Football enthusiasts in Baroda were treated to a gala New Year as the All India Football Federation (AIFF) organised its first Grassroots Leaders Course in the city from December 27 to 29, 2014.

The course provided a comprehensive course to 28 budding coaches in Gujarat and involved close to 250 boys and girls in the age group of 6 to 12 years also got the benefit of participating in the practical sessions which imparted the modern coaching techniques as prescribed by the All India Football Federation. Baroda Football Academy hosted the course at the DPS School Kalali, Baroda.

The Instructor for the course was Anju Turambekar who is the AIFF Grassroots License holder.

The three-day course covered topics ranging from Grassroots Philosophy, importance of small sided games, role of educator, pedagogy, skills training, how to organise Grassroots festival and so on.

The course ended with a football festival which was attended by Gujarat’s first I-League player Dharmesh Patel (ONGC FC).

Also present were Dr. A.K. Sinha, Principal of DPS School, Kalali and Hanif Ginwala, President, Baroda District Football Association (BDFA). Sandeep Desai, Director of Baroda Football Academy and General Secretary of BDFA was instrumental in organizing the course.

This is the first time that the city has hosted the Course with an objective of creating efficient coaches who could spread the philosophy of the Grassroots within the state.

(Report & Picture courtesy AIFF Media)