Earlier that morning Meghalaya’s debut Baby League, had its fourth match-day — an all-kids’ affair with non-stop action. The really young ones waddled after the ball in a swarm, kicking at will. At that level, there are no goalkeepers — just two posts on each end of the playing field. Up the age ladder, the jamboree gets replaced with the game’s symmetry: defence lines get distinct, skills come to the forefront, and so does competition.
As dusk settles on a typical Shillong Saturday, football fans stream into the town’s Polo Grounds parking lot to watch what the world is watching: the FIFA World Cup 2018. An evening of euphoric gesticulations and soul-crushing disappointment beckons. But it is not the only footballing affair that has taken centre-stage in Meghalaya’s capital. A few hours earlier, another story unfolded just across the street, on the turf of the Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex.
Meghalaya’s Baby League is turning out to be much more than a photo op for adorable moments. Arki stresses on the long-term benefits of the initiative: “It ties into a much larger picture. Apart from giving footballers a competitive platform to hone their skills, we hope to lay the foundation for a vibrant sports culture by involving parents and communities,” he says.
For Indian football to succeed, a development model that ‘catches them young’ is the only way forward. And in Shillong’s Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex, amidst the delightful squeals of children at play, there are some sure signs of genius.
Shanbor Manar and Hamarsingh Manar are from Wahlakhiat, a village 60 kms away from Shillong and are part of the coaching staff for the Wahlakhiat Bulls. Shanbor remembers how back home it was impossible to practice in their village ground. “It was too small and on a slope,” he says, “The Baby League includes squads from villages and towns outside Shillong, and they still manage to take to the level turf with aplomb.
It is a good beginning,” says L.A. Kharmawphlang, whose 12-year-old twin sons play for the Touchline NE Cubs, “They already train but to actually play in a tournament makes a big difference. It makes them team players.” Michael Lyngdoh, whose nephews play for the ENE Falcons, adds that the Baby League is “a welcome opportunity for young children to improve their talent, and resist distracting temptations like TV and other gadgets.”
