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The prize distribution ceremony of the inaugural edition of Liga Prodigio — an AIFF-affiliated baby League — was held at the IIHM Global Campus in Kolkata on September 14, 2019.
The tournament — a brainchild of AIFF match commissioner Aparup Chakraborty — spanned five months (22nd December 2018 to 5th May 2019) and saw the participation of nearly 350 players, both male and female, across three age groups: under-9, under-11, and under-13.
The chief guest at the event was former mental conditioning coach of the Indian junior hockey team Mreenal Chakraborty, who was part of the support staff that helped the Indian team win the Men’s Hockey Junior World Cup in 2016. Also attending the event was former Olympian Soma Biswas, whose kids took part in the tournament as well.
After the conclusion of the award distribution ceremony, a mental toughness session under the supervision of Mreenal Chakraborty was arranged for children belonging to all the three age groups.
According to Aparup, the reason behind choosing Mreenal Chakraborty as the chief guest was simple: “By virtue of being a match commissioner, I’ve seen many teams ending up on the losing side despite beginning well. Most often these losses occur owing to some lapse of concentration in the closing stages of games. I think a lot of this has to do with the mental fragility of our players unlike the German or Brazilian players, who can handle pressure situations much better. This is where I thought Mreenal could help us. By talking to the trainees and their parents, he could emphasize the importance of mental toughness in today’s game and suggest the ways in which these children can become mentally tougher.”
So what plans does he have for the future of Liga Prodigio? Aparup, who, besides his football commitments, is a former captain of the Indian indoor cricket team and also an accredited coach with the ICC, BCCI and Cricket Australia, said on the sidelines of the event: “My aim through Liga Prodigio is to strengthen the grassroots football system of the country. Sport is 80% mental and 20% technical. If we want to produce more players from Bengal, we’ll have to put in a lot of work to improve their mental skills. Hopefully with the right kind of support and due recognition, we’ll be able to reach new heights together.”
List of winners
UNDER-9
Champions: BMSA ROYALS
Runners-up: Barrackpore Sports Academy
Highest goal scorer: Souvik Porel (Barrackpore Sports Academy), 48 goals in 16 games
Emerging player: Aryaman Kedia (WUK Peace)
Fair Play Award: Mohana Sporting
UNDER-11
Champions: BMSA Tigers
Runners-up: Barrackpore Sports Academy
Highest goal scorer: Len G. Khongsai (Barrackpore Sports Academy), 36 goals in 14 games
Emerging player: Len G. Khongsai
UNDER-13
Champions: Bidhannagar Municipal Sports Academy (BMSA)
Runners-up: UFCC Riders
Highest goal scorer: Atanu Sen (UFCC Riders), 17 goals
Emerging player: Anup Sardar (BMSA)
