Date:03/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/03/stories/2009010361401800.htm

Sport - Football

A vindication of SDAT’s programme

Special Correspondent

ACHIEVERS: The victorious Tamil Nadu girls’ team poses with the Fairplay Award.

CHENNAI: The victory of the Tamil Nadu girls in the first edition of the Under-14 football festival, which concluded at the Hindustan University campus on Thursday, is a vindication of the ‘Catch Them Young’ programme initiated by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT), according to M. Renuka Lakshmi, Tamil Nadu Football Association’s women’s wing convenor.

On the right lines

“It proves that the sport is going on the right lines in the State,” she said.

The rural-based games and inter-school competitions in virtually every District had brought forth enough players at a young age, said Ms. Renuka.

“This has helped the football administrators to work on improving the quality of players,” she said.

The way Tamil Nadu has been shaping at the junior level, the State certainly has the credentials for the Sports Authority of India to start sports hostels to harness the talent, according to her.

The 8-2 win by Tamil Nadu over West Bengal brought the moment of joy that the girls had been yearning for with it came the ‘Fairplay Trophy’ as reward. Ms. Renuka, who has been travelling as manager of the girls’ teams for competitions abroad, felt the need now was to improve the stamina and fitness levels of the young girls before they enter tougher competitions.

“Hopefully some sponsorship help will be there to help these girls, several of whom have a chance to play for India, to take to higher grade training,” she said.