Meghalaya: Rangsakhona invitational football tournament kicks off today

Rangsakhona, Sept 7,2017: In a boost to develop football in the region, Sports minister Zenith Sangma today has announced that the Rangsakhona playground in South West Garo Hills would be developed as a grassroot centre under the ambitious "mission football" of the state government.

"Promoting football is a priority of the government. By creating grassroot football centre we would like to coach our young football talents", said Sangma, while inaugurating the Rangsakhona invitational football tournament 2017.

He informed that the government would start "sport testing" to identify potential talents in the state, who can be groomed to take football as a "career option".

"The convention way of selection is time consuming so the government has decided to introduce sports testing, which would save time and help identify talents", he added.

The sport testing technique is a mechanism by way of which a talent would be identified through the use of technology. He said that the top most priority of such technique would be to identify players between the age group of 8 -12 years, who can be coached and trained.

Director of sports department Matsiewdor War Nongbri said that by organising bigger football events in rural areas government is trying to motivate and encourage the spirit of football.

A total of 12 teams are taking part in the tournament from different parts of Garo hills. The invited teams are — Shillong Lajong junior, Nabajyoti Club Guwahati, Langsning Sports Club and United FC Goalpara. The top teams of the tournament will lock horns with the invited teams.

TNT News