Kohima District Inter-School Football Tournament from June 27

Our Correspondent Kohima, June 25 (EMN): The third edition of the Kohima District Inter-School Football Tournament will start from June 27 to July 15 at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in Kohima. Altogether 32 schools will vie for the title. This was announced by the Royal Club Kohima (RCK) during a press conference on Tuesday, at Hotel Blue Bayou. The tournament is jointly organised by the Royal Club Kohima, Department of School Education and Youth Resources & Sports. Since, many state players do not get the opportunity to go out of the state, the RCK had been organising the Royal Gold Cup, the only AIFF affiliated and the only All India Football tournament in Nagaland till the 22nd Royal Gold Cup, 2013. The main purpose of the cup is to give opportunity to state’s players to play alongside reputed teams from across India. On the neighbouring states in the Northeast emerging with dominance in the field of football, “about 20 to 25 % of the professional football players come from Northeast, a region that comprises hardly 8% of the country’s population. Sadly, Nagaland football remains to bask in the glory of Late Dr. T. Ao who led the Indian team to the Summer Olympics in 1948,” RCK stated. Because of the ‘changing time demands change in strategy’, the club has now decided to focus on the development of football in Nagaland beginning with a grass root programme by launching the 1st edition of Kohima District Inter-School Football Tournament in 2017. It expresses confidence at the upcoming talents. Harnessing their commitment, skills and talents are will facilitate players from Nagaland to “find their rightful place in the world of football,” it added. The club also assured to try to organise inter-district school football tournament in the near future.

1. Rio Higher Secondary School will face St. Joseph Higher Secondary School Viswema at the inaugural match on June 27 at 12 noon.

32 participating schools in this edition includes; G. Rio Higher Secondary School, St. Joseph Higher Secondary School Viswema, Govt. Higher Secondary School Tseminyu, Sacred Heart School Khuzama, Khedi Baptist Higher Secondary School, Mt. Hermon Higher Secondary School, John Higher Secondary School Viswema, Grace Higher Secondary School, Mezhii Higher Secondary School, Mt. Carmel Higher Secondary School, Govt. Higher Secondary School Jotsoma, Dr. Neilhouzhii Higher Secondary School, Model Higher Secondary School, Chandmari Higher Secondary School, Baptist Higher Secondary School Tseminyu, St. Mary’s Cathedral Higher Secondary School,  Baptist Mission School Jotsoma, Stella Higher Secondary School, Modern Academy School, Riizhiikhrie Higher Secondary School, Holy Family Higher Secondary School, Baptist High Kohima, Dainty Buds School, Bethel Higher Secondary School, GHS New Market, Minister’s Hill Higher Secondary School, TM Govt. Higher Secondary School, Mt. Sinai Higher Secondary School, Don Bosco Higher Secondary School, Govt. High School Sechii, Christ King Higher Secondary School, and Loyola Higher Secondary School. The champion will win a cash prize of INR 70,000 while the runner-up will receive INR 50,000. The semi-finalists will also get INR 20,000 each. A cash award will also be given to best cheering school, best discipline team and player of the tournament.