Years back, when you would have thought of a well-played sport in Kashmir, cricket would have been the obvious answer. But the last few years have witnessed a boom for football in Kashmir with some clubs even qualifying to I-League and other football leagues.
The journey of a footballer in Kashmir is full of struggles with very little exposure. When you’re from a region that is now seen in the news for unrest and conflict, a football career becomes more difficult.
To become a good performer in a vast field of football, players not only need to become players with exceptional skill but to understand football at its best, develop tactical abilities, and be highly dedicated to the game. One needs to invest an extensive amount of time to practice to improve your knowledge regarding the gameplay and to understand the gameplay physiologically to achieve your goal.
In a union territory like Kashmir, with opportunities blurring day by day, Sports Council Football Academy has bought a new hope and evoked passion, persistence, brotherhood, team spirit, sportsmanship, and love among those playing football and those who want to see Kashmiris have their feet in national and international leagues. At the end of the day, the parents, who decide for their children and therefore, developing a healthy relationship with them as well is of much importance. That’s what Sports Council Football Academy does, giving them the knowledge of this particular sport and making them more aware of the beautiful game.
Sports Council Football Academy has a major contribution to football in Jammu and Kashmir, which is rarely spoken about. Mehrajuddin Wadoo, Javed Ahmed Sofi, and Satpal Singh as coaches of Sports Council Football Academy are instrumental in raising a team that made a nationwide name and realise the true talent and potential of footballers from the whole of Kashmir, the footballers who were mostly unknown and unleashed till then.
They train players and make them reach heights they never thought they could and have helped players push themselves to step outside of their comfort and grow. Players like Suhail Ahmad Bhat, Sajad Hussain, Parth Dewan, Jahangir Ahmad, and Rishi Rajput play for the Indian National Team (U-16) and Muheet Shabir plays for Kerala Blasters, an ISL team. With training from professional coaches, they’re now able to bend themselves and juggle up their minds to reach solutions that truly help their team gain greater results.
Professional coaches in SCFA include highly rated players from Kashmir who have made their name as international footballers Like Mehrajuddin Wadoo. The reason why SCFA tends to have coaches from Kashmir is to give the young budding footballers that essence of similar language, culture, values, and problem-solving approaches in times when difficulties are aplenty which results in the growth of team spirit.
When we talk about coaching, coaches from SCFA not only teach football but everything that one needs for personal growth, morals, and ethics with a different perception. Young footballers there are seen sharing their common interests and values. SCFA, now, often feels like home and lets them be free to be themselves. It’s hard to imagine such a home-like football school where you not only learn to dribble or pass but are morally educated.
Moreover, football in Kashmir needs more role models like Danish Farooq, Shahnawaz Bashir, Khalid Qayoom, and many more that young Kashmiri lads can look up to as a symbol of inspiration, in the valley. Developing football culture in Kashmir is an effort of J&K’s Sports Council that involves grassroots development, moral education, and passion for the game.
People are now coming to know the efforts SCFA puts into coaching and young lads are joining the club for the right team spirit. Players, there are in the field together, working for each other, for the team and football culture as one.