Professional football coaching offered to teenagers by civil services officers in Kerala

The officers have said that twelve teams have been selected through a screening process carried out at various police stations. Over 500 children were screened
Children playing football image for representation purpose only | (Pic: Express)
Children playing football image for representation purpose only | (Pic: Express)

Civil Services officers from Kerala have come up with a top-notch initiative. They are providing professional football coaching to children of the backward sections of Kochi. This is being done to not only discover new talent but also to prevent the children from falling into substance abuse, especially drug abuse. This was reported by ENS.

The officers have said that twelve teams have been selected through a screening process carried out in police stations situated in Mattancherry, Ernakulam Central, Thrikkakara and Ernakulam subdivision. Over 500 children were screened through this initiative. The teams comprise children belonging to the 13 to 17 age group from backward communities. The twelve teams will be contesting in the Kochi Soccer League to be held at the Rajiv Gandhi Regional Sports Centre in Kadavanthra.

The Civil Services officers from Kerala and also those posted in Kerala have formed a collective, titled the Civil Servants of Kerala (CSK) to carry out this initiative. District Collector Jafar Malik, Inspector General of Police P Vijayan to Kochi City, Police Commissioner CH Nagaraju and Crime Branch IG Harshitha Attaluri are some of the notable names who are a part of this collective and they are coordinating the activities planned for children, along with other senior civil servants posted in various central agencies, like Income Tax, GST, Customs and Cochin Port Trust in the district.

"Apart from football coaching, we are planning to offer counselling to students in personality development and other areas. Twenty children will be selected by a three-member panel of experts appointed to oversee the competition for further training. The finals of the league will be played on May 22 at the Regional Sports Center (RSC) in Kadavanthara," a senior officer from the CSK has been reported saying by ENS.

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