The Sports Promotion Team (SPT) and ITC’s Sunfeast brand formally announced their tie-up for the SPT Sports Academy’s Football Division at a press conference here on Tuesday evening. The football division, which has close to 68 trainees with regular trainees numbering close to 40, has been functioning for the last one year at the academy located off Sarjapur Road.
And Sunfeast has been associated with the football division and Tuesday’s media briefing was just an occasion to make it public.
Amit Saran, chief executive officer, SPT, said: “We are looking at kids in the age group of five to 15 and we have training sessions four days a week during evenings in the weekdays and in the mornings during the weekends.
Demand for the game
“We believe that cricket has outgrown itself and there is a demand for football and we thank Sunfeast for the sponsorship.” Meanwhile ITC official Navaneel Kaur reiterated Sunfeast’s association with children through sport.
Later in the evening, chief guests — former India wicket-keeper Syed Kirmani and former India hockey goalkeeper Ashish Ballal — spoke about the need for visibility and support for sports other than cricket.
“Cricket has got its glamour and success but I request the media to look at other sports too and the change also should happen with parents. They should let the child play a sport which he or she likes rather that being forced to play only cricket. I wish SPT and Sunfeast all the luck,” Kirmani said while Ballal requested Amit Saran to add fun to football coaching at his academy.
“I also run a hockey academy and I know how difficult it is to get the kids to train hard, to motivate them and to ensure they turn up on time. Make it enjoyable for them. I also know it is financially hard to run a sports academy and this initiative by Sunfeast is praiseworthy.”
ISF Cup
SPT is currently organising the Inter-School Football (ISF) Cup with more than 32 teams playing at the St. John’s Medical College Ground. A football talent hunt is also on the pipeline.
Source: http://www.hindu.com/2007/11/21/stories/2007112157652200.htm
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