GANGTOK,: The two-day final selection camp for the State Sports Academy for football by the State Sports department commenced from Saturday here at Paljor Stadium.
Altogether 86 football talents, all aged below 16 years, have been shortlisted for the final camp at Paljor Stadium after conclusion of district-level selection trials held in November-December last year.
From the final group, thirty u-16 talents would be selected for the State Sports Academy under the Sports department. The players will stay in the academy hostel in Paljor Stadium and train daily under the Sports department football coaches besides continuing their education in local schools here.
Speaking with SIKKIM EXPRESS, Sports joint director Jigmee Y Lepcha and deputy director & Paljor Stadium in-charge Navin Lama informed that more than 600 kids turned out for the district-level selection trials. “From them, 86 talents were shortlisted for the final camp being held on February 1 and 2 here at Paljor Stadium. Finally, thirty players will be selected for the State Sports Academy,” they informed.
Sports department football coach Puspa Gurung and Sonam Pintso Bhutia, assisted by national footballers Vivek Bhutia and Ronald Rai are the selectors. The final result of the selected players would be announced by February 4.
“In the past, the selection trials used to be held in one district only where the players from other districts were invited to participate. This time, we conducted district-level trials at all the six districts and selected the best talents for the final selection trails. We are confident that the best selected players for the academy will shine at national and international levels in future,” said the Sports officials.
It was informed that earlier, the academy players used to be released after completing Class 12 board exams. From this session, we plan to continue training the players till they complete college, said the officials.
The State-run football academy, based at Paljor Stadium, had been on the sidelines since the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world in 2020. Though normalcy returned after two years of Covid, the stadium was approved to temporarily operate as the Khelo India State Centre of Excellence for three sports disciplines. The centre has now shifted to its permanent campus at Khel Gaon, Reshithang near Gangtok, paving way for the State Sports’ Academy revival.
In its heyday, the State Sports Academy u-16 team was a competitive force in the State A Division Football League, the Independence Day Cup, and local tournaments besides also featuring in the prestigious Governor’s Gold Cup. Many Sikkimese players who have gone on to play for India and in I-League and Indian Super League (ISL) clubs are alumni of this State-run football academy.
