Need to replicate YFC model across villages: Punjab Sports Minister

Aparna Banerji

Jalandhar, October 4

Punjab Sports Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer on Tuesday said it was the need of the hour to replicate YFC-like sports models across villages of the state to encourage sporting spirit among the players.

The minister was on his visit to Rurka Kalan village to meet and encourage the 10 players of the Youth Football Club (YFC), Rurka Kalan, who will represent India in the 4th edition of upcoming Street Child World Cup (SCWC) at Doha, 2022. A total of six players are from Rurka Kalan, two from Mansa, and one each from Ajnala and Dherian village in Punjab. The 10 boys – aged between 15 to 17 years – will play at Doha for the SCWC to be held from October 7 to 15.

Notably, the minister’s visit comes a day after Jalandhar Tribune highlighted the feat of the club players.

The player will leave for Doha on Wedneday.

The minister made a slew of announcements for the YFC to boost sports in the village.

He said the club will be provided with 105 residential sports wings seats where 65 seats under the residential training scheme and 40 under the day scholar scheme will be provided by the Punjab Sports Department. The minister said the department will allocate a budget in the next financial year for a Multipurpose Sports Hall facility for indoor sports, to be built on the YFC allocated land for providing training to the players. He also promised to extend wholehearted co-operation to the YFC team for its various sporting intiatives.

The minister who stayed at YFC for more than an hour, visited various sporting initiatives by YFC Rurka Kalan, honoured the Street Child World Cup team members as well as their coach. He interacted with students and YFC founder Gurmangal Das. He also honoured the Rurka Kalan team which stood first in the district contests of Khedan Watan Punjab Diyan.

He was accompanied by MLA Nakodar Inderjit Kaur Mann, Sarpanch Kulwinder Kaur Kauldhar, Group Gram Panchayat Member, Rotary Club Rurka Kalan ECO, Members of YFC, and Residents of the Rurka Kalan villages were also present at the event.

2nd outing for Rurka Kalan

YFC Rurka Kalan’s team has previously, too, represented India in SCWC 2010 at Durban which they won.

The boys belong to destitute families as the Street Child World Cup aims at amplify the voices of street children across the world. The 4th edition of SCWC, hosted in partnership with Qatar Foundation, is being hosted ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2022. It will witness participation of 28 teams from 24 countries and 13 girls’ and 15 boys’ teams will play in an international football tournament.