees.
Each green card shown to a player will fetch five points to his team and the team with the maximum fair play points will be the winner of fair play trophy. Also the festival will not have the referees pulling off the players for off-side. �Basically, what FIFA and AFC doctor is that a child must feel the ball maximum number of time,� clarified Mr Messias on the idea of doing away with the offence in this context. Meanwhile, the tournament will be played on a 60m x 40m pitch with smaller goalposts and size 4 balls. While the duration of a match will be 40 minutes with a 10-minute break, each player will have to mandatorily play a minimum of 10 minutes and unlimited substitutions will be allowed. Mr Francis Fernandes, GFA vice-president, and Mr Tommy PP, executive director of Boxer company, were present on the dais. Mr Joy D�Silva of GFA proposed the vote of thanks.
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new resources site!
http://www.goa-world.com
http://www.live365.com/stations/61664 Live Konkani Music
http://www.mahableshwar.com/
Addresses:
Post message: [email protected]
Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
List owner: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
URL to this page:
http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/gulf-goans
Yahoo! Groups Links
- To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gulf-goans/
- To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
- Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
