GFDC Rumdamol Davorlim Centre distributes football kits to young trainees
PANAJI: Goa Football Development Council (GFDC) Rumdamol Davorlim Centre, in association with Davorlim Rangers Sports Club, held a football kit distribution ceremony at Davorlim Panchayat Hall recently.
Present were Navelim MLA Ulhas Tuvenkar, GFDC Member Secretary Fransquinha Oliveira, Navelim ex-sarpanch and panch member Samiula Faniband, physical education teachers of AIIMS School Shafi Jamadar and Hanif Shaikh, ex-footballer and mentor of GFDC centre Salvador Pereira, president of Davorlim Rangers Sports Club Maynuddin Shaikh, Centre Head Swenny Noronha, coaches Joseph Baptista and Macrenna Dias, and grounds-person Um- e Salma Sheikh.
Ulhas, who was the chief guest, expressed delight that GFDC is training young children in football across the state. “We are glad that our children here too are getting trained. Earlier they used to travel to Fatorda and now they are training here. Parents too benefit from this. I urge the children to attend training at the centre and show your interest in sports. We are Goans and passionate about football and the sport is synonymous with Goa. Children should also make time for sports after school. Nowadays children are often seen with mobile phones in their hands, so they should instead focus on sports and become good players,” he said.
He also thanked GFDC for organising the training programme in the village for the children.
“Our Goa government is focussing a lot on sports. There is a lot of good infrastructure like stadiums in the villages. In Davorlim there are two good grounds, one behind the panchayat and Zariwada, but we don’t see many children at the Davorlim ground. When coaches are training you, the government is helping you along with the panchayat, and when kits are distributed to you, you must play and make your schools’ and village’s names proud,” he urged the children.
Fransquinha thanked Davorlim Rangers Sports Club for partnering with GFDC to nurture footballers in the region.
“Football is not just a game. It teaches discipline, teamwork, respect, leadership and perseverance. Every child who wears the football kit today is not receiving just a jersey or football shoes, but an opportunity to dream bigger, work harder and represent the village, district or state and perhaps even the country one day,” she said.
GFDC remains committed to taking football to every corner of Goa, Fransquinha said.
“Through our grassroots centres, qualified coaches, structured training programmes and partnership with local clubs, we are creating a good, strong foundation for the future of Goan football. I thank the parents for believing in their children’s dreams. Your encouragement and support play a vital role in their journey. I also congratulate the centre head, coaches, groundpersons, and volunteers who dedicate their time and effort in developing these young talents,” she said.
To the children, Fransquinha added, “Wear these kits with pride. Play sincerely, respect your coaches, play with discipline and never stop believing in yourself. Success comes to those who remain committed and work hard every single day.”
Samiula said that the centre in Davorlim has benefitted parents as they previously used to travel to Fatorda for training.
“This would inconvenience parents, so to resolve this issue, I contacted GFDC and urged them to have a coaching centre here at Davorlim ground. The club was started in 2017. After the pandemic, we restarted the activities. Our centre head is working hard to take the trainees for tournaments, etc,” he said.
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