Our Correspondent
KOHIMA, FEBRUARY 29
The second edition of Prodigies Open Penalty Shootout Tournament will be held on March 19 at Local Ground (Khuochiezie), Kohima.
Organizers of the event, Prodigies, informed that the winning team of the competition will fetch a cash prize of Rs.30,000 (sponsored by Kohima Yamaha) along with running trophy and certificates, while the second prize will consist of Rs.20,000 (sponsored by Britannia, United Traders) and the third place winners will be awarded a cash prize of Rs.10,000 (sponsored by Boulie Whuorie). The fourth prize and the best goalkeeper will be given Rs.5000 each (sponsored by Where’s The Food: The Naga Diner and Naga Kitchen).
The organizers have also informed that registration forms are available at a price of Rs.100 at different outlets in Kohima including Sports World and Equipments and Sports in town area, Solo Enterprise at High School area, Northern Sports at Sepfüzou, and Kiran Sports and Stationery at BOC area. The entry fee for teams is set at Rs.2000 and the forms along with entry fee can be submitted to the same outlets by March 14, organisers said.
The competition, with six persons per team including a goalkeeper, will be held on a knock-out basis and the shootout will be officiated by the Kohima District Football Referees’ Association.
Interacting with media persons today at Where’s The Food (WTF) Kohima, members of Prodigies said the objective of the tournament is to have an innovative fellowship through sports, to provide a platform for the youth to a positive and up-lifting experience while promoting professional football clubs and players sharing a stage with them, and also to create a new and strong partnerships with local business communities to sponsor opportunities for people to participate in well- established sporting events.
The Prodigies group consists of 15 members from Khedi Baptist Church Kohima, who have come together with a zeal for serving the Lord through various undertakings and charitable works.
“In the process of searching for some new ways of fellowship, we stumbled upon the idea for the Open Penalty Shoot-Out tournament under the motto ‘Innovating a Stronger Fellowship’,” said the PR in-charge of the group, Avilie Mepfhuo. He said the group is looking to make the occasion a day of social and family event for people to support the participating teams and also bless them through their presence.
A few of the side attraction of the tournament will be sales of sporting goods and jersey, monsoon clothing and accessories and also a food stall to cater to the event while some well-known local artistes will be performing to entertain the audience in the middle of the event, the organizers said. Meanwhile, intending teams have been requested to have either a coach or a manager, and to participate in the competition with matching and numbered jerseys as well as proper footballing gear such as jersey set, football stockings and football boots.
The first Prodigies’ Open Penalty Shootout Tournament in 2015 saw a participation of 45 teams, and the organizers are looking forward to having more teams in this year’s edition. The event on March 19 will be graced by parliamentary secretary for Youth Resources & Sports, Khriehu Liezietsu as the chief guest and NCSU president, Pele Khezhie as the guest of honour.
