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What's the story?
ATK have made their move in establishing and developing a solid grassroots structure. The two-time ISL champions have launched the ATK Academy in association with Aditya Sports School in Barasat on Wednesday, August 15.
In case you didn't know...
ATK (formerly Atletico de Kolkata) was one of the eight founding members of the Indian Super League. The Kolkata-based side entered the first edition of the competition in association with Atletico Madrid, hence taking the name Atletico de Kolkata.
Led by Liverpool legend Luis Garcia, ATK won the first-ever Indian Super League by beating Kerala Blasters in the final. Mohammed Rafique was the goalscorer as ATK edged the inaugural ISL final by a goal to nil.
ATK would go on to win one more ISL title, two years later, in the third season of the league. The Kolkata club became the first side to win two titles.
The heart of the matter
The two-time champions took a step further in instilling the winner mentality in young players. The Kolkata club opened their new academy in Barasat, in association with Aditya School of Sports. The ATK Academy is set to follow the widely renowned structure, involving residential education plus sports.
Sanjoy Sen, ATK's assistant coach, who is also in charge of the club's youth setup, spoke about the academy at the venue:
"We are very proud to partner with Aditya School of Sports for this academy. Children of U13, U15, and U18 age category will train and play here. With a nice ambience and atmosphere, I think it's ideal for all the children. We have already selected the boys who will play in the different age categories, and we will start playing in a few days. It's an auspicious day, which is why we decided to inaugurate the academy today. The facilities are really good, so it's a good thing that such a thing is being done for the young kids."
The head of youth operations went on to add:
"We had the lower age categories, but now we will also have a reserve team. It's upto the management, but we will most probably play the I-League Second Division and the U18 I-League next season. There's a lack of competition in our country. Hence, the more they play, the better it will be for them. The education part of these kids will be looked after by the Aditya Group. Along with that, we are also looking after their specific needs in terms of diet, so that they can improve and become better players."
The head coaches have also been announced for the age categories -- Mr. Ghosh for the U13 category, and Mr. Altaf for the U15 category.
What's next?
Developing grassroots football has become paramount in India. The clubs participating in the I-League and the ISL not only want to win the league and attract big name signings; but they also want to create players from scratch. Time will tell how successful the ATK Academy turns out to be.
Do you think this initiative by the ATK will help to churn out talent from India in the long run? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
