PANAJI
The Goa Football Association's (GFA) Youth Development Committee is steadily gaining momentum, aiming to nurture the next generation of football talent in the state.
A former football official highlighted the committee's progress this year. “This year, they have started the second division youth matches on time, and soon the First Division will commence upon completion of Division 2. This will provide top performers from Division 2 with another platform if picked up by Division 1 clubs,” he said.
Due to limited resources, most village clubs prefer to focus on age-group teams to maintain their affiliation.
According to GFA rules, a village club loses its registration if it fails to participate in the respective division. Alternatively, they can choose to field a team in any of the age group tournaments organised by the GFA.
However, the official highlights a growing concern: “There is a danger of burnout at a young age among footballers. We need proper planning to ensure that this does not happen.”
The youth leagues are structured to ensure that each team plays at least 10 matches. Additionally, these boys play at the school level, adding another 6-8 matches at the DSYA level. Schools also participate in private tournaments, so, on average, they play around 25 matches until the Under-18 level.
But the real question is: Do we have quality or just quantity?
“Now we have the quantity, but do we have the quality? Are these boys and girls being trained by proper coaches? Are they being given proper nutrition? Are they resting adequately, or after playing a match in the heat of the afternoon, are they again playing in the evening at their local grounds? These are crucial questions that need addressing," said the official.
There are over 100 clubs participating in boys' competitions across both Division 1 and 2. For girls, nearly 21 clubs are involved in age group tournaments, says Laxman Hadfdkar, Chairman of the GFA Youth Development Committee.
“The format is 11-a-side, and for the past three years, the age group tournaments have been held during the Diwali school holidays,” he adds.
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GFA youth development: Facts and figures
GFA age-group teams: U-14 Div 2: North - 15 teams, South - 25 teams, U-14 Div 1: 17 teams in Div 1, U-16 Div 2: North - 12 teams, South - 12 teams, U-16 Div 1: 17 teams, U-18 Div 2: North - 8 teams, South - 8 teams, U-18 Div 1: 6 teams, U-20: 17 teams, Girls U-14: One division only, North - 6 teams, South - 2 teams, Girls U-16: North - 6 teams, South - 4 teams, Girls U-18: North - 3 teams, South - 2 teams.
There are nearly 21 clubs participating in girls’ age group tournaments, and over 100 clubs compete in boys’ leagues (both Division 1 and 2). The format is 11-a-side, and for the last three years, the tournaments have started during the Diwali school holidays.
