200 teams take part in winter football tournament

Srinagar: Over 2500 young boys representing 200 teams are participating in the third winter football

tournament here, scheduled to conclude in March next year. The tournament, which started on Friday, is being organised by International Sports Academy Trust (ISAT) in collaboration with Jammu Kashmir Football Association, director of ISAT, Juan Marcos told reporters. "The winter tournament is aimed at strengthening the football structure in all the districts and set up football academies to help polish the talent of young Kashmiri football players," he said. Marcos, a Brazilian coach working in Kashmir, said it was for the first time that 200 teams from eight districts in the valley are participating in the winter football tournament making it a truly All Kashmir tournament. He said the winter football tournament was kicked off on December 18 in Bandipore and will conclude in March 2011. "From each valley district, around 25 teams would be seen in action during the tournament and the matches will be held all over the valley," he said. "Three years ago, when we (ISAT) organised the first winter football tournament in the valley, our aim was to establish football as a winter sport like it is in other parts of the world.” "And with this tournament, we made sure that the tournament encompassed the football scene of the entire valley and not just a few teams from the city," Marcos said. He said all the members of the JKFA from various districts extended their support to make this tournament possible. "It would have been impossible to reach out to so many players and teams across the valley without their support and the hard work of JKFA," Marcos said. He said the ground facilities and change rooms for the event have been provided by the Jammu Kashmir Sports Council. After the conclusion of the league matches at district level, the winner and runner up from each district will come together to play against each other in the final tournament that will be played here. PTI