Little Flower Football Academy, Thiruvananthapuram
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History
2015-19
Salim Joseph, May 3, 2019: The Times of India
It has been almost 150 years since Christian denominations shrugged off puritanical inhibitions about competitive sports like football and started founding clubs across Europe such as Everton FC and what is called Manchester City today. Now, the Roman Catholic Church in India has started a full-fledged football academy, tapping the talent of youngsters in a community where soccer is the "second religion". The Church’s archdiocese of Thiruvananthapuram has around 80 fishing hamlets spread across a 70-75 km coastal stretch — from Eraimanthura in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu to Anchuthengu in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala — under it, for picking up these young ‘natural footballers’.
The academy being established could script history for Indian soccer in a big way, just like Everton and Manchester City. Though the Church had launched the Little Flower Football Academy (LiFFA) with the first batch of 25 boys and basic facilities in 2015, the latest decision to have a full-fledged one with its own land and required infrastructure has catapulted the project into something hugely promising.
Faith and Football
In England, several leading clubs like Everton, Manchester City, Southampton, Fulham, Birmingham City, Southampton were set up by churches
In 1887, the Celtic Football Club was founded at the Catholic St. Mary's Church Hall in Calton, Scotland
British missionary Fr William Robert Lyons brought football to Goa and introduced it in a school at Siolim in 1883. The game slowly spread with several clubs springing up in the villages in years to come
“It’s the first of its kind in the country being initiated by any church, and in the near future the academy will be able to accommodate boys from other communities as well,” said LiFFA director Fr Thomas Netto. The academy also aims to bring in a level of self-discipline among children in the community, where poor backgrounds and adverse circumstances could cause them to turn astray.
Akesh was in the first batch to be trained in 2015. “LiFFA has come as a blessing for students in coastal villages who love playing football. Now focused both in football and in our studies, we are leading a disciplined life. I have now started dreaming about wearing the Indian jersey in the near future,” he said.
The Thiruvananthapuram Bishop’s House, “thrilled by the way LiFFA boys dribbled themselves into national and state sides (U-14), besides in Youth League teams over the last four years,” has stated its willingness to provide land. It has already identified two suitable locations measuring between 8 and 10 acres . It is now the task of the LiFFA management to raise funds for establishing all the facilities.
LiFFA hopes to script history for Indian soccer like clubs worldwide “We will be launching a fund-raising campaign after the scheduled LiFFA Cup-19, the biennial all-India youth football tournament to be held at Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium from April 29 to May 8,” said head coach and technical director Cleofas Alex, who quit his post of a college assistant professor (physical education) to take up the task.
The academy currently picks up students only from the community under the church residing in the coastal belt. “Our goal was to provide scientific training to these highly talented boys and give them the much needed state and national-level exposure,” Netto said. “It also turned out to be a successful initiative to combat possible drug abuse among these children,” he added.
Ajin A, another class IX student from the fishing village of Pulluvila, was a part of the LiFFA U-14 team which represented Kerala in the last Subroto Cup. “Football was just a pastime for me before coming to LiFFA. The academy taught me what real football is. We are getting the required exposure to have a good career in football. Playing in the Subroto Cup in Delhi was a dreamlike experience for me,” he said.
Now, six of the boys are U-14 national players, 30 have played for the state and 14 have been hired by Youth I-League teams. Winning 95% of tournaments in which they took part, the LiFFA U-14 team emerged the state champions and represented Kerala in the last Subroto Cup. “There are a few among them from families affected by Cyclone Ockhi. The academy, to a great extent, helped them to overcome the trauma and get back to their normal self,” said LiFFA associate director Fr Christudas Philip.
The academy seeks to provide scientific training and give the young footballers state and national-level exposure In two batches, a total of 41 boys are now getting trained at St Vincent’s High School grounds in Kaniyapuram under a six-member technical team. “Discussions are on to reserve five slots (out of the total 25 being offered on alternate years) for those from other communities. Selection is a year-long process starting from initial selection of 300 boys through a tournament being organised for the purpose,” said Alex.
Along the coast, divided into four zones under the Church, there is at least one football club, a school and a library under every parish. “This wide network of the Church makes communication easy. In fact, the Bishop’s House, after receiving the proposal for establishing the academy in 2010, diligently tested our patience to get convinced about our sincerity and passion before giving the nod in 2015,” the coach added.
Now, with plans for the full-fledged academy set in motion, youngsters like Akesh and Ajin will have a better opportunity to live their dreams.
ACADEMY'S SUCCESS RATE
Six boys are in the U-14 national team
30 players have played for Kerala
Youth I-League teams have recruited 14 players
Success rate of 95% in tournaments where the boys participated Academy's U-14 team represented Kerala in the last edition of Subroto Cup
