Sirsa-Fatehabad villages drive youth towards sports

Some villages in Sirsa and Fatehabad are showing how community effort and government support can shape the future of young athletes. In Sirsa district, Bani village has reinvented itself through sports. Once known for issues such as unemployment and drug abuse, the village is now recognised across the country for its thriving sports culture. The transformation is driven by the Umeed Club, where hundreds of children and young athletes train every day under dedicated coaches. The training is free of cost and coaches often cover the expenses themselves.

The village playground is packed each morning and evening. The children arrive before school and return again after classes to train in athletics, kabaddi, wrestling, hockey, volleyball and football. The ground has become a symbol of discipline and hard work, where young athletes say they now have a place to chase their ambitions.

Youth Club Association district president Sukhjit Singh said he launched the initiative to keep local children away from negative influences. He said sports built discipline, confidence and motivation, and proper guidance could help children reach any milestone in life. Today, more than 400 players practise regularly on the ground. Several have won medals at state-level competitions, and some have been selected for national camps. Players say they once lacked proper facilities, but the village playground has given them a fresh start and new encouragement.

While Bani celebrates its growing success, Hansawala village in Fatehabad’s Tohana region presents a different picture. Here, more than 80 young players train in judo, kabaddi and other sports, but their progress is limited by the absence of a sports complex. Despite their commitment, they practise in the open or makeshift areas that do not allow them to train in full capacity.

Athletes including Aman, Deepesh, Rohit, Arvind, Nirmal, Krish and Saurabh said the village panchayat supported them, helped them participate in competitions and promoted sports activities. Many players from the village have performed well at state-level events, especially in judo and kabaddi, where Hansawala is known as a strong nursery. But the players say their training is being held back by the lack of essential infrastructure.

Former player Pawan Gill said if the government built a sports complex in the village, its players could achieve great results at national and international levels. Judo player Sumit added that the panchayat had provided whatever facilities it could, but government support was missing. He said the players did not have mats, gym equipment or other basic training material. Deepesh, another judo player, echoed the same concern, saying the village had many talented athletes but lacked a proper training facility.

Coach Manika said more than 80 players train in the village and several had delivered outstanding performances in the state-level competitions. She believes the athletes have the talent to excel at higher levels if the government provides a dedicated sports complex.